Comfort for Christmas by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/24/2007 at 5:49 PM

This week I blogged about holiday blues brought on by annoying circumstances, but many people suffer a different kind of pain at Christmas ... the pain of remembering a lost loved one. This is the case for Jennifer Napier who wrote the article "Birthdays with Jesus."

Since my sister's death, December and March have been two particularly difficult months for me. When December draws close, I tend to cry thinking of how old my sister would've been. I've often imagined what a joy it would've been for our kids to grow up together. And I miss the conversations we would have had. There are some things I know that only she would understand.

Last year, in an effort to remember and celebrate my sister's life, I had a type of party for her. My daughter and I made her a cake and I spent the day thinking of how blessed I was to have her in my life. This year, her fourth birthday with Jesus, I wanted to do the same thing.

When plans went awry on December 7, Jennifer describes how she felt God had even taken away her time to grieve for her sister.

Did God really love me? At times I felt like He must be a big monster simply smirking at me. I knew it wasn't true, but why would He let me have so much pain, loss, and hardship? Why did my life sound more like a soap opera or some crazy tragic movie than a song of victory? And then there was today. Could I let go of the day I had planned and let it be the day that God wanted to give me?

Christmas is difficult for those who have lost someone. As I draw near to my happy, healthy family today, this fact is humbling. How can I be sensitive to those who are tender this time of year? Jennifer recounts how God provided an extra blessing on a day that seemed bleak. (You'll have to read the article to find out what it was.)

I didn't get to do anything I planned on my sister's birthday. We didn't buy a tree. I didn't eat ice-cream for breakfast (one of her die-hard habits). But I did get a taste of God's goodness and I did worship Him with a grateful heart. My sister would have definitely approved. In the end, I guess I did do something she did, I loved God. I worshiped Him. I surrendered myself and my life to Him again.

If you are hurting this Christmas, I pray He will give you grace to do the same.

Comfort for Christmas by Suzanne Hadley Gosselin on 12/24/2007 at 5:49 PM

This week I blogged about holiday blues brought on by annoying circumstances, but many people suffer a different kind of pain at Christmas ... the pain of remembering a lost loved one. This is the case for Jennifer Napier who wrote the article "Birthdays with Jesus."

Since my sister's death, December and March have been two particularly difficult months for me. When December draws close, I tend to cry thinking of how old my sister would've been. I've often imagined what a joy it would've been for our kids to grow up together. And I miss the conversations we would have had. There are some things I know that only she would understand.

Last year, in an effort to remember and celebrate my sister's life, I had a type of party for her. My daughter and I made her a cake and I spent the day thinking of how blessed I was to have her in my life. This year, her fourth birthday with Jesus, I wanted to do the same thing.

When plans went awry on December 7, Jennifer describes how she felt God had even taken away her time to grieve for her sister.

Did God really love me? At times I felt like He must be a big monster simply smirking at me. I knew it wasn't true, but why would He let me have so much pain, loss, and hardship? Why did my life sound more like a soap opera or some crazy tragic movie than a song of victory? And then there was today. Could I let go of the day I had planned and let it be the day that God wanted to give me?

Christmas is difficult for those who have lost someone. As I draw near to my happy, healthy family today, this fact is humbling. How can I be sensitive to those who are tender this time of year? Jennifer recounts how God provided an extra blessing on a day that seemed bleak. (You'll have to read the article to find out what it was.)

I didn't get to do anything I planned on my sister's birthday. We didn't buy a tree. I didn't eat ice-cream for breakfast (one of her die-hard habits). But I did get a taste of God's goodness and I did worship Him with a grateful heart. My sister would have definitely approved. In the end, I guess I did do something she did, I loved God. I worshiped Him. I surrendered myself and my life to Him again.

If you are hurting this Christmas, I pray He will give you grace to do the same.