Psalm 6:2 Have mercy on me and be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am weak (faint and withered away); O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.
In just a few short hours families will be hosting loved ones in celebration of the happiest day of the year, the birth of our King, Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
For some this Christmas brings with it mixed emotions as they celebrate knowing that it will be the last Christmas with their loved one who is dying from a terminal disease, or for others they gather in homes wondering how to handle the awkward moments and occasional silence as they miss their loved one whose name has now been pushed into the background lest they open the floodgate of emotions.
Some people wish they they could just fast forward the holiday just to get through it; that way, they could go back to work where the mundane activities of daily living help anesthetize their pain.
It seems the holidays are emotionally tough on people, especially as they go to Christmas gatherings where the goal of the moment is to be happy and joyful in the presence of loved ones. Yet for everyone who gathers each of them brings with them their own white elephant. Oh, how tough it is to be joyful when the moment they enter the room they see all these white elephants roaming the room making it difficult to talk to loved ones without these creatures bumping into them.
Each person who comes to a holiday gathering is bringing with them emotions from past Christmases when there now missing loved ones were there. Awkward silence fills the room as people filled with emotion try to avoid bringing up the names of people no longer with them. The reality is we all know that the white elephants are in the room, but none of us know what to do with them.
Alas, what is a grieving person to do in such a time as this? There is a solution to finally getting rid of the slowly meandering white elephants in the room.
Light a candle.
Light a candle in honor of the one you lost.
As each family or friend arrives for this festive celebration of our Lord's birth ask each one to grab a candle near the entrance and light it in honor of a loved one they miss.
Lighting a candle gives people permission to talk about their loved one.
Lighting a candle opens up communication and gives others permission to talk about their cherished memories of their loved one.
Lighting a candle sends the message that the white elephants are no longer welcome.
Lighting a candle may begin the healing process within families who miss their loved ones no longer sitting at the table.
Grieving is very hard work and unless we give ourselves permission to openly remember these precious loved ones the process will take longer than it should otherwise take.
As you read the Christmas story in the bible your tears of sadness will turn into tears of joy as you reflect on the Christmases your loved one is presently experiencing in heaven.
Go ahead and start a new tradition by lighting a candle in honor of your loved one. God just might use that to bring healing to your wounded soul and to the wounded souls of your loved ones.
For some this Christmas brings with it mixed emotions as they celebrate knowing that it will be the last Christmas with their loved one who is dying from a terminal disease, or for others they gather in homes wondering how to handle the awkward moments and occasional silence as they miss their loved one whose name has now been pushed into the background lest they open the floodgate of emotions.
Some people wish they they could just fast forward the holiday just to get through it; that way, they could go back to work where the mundane activities of daily living help anesthetize their pain.
It seems the holidays are emotionally tough on people, especially as they go to Christmas gatherings where the goal of the moment is to be happy and joyful in the presence of loved ones. Yet for everyone who gathers each of them brings with them their own white elephant. Oh, how tough it is to be joyful when the moment they enter the room they see all these white elephants roaming the room making it difficult to talk to loved ones without these creatures bumping into them.
Each person who comes to a holiday gathering is bringing with them emotions from past Christmases when there now missing loved ones were there. Awkward silence fills the room as people filled with emotion try to avoid bringing up the names of people no longer with them. The reality is we all know that the white elephants are in the room, but none of us know what to do with them.
Alas, what is a grieving person to do in such a time as this? There is a solution to finally getting rid of the slowly meandering white elephants in the room.
Light a candle.
Light a candle in honor of the one you lost.
As each family or friend arrives for this festive celebration of our Lord's birth ask each one to grab a candle near the entrance and light it in honor of a loved one they miss.
Lighting a candle gives people permission to talk about their loved one.
Lighting a candle opens up communication and gives others permission to talk about their cherished memories of their loved one.
Lighting a candle sends the message that the white elephants are no longer welcome.
Lighting a candle may begin the healing process within families who miss their loved ones no longer sitting at the table.
Grieving is very hard work and unless we give ourselves permission to openly remember these precious loved ones the process will take longer than it should otherwise take.
As you read the Christmas story in the bible your tears of sadness will turn into tears of joy as you reflect on the Christmases your loved one is presently experiencing in heaven.
Go ahead and start a new tradition by lighting a candle in honor of your loved one. God just might use that to bring healing to your wounded soul and to the wounded souls of your loved ones.
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