A Special, Significant Night
Here in our county, a very small dot in the global village, a number of people are going to be joining together at the Angel of Hope statue. The vigil starts at 7 p.m. It will be cold. There will be a warm feeling of connection among the participants. Each of them will bring a white flower to this special evening. They will be united in spirit.
All these people will be remembering a child they have lost, a child who has died. They are people who think differently about the holidays because they will not be buying a present or presents for someone they loved and still love. While all the world seems to be buzzing with presents and merriment, they are drawn to memories about how their lives were. While the world around them is filled with lights and songs, their world has only the inner glow of songs that used to be sung.
As you experience the rhythms of your day and of this season, please take some time and listen to the heart song of a parent who has to deal with the reality of their child's all-to-sudden departure from this world. Do what you can to make this a special, significant night.
--Ben Keckler
12.06.10
Showing posts with label Holiday Sadness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday Sadness. Show all posts
Monday, December 6, 2010
Monday, December 21, 2009
Daily Devotion - Monday, December 21
Lonely and Afflicted at the Holidays
“Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.”
--Psalm 25:16
Many of us will be gathering with family and friends and spending some special time together as this week comes to an end. Most of us will smile as eager children rip through carefully wrapped packages to see what new thing is inside. Some of us will have a more relaxed time of casual merriment. Many will have an extended weekend, allowing us to spend a holiday with folks we love. Some of us will find that our place of employment is the place to be.
We look at the above verse of Scripture today because it is also important. At the hospital we know we will have a patient population on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Some will be too sick to really care about the holiday. Some will be recovering and may have the very wishes that the Psalm writer had. Some will be wondering what word they are going to hear. It is important to be sensitive to the cry of the hurting.
In whatever you do, may your day find you demonstrating increased sensitivity to the lonely and afflicted who are seeking Holy grace to come their way.
Prayer: Holy One, grace me with a measure of compassion that will touch the lonely and afflicted. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
12.21.09
“Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.”
--Psalm 25:16
Many of us will be gathering with family and friends and spending some special time together as this week comes to an end. Most of us will smile as eager children rip through carefully wrapped packages to see what new thing is inside. Some of us will have a more relaxed time of casual merriment. Many will have an extended weekend, allowing us to spend a holiday with folks we love. Some of us will find that our place of employment is the place to be.
We look at the above verse of Scripture today because it is also important. At the hospital we know we will have a patient population on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Some will be too sick to really care about the holiday. Some will be recovering and may have the very wishes that the Psalm writer had. Some will be wondering what word they are going to hear. It is important to be sensitive to the cry of the hurting.
In whatever you do, may your day find you demonstrating increased sensitivity to the lonely and afflicted who are seeking Holy grace to come their way.
Prayer: Holy One, grace me with a measure of compassion that will touch the lonely and afflicted. Amen.
--Ben Keckler
12.21.09
Monday, December 22, 2008
Daily Devotions - Monday, December 22
Keeping Perspective
"Why are you cast down, O my soul
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God."
--A song of God’s people
We begin another week where festivity and celebration are the primary theme. One challenge we can face is that the season calls us to merriment and the realities of life can take us to places where folks are not feeling merry at all.
One of the Bereavement Support groups met for their Christmas gathering. We laughed and we spent time in silence. One of the grievers in the group did a spin-off on the David Letterman theme of “10 Reasons…” She titled it “Top 10 Reasons Christmas Sucks” and I share it with you to keep things in perspective:
10. Family get-togethers just make it more obvious that someone is missing.
9. Every time you go shopping, you see things your loved one would like.
8. Every ornament and decoration you get out has a memory connected to it.
7. There is one less stocking to be hung.
6. Everywhere you go, you hear the song, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”
5. Your cheeks get chapped when you cry in cold weather.
4. The arrival of Christmas means another New Year is one week away.
3. No matter how good you are, Santa won’t bring you what you really want.
2. None of those “holly jolly” people can understand how you are feeling.
1. Every new holiday is a reminder that life goes on, even if you don’t want it to!
The author of this is a really wonderful person of faith, dealing with the realities of her 21-year-old son’s death in an auto accident on a Thanksgiving Day several years ago.
May God be with you as you experience the joys and the tensions this week.
Ben Keckler
12.22.08
"Why are you cast down, O my soul
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God."
--A song of God’s people
We begin another week where festivity and celebration are the primary theme. One challenge we can face is that the season calls us to merriment and the realities of life can take us to places where folks are not feeling merry at all.
One of the Bereavement Support groups met for their Christmas gathering. We laughed and we spent time in silence. One of the grievers in the group did a spin-off on the David Letterman theme of “10 Reasons…” She titled it “Top 10 Reasons Christmas Sucks” and I share it with you to keep things in perspective:
10. Family get-togethers just make it more obvious that someone is missing.
9. Every time you go shopping, you see things your loved one would like.
8. Every ornament and decoration you get out has a memory connected to it.
7. There is one less stocking to be hung.
6. Everywhere you go, you hear the song, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”
5. Your cheeks get chapped when you cry in cold weather.
4. The arrival of Christmas means another New Year is one week away.
3. No matter how good you are, Santa won’t bring you what you really want.
2. None of those “holly jolly” people can understand how you are feeling.
1. Every new holiday is a reminder that life goes on, even if you don’t want it to!
The author of this is a really wonderful person of faith, dealing with the realities of her 21-year-old son’s death in an auto accident on a Thanksgiving Day several years ago.
