Saturday thoughts

I thought that after Gar had been gone for a year, I would be done with Negative Nancy thoughts, yet they don't always go away.  A friend and neighbor who lives across the street is dying of stage four lung cancer.  I am having a tough time because I hurt so much for his wife.  It's the same emotions I went through with my friend Diane when her husband died.  I feel so helpless.  As much as I can pray for strength and comfort for her, I can't stop the pain and emptiness that her life will soon have.  It's hard for me to sit outside and see their house without flashing back to that dreary Saturday that Gar died.  But I push on and look for the positives in the day, and there are many.

First of all, forty years ago today my first niece, Amy was born.  What a great day, so much excitement in our family as a new generation began.  She is a great girl, as are her sisters.  Happy birthday Amy, I love you so much!

Today my friend's daughter Angie begins a new step in her life as she gets married to Sean.  It will be a fun night, filled with joy and laughter.  I look forward to sharing their start to their new life together.

This week has also been the start of a new chapter at Cross of Hope, as Pastor Jason begins his walk with us as our new pastor.  It's been just over two years since Pastor Fred left, and Pastor Brian became our interim.  Pastor Brian became a good friend and helped me through the toughest journey I have ever had to walk through, and I will always be grateful for his guidance, support and friendship during this time.  God bless him as he begins a new journey in his new congregation in Wisconsin.  I am excited to have Pastor Jason there, a new, fresh breath of the Holy Spirit is blowing through Cross of Hope, and I feel that God has great things in store for our church as we are open to God's spirit.

This week I also made my reservations for my first executive board meeting in Chicago in November.  We also received our committee assignments.  More reminders of the new plans that God has in store, and I eagerly await all that this means to me.

Mission accomplished, I just replaced one big negative with four positives.  Life is good, and I need to remember that I will often feel lonely and alone, but God is always there, and life is filled with much richness and goodness.  I thank God for thirty years with Gar and for all of the wonderful gifts that life still holds.  God is good, all the time!