Sunday, August 28, 2011

Mourn with those who mourn

Life Grows
The last four weeks have been quite difficult and I have lots more that I want to share about our whole experience, my health, and how God has met us. But for today I want to share one of the amazing things that has come out of the last month and that is the incredible love and support we have felt from our family and friends. Family and friends have held us up, called, sent messages, made us many meals, stocked out kitchen, cleaned our house, sent cards, watched our children, sent gift cards for meals, talked with us for hours, prayed with us, prayed for us, and cried with me. We have quite literally FELT your prayers and your love for us, our family, and the sweet little baby that we lost.
There were so many calls from girlfriends who just let me cry and talk and share and process. I can't even think of how many times I talked with my friend Laura in the first two weeks. And my friend Jennifer who insisted on coming to my house to pray with me (after a tearful phone call). And my mother-in-law who was at our house just barely 12 hours after she heard our sad news- and quite literally spent days taking care of us, feeding us, loving on us, and just giving me space to heal. At the end of that first week I was getting the kids dressed and realized that I hadn't been dressing them all week...and realized that Joe or his family had been stepping in and doing all of the little things that I normally do.
And there were so many messages from friends and family (even friends I had sort of lost touch with) who have walked this road before me and who were willing to open their hearts and share their experience with me.
And my friend Steph who changed her plans to go kayaking with friends on one of the nicest days of the year so she could watch our kids while I met with my doctor recently.
And then a couple of weeks ago I had a really good day (the first one I would say in a while). My friend Melissa came up from Southern Maine just to be with me. That would have been more than enough, but she organized 5 of my close girlfriends and they spent the day just loving on me...talking with me, cleaning my house (and porch), bringing many meals, filling our fridge, cabinets, and freezer, making lunch for all of us and our kids, sharing with me, leading me through scripture, letting me share and cry, and praying with me (and providing childcare so we could all be together). It was BEAUTIFUL and I felt so loved and cared for.
And these are just a few examples.
In scripture the book of Romans speaks of love in the 12th chapter. Verse 15 tells us to, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." And another translation says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep." When we truly love others we mourn and weep with them- this is loving them. I've never felt this so powerfully as I have these last four weeks. I have literally felt your tears for me, heard them on the phone, and read them in your messages. As you have mourned with me and physically wept with me something incredible happened- it felt as though you were taking a piece of the pain for me, that I wasn't alone but that you were bearing it with me and lifting it up to the ultimate Healer.
I can't even begin to thank you enough, my friends and family, for walking this road with us.

1 comment:

TheMuscatoHansens said...

Beautiful sentiment Angie. So thankful that you have had so many around you to pull you through these last weeks... Remember they will be there even a year from now (or longer!), when you might still need to weep for a moment... Thinking of you! HUGS!