What is it that makes us hurt?  I mean, that thing that brings tears to our eyes. The thing that makes us say, I feel like I can’t breath and I think my heart is breaking. It’s different for all of us, but just in general I’d say we can relate to things such as, death, divorce, the betrayal of a friend, our hurting child, or the loss of a job, as being some of the things that cause us pain. Some of these wounds heal while others, though they may get easier,  never really heal.

My first husband’s mother went to be with the Lord in the mid-afternoon of December 9, 2014. I had been anxiously awaiting this date, more specifically, 6:30pm (EST) because it was the opening show of our “Living Christmas Tree”.  This year’s Tree was “Oh Happy Day”. My phone rang at 5:50p just as I was starting to walk out of the door to go to the church and I could see it was my daughter calling. Naturally I assumed she was calling to wish me luck and to tell me she would be praying for God to move in a mighty way. This had become what we would say to each other every year since we were now members of different churches due to the distance between us. But after four or five words of telling me hello and asking how I was doing I knew something was wrong.

When I asked her if something was wrong, the flood gates opened and she began to cry and tell me the news she had just received from her dad. Her grand-momma had had a heart attack and didn’t make it. I ached for my little girl (now a grown woman) and longed  to put my arms around her and comfort her while her heart was breaking. On the way to our opening show I had my own moment of heart ache and remembered how good my ex-mother-in-law had been to me. A gracious woman of God would be her legacy. And I knew the family could take comfort in that and would be able to say that this too was a Happy Day now that she was with the Lord!

In the next few days I wondered what I could do for the family to show my love and respect and I settled on honoring her with a poem. I somehow think that since it came from my heart, it also helped to heal my heart.

Her Heavenly Home

It’s with a smile I remember her
It’s with a tear I cry
It’s with a song I pray for her
And sadly say goodbye

Find joy in the memories
Shed tears of joy and praise
Sing to her beloved One
For she is with Him today

As she enters into His gates
He smiles and says well done
Go find the place I have prepared
And feast on your heavenly home

So then she turns in time to see
All the loved ones who await
But my babies, don’t you cry
I’ll see you too one day.

Annette R Burrell © 2014

My prayer is that if you have lost a loved one who was a believer claim God’s promises and rejoice that they are with Him in Heaven.