9.2.13 Tears of joy, pain, suffering, sorrow and gratitude

Bountiful Blessings

 

September 1, 2013

            Tears. Tears of joy. Tears of pain. Tears of suffering. Tears of sorrow. Tears of gratitude. The other day I had a major meltdown. I got nervous. Anxious. Panicky. And well, total and utter meltdown. Nothing pretty about it. Not the soft tears that gracefully roll down your cheeks. No sirree. Couldn’t be that easy. Mine were the downpouring of messy tears with the red, puffy eyes. They were like little bunny rabbits. As soon as I wiped them off, there were more. (Where did they keep coming from?) I thought I must be all cried out and then…

            This week we bury a loved one. My cousin, Wayne. He goes to Heaven to join his parents, Buster and Lorene. He will wait patiently for his wife of many years to join him as well. Tears will fall. Tears of sorrow. The world has lost a good man. Our family lost a great man. But amidst the tears of sorrow, there will be tears of joy as we remember the good times we shared. Wayne in his tux for Anita’s wedding. Wayne mischievously making siren noise from the backseat while Mama drove - even going so far as to get her to pull over for the “cop”. Wayne bowing down to Elizabeth. Anita called him a gentle giant. What a great description for him. He always had a soft, shy smile and was always quick with a tender I love you.

            So the tears… wikipedia states that tears are secretions that clean and lubricate the eyes. Hmmm, ok. So we understand their definition. But really, for me, it is so much more than that. God gave us tears to express our emotions. They cleanse our hearts and our souls. Crying is not a sign of weakness. Nor a reason for embarrassment. Tears are a sign of feeling…. And wouldn’t you rather feel the pain, the sorrow, the joy and the gratitude?

Prayer for the week:

Dear Lord,

Please welcome Wayne home. We will miss him. He was loved by many. But we are thankful for the time that you shared him with us. Lord, we ask that you comfort his family. Wrap your loving arms around them and bring them strength to get through this time and learn to live without Wayne. May they find joy in the knowledge that one day they will be reunited with Wayne in the home that you have prepared for each of us. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

Bible Verse for the week:

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Bible Fun for the week:

Young People in the Bible (taken from Can You Outsmart a Sunday Schooler?)

1) Before Daniel was taken captive to Babylon, he was a:

Prince, shepherd, musician, cupbearer

2) Moses’ sister who watched over him in his basket in the river was:

Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Miriam

3) David was the youngest of how many brothers:

6, 7, 8, 9

4) The Hebrew maid who told her mistress that Elisha could cure leprosy served the wife of:
Jehu, Jehoram, Naaman, Nehemiah

5) Who was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery by his own brothers:

Reuben, Simeon, Joseph, Benjamin

6) The youngest king of Judah was how old when he began to reign:

7, 8, 10, 12

7) The boy who gave Jesus his lunch had:

2 loaves, and 5 fish, 3 loaves and 5 fish, 5 loaves and 2 fish, 5 loaves and 3 fish

8) How old was Jarius’s daughter when Jesus raised her from the dead:

10, 12, 14, 16

9) When Samuel was dedicated to God’s service, he worked for which priest:

Phinehas, Eli, Abimelech, Melchizedek

10) The second youngest king of Judah was how old when he began to reign:

8, 10, 12, 14

Until we meet again, my friends. Take care and know that you are always in my thoughts and in my prayers.

Terri

 

 

Answers:

Prince, Miriam, 8, Naaman, Joseph, 7, 5 loaves and 2 fish, 12, Eli, 8