Grief Sharing

we went to Grace Brethren Church in Wooster tonight to a support group for people who lost a loved one.. Brooke and Spencer went along. They were not real excited about going, but went with us. They were the only kids there, but I think they felt comfortable enough to go back. We went as a family and for now I think that is very important for all of us. It keeps us connected. There were probably 25 people attending this meeting, most lost either a parent or spouse. There was one lady there that her 35 yr. daughter was killed in an accident. The daughter had three kids, but the husband of her daughter decided to not let Grandma see the kids. So, poor grandma not only lost her daughter but her grandkids too at least for a while. The husband did decide later to let her see them. She said this has been five years ago. She has said what I already knew----you do heal, but you learn to live with your loss. There was one lady sitting beside me that I felt so sorry for. She was from China, and her husband got cancer and died three years ago. She was not in the states very long before he got sick and died. I think he died with a fast growing cancer. She had two kids, one a year old and one five. She had no family in the states and for some reason she could not go back to China. She said she has not really talked to anyone and feels God far away. She was crying so hard through all of this, that we all were either crying or about to. I was next after that lady to tell my story, well of course I was almost crying just listening to hers, so it was very difficult to say much----then just me telling the story, or at least trying to tell it, I hear Brooke and Jeff sobbing beside me. I couldn't talk anymore. It was an emotional evening, but it is comforting in some sort of sad way to be with people that are mourning the loss of somebody they truly loved. It feels like you can connect to them on some level. I was talking to a girl after it was over who just lost her dad suddenly and she said I always thought I was a deep Christian, but now I am on fire for God. It is so true God puts you in the fire, you definitely draw close, actually cling to Him with both hands. I really don't know how anyone would ever get through this horrible process of mourning and grieving if you did not have God as your Best Friend. I use to read in the paper or see on the news people that were killed and always thought, boy that is sad, and feel bad for them, but that was about as far as it went. Now, it is a completely different story----i can relate to how horrible it really is and feel a real sadness and compassion in my heart for them. I am thankful---God brought us through another day---we had moments of tears, but He will bring joy in the morning----well maybe not tomorrow morning, but some morning. That is what one lady actually said, one morning she noticed she had joy back in her heart----