tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post8029360241194955729..comments2024-03-05T10:26:24.037-05:00Comments on Renate's Reflections: Rip Current of GriefRenatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06405406846009521548noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post-11885823932975002852017-05-23T09:18:32.396-04:002017-05-23T09:18:32.396-04:00Thank you for sharing your heart. Praying for you...Thank you for sharing your heart. Praying for you during this very tough time. You are always in my prayers and so are your children. I know our God will comfort you during these days. Thank you for being so real and honest about this journey, I'm sure it will help someone in their time of need in this life journey.laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06348778428369226941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post-2921126732729628892017-05-23T01:24:47.444-04:002017-05-23T01:24:47.444-04:00Yes, you have described it well. Continued prayers...Yes, you have described it well. Continued prayers for you.Hall's Living Libraryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05989326392052193203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post-68121889292377497712017-05-22T22:46:13.135-04:002017-05-22T22:46:13.135-04:00So well said, Renate. We continue to pray daily f...So well said, Renate. We continue to pray daily for you. Both Doug and you have been such wonderful examples to all of us.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04246891393020368262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post-45973994863390128142017-05-22T19:30:45.797-04:002017-05-22T19:30:45.797-04:00Loving you and praying for you each day.Loving you and praying for you each day.Michele B. Athahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02557718297163763573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post-38797725991731605082017-05-22T11:35:19.000-04:002017-05-22T11:35:19.000-04:00The "waves" of grief are so real. I'...The "waves" of grief are so real. I'm taken back to 1985 - the year both my grandfather and my Dad passed. I was very close to my Grampa and my Dad passed away unexpectedly in his sleep. Two weeks after my Dad passed, Larry and our 4 young boys moved to Pennsylvania. The guilt of leaving my Mom and taking the grandchildren far away was overwhelming to me. Every Christmas, my Grampa bought a ham for Larry and I. I remember baking the ham for Christmas Eve and Grampa and my Mom and Dad coming over to my house to spend Christmas Eve with Larry and I and our 4 little boys. Grampa loved the way I cooked the ham and I always sent some ham home with him. Now to my point. The week before Christmas of 1985 was difficult for me with my Dad and Grampa gone. I had to shop for the week and the next week we were going to drive to Buffalo to celebrate with family. I was having a good day looking forward to being with family the next week. I turned onto the meat aisle and there they were - the Christmas hams. A huge display of them. I felt so consumed with grief, I froze looking at the hams. My body started shaking and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. At first I thought I may have been having a heart attack. Then the tears started pouring from my eyes. I had to leave the store and by the time I got in my car I was sobbing uncontrollably. That was the huge wave of grief crashing into me. My first experience of dealing with the death of a loved one. After I was able to drive home, I cried out to God asking why he took the two most important men (besides Larry) in my life. And why did I have to live so far away from family? I prayed for strength to appear normal for my boys when they returned home from school. It wasn't till a few years later when we were able to move back to Buffalo that I could see how God worked everything out for me for His good. I was thankful for the strength God gave me during those two years in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Thankful how He worked things out and that I drew closer to Him during that time. You are at the beginning of your grief for Doug. Losing a Grampa and Dad are not as difficult as losing your life partner. I have been praying for you and Candice and Alex every day. And this year will come with many challenges for you. I have 2 friends who lost their husbands to cancer and I have seen up close and personal their struggles. Know that God will bring you through this. He will be with you every step of the way. Know that so many love you and are praying for you. Give yourself time to mourn. Take care of yourself. You are going to get through this with God's help. He said it won't always be easy, but you will never be alone. Doug would want you to know that. So know that those waves of grief will hit, but as a strong swimmer, you are strong in the Lord. It is normal to feel the grief. In my prayers constantly, Sandy Van EttenSandy Van Ettennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2649110363234382197.post-86816602167142453212017-05-22T10:49:44.417-04:002017-05-22T10:49:44.417-04:00Thank you Renate for your blog some say it does ge...Thank you Renate for your blog some say it does get easier but it will take a long time my mom has been gone for 13 years and i still miss her like it was yesterday but the verse you used and the encouraging words i know that i will get over the grief of my mom and dad passing and i know how much you miss Doug and i am so sorry for your loss. You are always in my prayers. Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09815829089784767963noreply@blogger.com