My strength

 

Grieving takes a lot out of you, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

The past few days I have really felt drained. Days come and go, life goes on, but it’s not the same life I shared with my dear husband for 43 years. The other day I went to Home Depot, to check on some prices of materials for projects, when the tears started flowing and I called out to Jesus to help me so that I could continue on without totally breaking down and He did.

I told my husband many times through the years that I love walking into Home Depot and that it was one of my favorite places to shop.  Smelling the wood and just all of the inspiration that comes from the place as you look at everything.  We enjoyed shopping there for so many projects.

There are so many days where I have felt what’s the use. I can hardly get motivated, I feel helpless. But, this little widows might, any that I have, is from God.  He is my strength when I am weak.

This morning I did a search on might and then on strength in my E-Sword program.

May these verses uplift and encourage you, they most certainly did me this morning. They were just what I needed.

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be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.
Ephesians 6:10

Strengthened with all might,
according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering
with joyfulness;
Col_1:11

The LORD is my rock,
and my fortress,
and my deliverer;
my God, my strength,
in whom I will trust;
my buckler,
and the horn of my salvation,
and my high tower
Psa_18:2 

The LORD is my strength and song,
and he is become my salvation:
he is my God
Exo_15:2

My flesh and my heart faileth:
but God is the strength of my heart,
and my portion for ever.
Psa_73:26

O LORD,
my strength,
and my fortress,
and my refuge
in the day of affliction
Jer_16:19 
 

Trust ye in the LORD for ever:
for in the LORD JEHOVAH
is everlasting strength:
Isa_26:4 

He giveth power to the faint;
and to them that have no might
he increaseth strength.
Isa_40:29 

But they that wait upon the LORD
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isa_40:31

Seek the LORD and his strength,
seek his face continually
1Ch_16:11 

   The LORD God is my strength
Hab_3:19

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Dear Jesus,

Bless all who need your strength.

Touch their hearts and minds

filling them with peace.

Amen

Give thanks and confide in the widow’s God

 

The sweet little bear holding the pillow is from my ‘Friends Needing Friends’ widow’s group.  I got it because I am new to this special sisterhood of widows, and for comfort.

Even as I am now, without my best friend and love, my dear husband and soulmate, I am to ‘give thanks in all things’.

With God my Saviour, I can do all things.

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In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1Th_5:18

O give thanks unto the LORD;
for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa_136:1

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It is well! All that he does, who speaks these touching words, is well. It is well with you, for he who gave in love, in love has taken away the mercy that he gave. The companion of your youth, the friend of your bosom, the treasure of your heart, the staff of your riper and the solace of your declining years, is removed, but since God has done it—it is, it must be well. Look now above the circumstances of your deep and dark sorrow, the second causes of your bereavement, the probable consequences of your loss,—God has done it; and that very God who has smitten, who has bereaved, and who has removed your all of earthly good, now invites you to trust in him. Chance has not brought you into this state; accident has not bereft you of your treasure; God has made you a widow, that you may confide in the widow’s God.

Octavius Winslow

How precious …

 

Psalms 139:17

Projects

 

These past 4 months have been rough without my dear husband.  The missing him is awful.  Half of me is gone, the half that was courageous, who could do just about anything he set his mind to. He enjoyed figuring things out, drawing up plans or having creative ideas and then making them come to be. I enjoyed helping him with everything.  We were a team, a team that worked well together. I’m not saying we were perfect by any stretch of the imagination, we bickered, apologized, forgave and moved on.  Love covers a multitude of sins.

I need and want to do things, to get things accomplished that we started. I now have to make the decisions myself, have to motivate myself and that comes hard.  I can work in the gardens, or with my needlework, or cooking, no problem there, but all of this other stuff that we did together, is much harder.

I keep telling myself that there are plenty of women living alone that do all kinds of things and I can too.  I can hear my husband saying, “Come on Rainey, you can do it, you’re a ‘mountainy woman’, a very good and hard worker. You have ideas, talents, and you can accomplish much, even though I’m not there to help you physically.”  (A ‘mountainy woman’ is one who is not afraid of hard work, who gets out there and helps where she is needed, our definition.)

I’m making a list of things I need and want to do and look forward to doing them.  I just need to start with one project and keep going, until my list is just filled with new projects I want to try or do.

My husband loved working with his hands and I watched and helped him do all kinds of building projects in our 43 years and I know some of that is lodged in my brain.

Grief has a way of deadening your senses at first, so much so that all you can do is basically what you have to do. Yesterday afternoon a peaceful, excited feeling came over me, I can’t really explain it, and for all I know it will come and go, but it was there and I still feel it today.

I am going to start taking care of things that I’ve let slide and go from there.  Jesus will be with me all the way. He is my strength, my motivation, I can do all things through Him.

Life is to be lived every day as best we can.  It is to be enjoyed and be thankful for. Life is not over, it is different, it is continuing. I do not want to lose faith I want to be more faithful and thankful for all of the blessings I’m being given and for the lessons I am learning. God is Almighty and He is working all things out in my life.

Here are some verses for me today, maybe they will be a blessing in your life too. These are taken from the KJV of the Bible.

And whatsoever ye do,
do it heartily,
as to the Lord
Col 3:23 

Every wise woman buildeth her house:
Pro 14:1 

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;
Ecc 9:10 

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 
Phillipians 4:13

And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves
to think any thing as of ourselves;
but our sufficiency is of God;  
2Corinthians 3:4-5

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Dear Jesus ~ May I continually seek you and your guidance through your word.  Thank you and Amen.

FlowerLady

A letter from your spouse

 

I found the following this morning and it was very comforting to me.

It was taken from the website below.

http://widowwidowers.com/a-letter-from-your-spouse

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My Love,

Don’t grieve for me. Bodies die but love does not. We all must live in an earthly body for a time, but this part of my life is over and real life is opening before me. I know that you miss my earthly presence, but be comforted by the knowledge that you are still part of my life because our spirits are still joined. I am not gone, but continue to dwell with you.

We are both being tenderly held by God, who understands our pain and will use our suffering as well as our achievements in marvelous ways that will contribute to our heavenly happiness.

The difficulties surrounding my leaving the natural world are now of no concern to me as I understand the bigger picture. Forgive me for my imperfections and mistakes. We both have regrets, but here things that once seemed important are put into perspective. As I see life more clearly in the light of eternity, my memory of upsets of life in the world dim and disappear while the true essence of our relationship grows stronger.

When you come over to the real world we will be reunited completely. Our love will then be unencumbered by earthly illness or concerns. Bodies suffer from aging and illness, but the spirit endures. You are not your body, nor was I. I am now in a world where my body is a true reflection of my spirit. The body I now live in is strong and young, free from afflictions and limitations of the natural body I left behind. Though we can’t touch physically, I continue to be touched by your love and the beauty of your soul.

Time on earth seems to go slowly, but in reality it is only a short time until you will join me. The beauty of the world I now live is beyond what you can imagine. Your tears of  sadness will instead be tears of joy when I welcome you here.

Peace be with you until then.