When someone you know and care about is faced with the sudden death of a loved one, or even the expected death of a loved one, you wonder what you can do to help.
Late Monday night I got a phone call from my sister, Donna. A shocking, unexpected, heart-breaking phone call. Her husband, 61 years old, had just died unexpectedly, with no warning.
My sister posted this on her Facebook page the next morning:
Thank you everybody for your prayers. I am still in shock and numb. He was fine. They gave him a clean bill of health. He walked in the bathroom and just dropped dead. Whew, it was his time. He was finished here on earth. He is so much better off now. Good night my darling hubby….I will see you again. I love you.
My sister is only one and a half years older than me, and we’ve always been close, yet I wasn’t even sure what to do to help her! She said I didn’t need to come, but when I asked again a little bit later, she said she’d like for me to come and be with her. So Tuesday morning I threw some things together, and drove to Cleveland to be there for her.
On the trip over, I found myself singing the Scripture song that says “I am the resurrection and the life….” How comforting to think that this weekend we will be celebrating the resurrection of Christ, and because of that, we don’t grieve as though who have no hope. We know he is in heaven with His living Savior, and we rejoice in that truth!
I had an inside view of what goes on right after someone loses their loved one, and has so much to think about, and deal with. While walking through some of it with my sister, I learned by watching what she was going through and what was going on, then made mental notes about things. In my next post, I will share my observations of what someone does and doesn’t need in this type of situation, and HOW YOU CAN BEST HELP someone in their time of loss and grief.
In the meantime though, remember that praying for those in need, and those who are hurting, is ALWAYS the right thing to do!!
5 Responses
Right here is the perfect web site for everyone who hopes to understand
this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue
with you (not that I personally would want to…HaHa). You definitely put a brand
new spin on a topic that’s been discussed for years.
Great stuff, just great!
You are so right about this being a great Resurrection day for him! So glad that we only say goodbye for awhile, but will meet again up in Heaven.
Hi Elizabeth! No, I didn’t see that post on your blog, but I just read it. She shares some very good thoughts – some are similar to mine, but she also hit on several that I missed.
Hope you’re doing well!
I’m wondering if you saw this post from my blog a few weeks ago? It addresses the very issue you are now facing.
http://www.yestheyareallours.com/2014/02/make-me-blessing-how-to-bless-widow.html
So sad for your sister and you . . . but wow – what a Resurrection Day for him this year!! Looking forward to your next post!