This past week Minnesota lost the 2nd lady.  Joan Mondale, the wife of Vice President Walter Mondale went home to be with the Lord after a battle with cancer. As I read the article about her service  I was reminded how important people are in helping us survive the grief of a loved one. That quote again reminded me how few of us as parents are prepared to deal with the loss of a child, no matter how old that child is when he or she dies. Those words "  She had been in declining health for years, especially since the death of her daughter' hit home for me because as a dad who lost his daughter I knew the weightiness of those words and the impact grief can have on the physical body of  the survivors of that child. Vice President Joe Biden was at the memorial service where he shared how the Mondale's came to his side when as a freshman senator from Delaware in 1972 he lost his first wife and young child in a tragic car accident. Joe Biden knew the powerful emotions of grief and  loss and I am sure he was more than appreciative of the comfort he received from those who came to his side during the biggest crisis of his life. Over the course of the last 6 years I have heard Vice President Biden share his experiences with others who were new to grief. If you are reading this blog today with a very heavy heart please take heart that you will recover from this grief regardless if the grief was caused by a car accident, a suicide, or a long drawn out medical event.  Please also note that God wants to walk with you on your journey just as He walked with me  beginning in June 200 when my daughter died. As you work out your sorrow and pain please remember to take care of yourself. Drink plenty of water because this often is the first thing that grieving people forget to do. Try to take walks even it is only for a block because exercise will actually help you feel better. Choose to eat healthier food like natural fruit and vegetables because these will restore your body to a natural balance. Keep moving one foot forward and honor God with your presence at church. You will reap many blessings from those around you and just maybe a kind word from a stranger may be just what you need to get through the day. The day can be a lonely day for those who remember a loved one no longer present. It doesn't have to be that way. It can also be a time to celebrate with those who are currently in our lives. As you share your life with others you will begin to encounter moments where others will open up about their losses and this is where God's amazing grace will begin a mighty healing in you and the lives of those around you.Tonight, my wife and I are going to attend the Toby Mac concert at the Excel Energy center. ( This concert was long before Toby entered his period of grief with the loss of his son) We are looking forward to spending time with each other and being truly amazed how God had kept our marriage intact throughout our journey of grief.