Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Bless Your Heart

No matter how big I make the font--THANK YOU--can never adequately express my sincere gratitude to all of you who have sent kind, sympathetic words and prayers our way on Monday. For pretty poinsettias, fresh baked pie, cookies, hugs, shared tears, verses of comfort and the Uncle B tree--thanks! My family has felt your love and support carrying us through this next part of the healing process. The first year down. All the rest to go. For sharing in our pain, for praying through our suffering, for remembering my brother...thank all of you who have stood with us this year and especially this week.
Bless your hearts, every one of you! Who said that finding the appropriate response to all this grief stuff was hard? Oh! I did? Well, you few have learned the secret. Probably as you suffered once yourself and have been comforted. Isn't that just how our God works? Thank you, thank you, thank you! May He richly reward you for your love and compassion to my family this week.
My Daddy said, in one of the comments here, that it is hard to understand why people stay away from us like we are sick, like our grief is contagious cooties to be avoided. I understand that. I have been there before. Timid and afraid to offend. Unsure of what to say. Helpless to DO anything to help. But I have learned that what our family suffers from this week is not punitive or contagious. It is curative. John Piper adds:
"The pain He causes is like the surgeon's knife, not like the executioner's whip. Suffering is not dispensed willy-nilly among the people of God. It is apportioned to us as individually designed, expert therapy by the loving hand of our great Physician. And its aim is that our faith might be refined, our holiness might be enlarged, our soul might be saved, and our God might be glorified."
So today, instead of hiding our grief, suffering, and pain away in secret, ashamed at how it crushes. I REJOICE that the Great Physician is working in my heart. And in my Daddy's. He is refining my Momma's faith. I am witnessing it all--firsthand this year. I will take John Piper's (and God's : ) advice:
"Keep on rejoicing. When you are thrown in the cellars of suffering, keep on rejoicing. When you dive in the sea of affliction, keep on rejoicing. In fact, keep on rejoicing not in spite of the affliction but even because of it. This is not a little piece of advice about the power of positive thinking. This is an utterly radical, abnormal, supernatural way to respond to suffering. It is not in our power. It is not for the sake of our honor. It is the way spiritual aliens and exiles live on the earth for the glory of the great King. 'Count it all joy when you meet various trials,' is foolish advice, except for one thing—God."

We were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself. Why, we felt that we had received the sentence of death; but that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)
Relying on Christ alone, Kelly for us all
David, Vickey, Bob and the kids

3 comments:

Elizabeth Rose said...

WOW!!! OK, I have written and rewritten a comment on here at least 5 times. My heart is aching for you and wants to just run over to your house and hug you and your parents. I wish I was as gifted of a writer as you are. I can't even begin to understand your pain, but I surely would like to be there for you as you continue this journey. I may not always have the right words or maybe I might even say dumb things that won't make you feel any better. But I do want to be there for you all, even if means to just sit and cry, be quiet, go for a walk, or just pray for you. We love you guys and we are blessed to have you as friends!!!!

Anonymous said...

WOW! Okay, I didn't mean everyone when I said that.....The people who have called,wrote,sent and yes Brian Campbell, hugged, I can't tell you what that has meant to all of us. My daughter has been gifted with so many wonderful friends that have surround her and her family and we almost feel like freeloaders getting in on all your great and wonderful gifts, support,comfort and love.We are truly blessed by each and everyone of you who have reached out to us in so many unbelievable ways. We love you all and know that God will bring us the healing and happiness that we seek.

In him,
David

Anonymous said...

To my precious family.....I am so sorry that I chose to stay silent instead of following my heart.....You were and have been in my thoughts daily.Next time I vow to pick up that phone...Peace and Love.....Ingrid

WARNING! Tissues Required-Video Slideshow of Bryan's Life-Sorry the music was muted!