Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Hope

“Hope is the feeling we have that the feeling we have is not permanent” Mignon McLaughlin

I read this on a blog the other day, and I think it's beautiful. I've been missing my mom like crazy the past couple of days. Little things are making me cry..."The Best Day" by Taylor Swift on my iPod, Zooey saying all kinds of new words this week and not being able to tell her, Zooey eating a stick of gum - wrapper and all - and swallowing it and not hearing my dad retell the story to her, her laughter that would follow such a story. I wish she could see all the artwork Zooey's been bringing home from her outings. I missed calling her after BSF last Monday to tell her how the first class night went, how many students I had and what touched me from the lecture...or on Saturdays after leader's to chat; that was one of the times we always talked (if she wasn't at my house already babysitting Zooey). I caught a GI bug that Zooey and Ryan both had in the last two weeks. I also started my role as a MOPS discussion group leader...my stomach started really hurting right when I got to the church (can anyone say opposition?? but that's off topic). I SO wanted to call my mom and be a big baby and whine about how I'm not feeling good. I also wanted to tell her how MOPS went; I know if she was here she'd be excited to hear about it. No matter if she came over or not, my mom was, and still is, the one I want when I don't feel well. No one can quite care for you when you get sick the way your mom does, right? I have a voicemail from her saved on my phone from the last time I got sick - just calling to check on me. I miss her so much my heart aches. I cannot even tell you all the little times throughout my week when tears prick my eyes, because I just have an overwhelming sense of loss. Yes, my friends, the pain truly runs deep.

The quote above, however is so true. These feelings of grief are not permanent. While I'm sure some of them will be with me forever, at Christmas, graduations, weddings...funerals, I know that as I heal, these intense feelings will fade. Knowing this provides me with hope that I can get through. As I started our study of Acts at BSF this year, I know that this hope doesn't come from me, it comes from Jesus. His Holy Spirit is the One enabling me to work through all these tough feelings, to get up and do all that I need to do in my service to Him and, as silly as it sounds, to face my first bug without her here. He will enable me to get through this, and by His grace alone, I pray that He will glorify Himself through this. I hope and I pray that He will use this pain and this situation to His glory. I pray that others may come to know Christ. I pray that He will make me an effective witness for the gospel as Acts 1:8 says I'm commanded to do. You see, my ultimate, never-ending, consistent, beautful HOPE through this grieving process stems from Jesus' death on the Cross, and the gift of eternal life. I hope in the promise of Jesus that I will see my mom again someday. I know I'll still be shocked with these painful feelings in my life here on earth, but when I get to heaven and see Jesus face-to-face, when I get to embrace my mom and bow down with her before the throne of God, then these feelings will be permanently erased.

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