GOOD GRIEF

OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS I have been thinking of grief a great deal, not only in relation to the loss of my brother-in-law, Paul, but also because last week my friend and colleague, Roger Templeton of Gretna UMC, also passed away at a relatively young age.

Neither of these deaths were expected, and as I write to you this afternoon, I'm still in the stage where it's kind of surreal I will not get to laugh and cut up with these guys.

Last night, I visited at length with a dear friend and colleague, and the conversation naturally turned to grief as they were asking about how Erin and I are doing in the wake of Paul's death and the shared loss of our friend and colleague Roger. As I was talking about how the loss of a loved one usually hits me more when the next time I'm supposed to see them I don't, I thought of how everyone processes grief differently, and was reminded of something to which I hold near and dear: 

When thinking of Paul and Roger, and of those who have been gone a long time but I still miss daily, there is good that comes in the midst of the grief in that I know my life is richer because God's grace brought them into my life for as long as I had them. 

I wonder how often we might find ourselves in a healthier situation if we but allowed ourselves to find good in the midst of grief by remembering those we cherish were present in our lives not because of anything we had done to deserve them; rather those we cherish are here because of God's grace?

Grace and Peace,

Lamar