Happy Birthday, Baby!

Party horns-check
Hats?-check
Angel food cake, ice cream and strawberries?-check
white feathers?-check
Still on the list are halos...
white balloons for balloon release-check

The Heavenly Birthday Bash is well underway! We are hoping the guest of honor will join us about 6 pm for the festivities. This is all based on our faith, of course. We know Shanny is in heaven. We are celebrating her life when she was here with us! We will never forget the memories she gave us, the laughter, the love, and the
lessons. What hurts is not being able to hug her with our birthday wishes and give them to her in person. But, we are learning and praying our way through it all. It is called acceptance, and while we are not there yet, we are not standing idle. We are leaning on God for strength and courage to move forward in our journey. Our walk may take a detour every now and then. We may slow to a crawl and get stuck in our pain, but that is part of life, letting go of a loved one, physically is traumatic, releasing their spirit to heaven for me, has been a lesson for myself. I have to become closer to God to be able to accomplish this comfortably.

It wasn't until I had prayed, sobbed and begged God to take the pain of this loss away, that I learned I could do so much more with the pain, than hold it in and let it become anger and churn into hate. I had to reach outside my comfort zone and touch another hurting heart to understand the depth of someone else in pain. When I allowed myself to do that, I suddenly became a useful tool on grief's tool belt. I could talk or listen, pray with them, or for them, take them to therapy if they needed a ride, or just be there for them. But I wasn't wallowing in my own pain. When I began to blog as long as I focus on God as the center and the reason, I am fine. All the glory goes to God for leading me to this blog, reaching out to people who grieve the loss of a loved one, who read this and feel some comfort, and the growth I get from writing it. To God goes the glory, and I thank Him every day for taking me down this path of healing.

Once I became open to the word of God, then the work of God could begin in me. I became more tolerant of people and caring. I wanted to share God's goodness with others and dwell on the positive things in life and not the negative. I began to take note of God's beauty surrounding me, all of His nature and life that He created for us to enjoy and take in breath by lovely breath. Each a blessing in itself, each a special moment. I was living out loud. I was for the first time, experiencing life and not just letting it happen. I noticed the buds on trees, the flowers on a plant, the bees and the many birds, and hummingbirds, and butterflies, and breathtaking wildflowers.

My life was changing, my prayer and faith had awakened in me a new and beautiful life within. One that does not demand answers right now. One that accepts Heaven as an eternal Home for loved ones who we will see again. A life that is directed by a loving, Almighty Father who created and reigns over this world and the next, who died to save me from sin, because He loves me.

A Father who loves His children beyond anything we can imagine. So great was His love, that He sent His only Son to die for us.

How do I know these things? By the power of prayer and faith. And a book-the Bible. That book holds the greatest birthday wish ever, for my Shanny. She is having a Heavenly Birthday today! And you all are welcome to send her birthday wishes and prayers!

Happy Birthday, Baby! All the way to Heaven! xoxoxox
Mom
Because this mom knows the power of prayer and faith as a mother grieves.