“Have Roz decorate for Christmas”
Grieving as a believer at Christmas and the Holidays
For the past month I’ve shared notes from a devotion book given to my wife by a pastor friend and his wife who were very thoughtful. When they sent the gift, I don’t believe Dr. And Mrs. Paul Chappell could have known the gift to my terminally ill wife would make such an impact for years to come, but they sent it anyways. We would open the devotional each morning and read it together then I would hurry into my caregiver role while working as pastor of the church God called us to plant and I pastored for 27 years. Fast forward six years, I am doing the same thing each morning with the devotional book and my Bible, reading, sipping on black coffee and taking notes in the margins.
One of the healing practices I recommend is reading, meditating and even summarizing while you think on the Scriptures and companion books. The words on the pages are more meaningful when you allow the treasures to be invested in a personal way. Wendy and I were married for nearly thirty-nine years and I cannot recall a day she didn’t “do her devotions”, beginning her morning with a cup of tea I would prepare for her, warm-not too hot with sweetener, she would read and then write in the devotional book a note or two. The little comments that are now treasures to many, who I share them with, through taking a simple photo and then forward to them (on occasion giving them a devotional book or Bible she had written in).
I had read that people, being cognizant of their soon homegoing to Heaven, would write some notes for those left behind. After their passing, the remnant would discover the note and know what was important, what is next, or how to proceed down the winding paths ahead. Well, there was no such note for me from my bride, no last testament, no bucket list or was there? These little devotion notes are her last instructions and encouraging thoughts for so many, I called them her sermons at the time, she would smile and say, “Now Tim, you know I don’t preach it isn’t lady like.” However, she did “preach”, but it really wasn’t offensive because she would have tears flowing down her cancer swollen cheeks as she clumsily used her partially paralyzed left hand to pen some thoughts. So, as you flip through your smart phone and see a copy of her devotions with her notes off to the sides consider the help God’s Word and the author of the devotion book lent to her that morning. Those treasures impacted her, she knew there was nothing she did to have the terminal illness, this was not an injust God pouring out wrath on a disobedient follower, she knew sickness occurs as part of God’s plan. Although the prosperity preachers would disagree that believers can be ill, can be financially poor, can have difficulties and still be in the center of God’s will. The Scriptures, claim suffering is part of the path in life for many. Consider the lives of Job, Joseph, Jeremiah, Daniel, Paul- all suffered and God gave them hope through it all.
While pulling out the totes of decorations, searching for Christmas wrapping paper I found another treasure. I have gifted several boxes of decorations, my wife loved Christmas and had accumulated several pieces of decorations, I have enjoyed sharing with many. I even found a family that needed a nice artificial tree and gifted ours to them. I had accused Wendy of trying to start her own Frankenmuth “Bronners Christmas Store” in our home, she was a talented decorator. Things have changed, I could never match her decorating skills and a seven-foot artificial tree spinning on its platform wasn’t the same since she has gone to Heaven. There it was on the top of one of gift bags she helped me label her last Christmas together six years ago, a note from Wendy. It had instructions of her wishes for the church decorations. One of the many gifted ladies at the church, was commissioned to decorate, it wouldn’t be best for me to carry that opportunity, she had penned her wishes in a few simple words. From beyond the grave her words sounded forth, “Have Roz decorate for Christmas”. Several people have helped my daughter-in-law Kyla get the decorating job done at church. With the help of Joe our son and their three little children, Stephen, Elijah and Gloriann helping bring down the boxes and boxes from the church attic to the the main floor to turn the worship center into a Christmas bliss. I placed the hand written note in a book and gave it to Roz on Christmas Eve, she was elated.
Perhaps the Lord could use you to spur someone on to a closer relationship with the Savior through sharing a devotion and a portion of the Scripture. Maybe this blog could encourage you to think of someone you can send a note to and invite them to help out in your ministry like decorate the church, volunteers are in short supply.
