Prayers and Hopes
Although this blog will mainly serve as a way to inspire and offer those hoping to lose weight, ideas and strategies, I feel the need to share with you my prayers and hopes for those of us struggling with loss...Exactly one year ago today around this time, I received a call from my mother...My brother Jimmy had entered the hospital 3 days prior and on this day took a turn for the worse....I remember vividly the call to my husband to come home and be with the kids, so I could go and be with my mother.....I heard the fear in her voice and will not soon forget how that scared me....I knew in the deepest part of my soul that this could be the end....This was not the first hospital stay but we had been told in the past that his body may not be able to withstand one more...Alcoholism, such an ugly word...Never is it said without huge strong words attached....anger, guilt, bitterness, fear...My family has felt them all, to degrees I wish for no one!
But we went, all of us, Dad, Mom, Michelle, Joey, Kim, Eddie, Sanda and me. And for 10 days, slept, ate, prayed and stayed together in the small waiting room of the St. Luke ICU and let go of those emotions and feelings to be together and pray. Let go of those emotions like we had never been able to do before. Let go like we'd never thought we could! Our prayers were answered, not in a way that we had hoped, but answered none the less and on January 26, at 1:16pm our brother, son, father and friend went home to be with Jesus. I share this for many reasons...One, I never want to forget. Never want to forget my brother and never want to forget the bonding we experienced as a family, and never want to forget the lessons I learned through this tragedy. Two, if anyone is grieving over loss, I don't want you to feel alone because grieving alone is far worse than grieving together! I pray for all of us today. I pray our grief turns to hope and provides us with direction to make changes in our own lives. We were meant for more and God has plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11
The pain is raw and it hurts and frankly sometimes I fear letting go of the pain, but I do know this that God will (if I let him) use my pain for his glory and that I hold on to! 1 Peter 5:10
Thanks for reading and may your day be filled with blessings,
Love,
Julie
But we went, all of us, Dad, Mom, Michelle, Joey, Kim, Eddie, Sanda and me. And for 10 days, slept, ate, prayed and stayed together in the small waiting room of the St. Luke ICU and let go of those emotions and feelings to be together and pray. Let go of those emotions like we had never been able to do before. Let go like we'd never thought we could! Our prayers were answered, not in a way that we had hoped, but answered none the less and on January 26, at 1:16pm our brother, son, father and friend went home to be with Jesus. I share this for many reasons...One, I never want to forget. Never want to forget my brother and never want to forget the bonding we experienced as a family, and never want to forget the lessons I learned through this tragedy. Two, if anyone is grieving over loss, I don't want you to feel alone because grieving alone is far worse than grieving together! I pray for all of us today. I pray our grief turns to hope and provides us with direction to make changes in our own lives. We were meant for more and God has plans for us. Jeremiah 29:11
The pain is raw and it hurts and frankly sometimes I fear letting go of the pain, but I do know this that God will (if I let him) use my pain for his glory and that I hold on to! 1 Peter 5:10
Thanks for reading and may your day be filled with blessings,
Love,
Julie
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