May God be with you as you experience the joys and the tensions this week.
Ben Keckler
12.22.08
Friday, December 21, 2007
Daily Devotions - Friday 12.21.07
‘Tis The Season: God with us
“The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.”
A prophetic vision of God’s peaceful realm (Isaiah 11:6)
Friday: Something I’d rather not think about
We continue to journey toward a holy day for Christians. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, not because December 25 is his birthday, but because it is important to celebrate God’s incarnational presence among us. I invite you to meditate on various realities of what it means to sense that God is with us.
As you may know, I spend time people who participate in Bereavement Support Groups. There will be children and adults who have experienced significant losses in their lives. For some of them the losses came during the last year; for others the losses happened up to twelve years ago; for each of them, dealing with the loss is painful and difficult to this very day!
They won’t celebrate this season with the same kind of joy that many have. Their lives are not as complete as they want them to be. Death has left a darkness within that doesn’t diminish with the glimmer of holiday lights. They are longing for compassionate friends who will reach out to them where they are; friends who will take some time to be reverent and silent; friends who will be present with them and the spirit of their loved one.
If you are aware of a grieving, bereaved soul this season, maybe you could take some time to be with them on “their turf”. If you do, you might find out a bit more about the peaceful place that today’s Scripture verse depicts and you may be blessed with a little bit more understanding about the little child who leads us to the realm of peace.
Have a blessed week of preparation for the holiday.
--Ben Keckler
12.21.07
“The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.”
A prophetic vision of God’s peaceful realm (Isaiah 11:6)
Friday: Something I’d rather not think about
We continue to journey toward a holy day for Christians. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, not because December 25 is his birthday, but because it is important to celebrate God’s incarnational presence among us. I invite you to meditate on various realities of what it means to sense that God is with us.
As you may know, I spend time people who participate in Bereavement Support Groups. There will be children and adults who have experienced significant losses in their lives. For some of them the losses came during the last year; for others the losses happened up to twelve years ago; for each of them, dealing with the loss is painful and difficult to this very day!
They won’t celebrate this season with the same kind of joy that many have. Their lives are not as complete as they want them to be. Death has left a darkness within that doesn’t diminish with the glimmer of holiday lights. They are longing for compassionate friends who will reach out to them where they are; friends who will take some time to be reverent and silent; friends who will be present with them and the spirit of their loved one.
If you are aware of a grieving, bereaved soul this season, maybe you could take some time to be with them on “their turf”. If you do, you might find out a bit more about the peaceful place that today’s Scripture verse depicts and you may be blessed with a little bit more understanding about the little child who leads us to the realm of peace.
Have a blessed week of preparation for the holiday.
--Ben Keckler
12.21.07
Monday, December 17, 2007
Daily Devotions - Monday 12.17.07
Keeping Things in Perspective
“Why are you cast down, O my soul
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
My help and my God.”
--A song of God’s people
We begin another week of caregiving, a week where festivity and celebration are the primary theme. One challenge we face in doing the work we do is this: the season calls us to merriment and the realities of our work take us to places where folks are not feeling merry at all. A member of a Bereavement Support group did a spin-off on the David Letterman theme of “10 Reasons…” She titles it “Top 10 Reasons Christmas Sucks” and I share it with you to keep things in perspective:
10. Family get-togethers just make it more obvious that someone is missing.
9. Every time you go shopping, you see things your loved one would like.
8. Every ornament and decoration you get out has a memory connected to it.
7. There is one less stocking to be hung.
6. Everywhere you go, you hear the song, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”
5. Your cheeks get chapped when you cry in cold weather.
4. The arrival of Christmas means another New Year is one week away.
3. No matter how good you are, Santa won’t bring you what you really want.
2. None of those “holly jolly” people can understand your feeling.
And the #1 reason Christmas sucks is:
Every new holiday is a reminder that life goes on, even if you don’t want it to!
The author of this is a really wonderful person of faith, dealing with the realities of her 21-year-old son’s death in an auto accident on a Thanksgiving Day several years ago. May God be with you as you experience the tensions of caregiving this week.
--Ben Keckler
12.17.07
“Why are you cast down, O my soul
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
My help and my God.”
--A song of God’s people
We begin another week of caregiving, a week where festivity and celebration are the primary theme. One challenge we face in doing the work we do is this: the season calls us to merriment and the realities of our work take us to places where folks are not feeling merry at all. A member of a Bereavement Support group did a spin-off on the David Letterman theme of “10 Reasons…” She titles it “Top 10 Reasons Christmas Sucks” and I share it with you to keep things in perspective:
10. Family get-togethers just make it more obvious that someone is missing.
9. Every time you go shopping, you see things your loved one would like.
8. Every ornament and decoration you get out has a memory connected to it.
7. There is one less stocking to be hung.
6. Everywhere you go, you hear the song, “I’ll be home for Christmas.”
5. Your cheeks get chapped when you cry in cold weather.
4. The arrival of Christmas means another New Year is one week away.
3. No matter how good you are, Santa won’t bring you what you really want.
2. None of those “holly jolly” people can understand your feeling.
And the #1 reason Christmas sucks is:
Every new holiday is a reminder that life goes on, even if you don’t want it to!
The author of this is a really wonderful person of faith, dealing with the realities of her 21-year-old son’s death in an auto accident on a Thanksgiving Day several years ago. May God be with you as you experience the tensions of caregiving this week.
--Ben Keckler
12.17.07
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
