The Light Of Love Brings Hope Beyond The Grave

When one holds up their candle high enough to share
their bit of light with others and we all join in together
to hold high our own candles of loving memories with
other bereaved parents, the resplendent glow of our love
shines through those candles that represents the power
of love that lives beyond he grave, rendering the dark,
obscure corners of our heartache and mourning into places
of refuge and rest on our journey
down this road called grief.

Sharing our experiences (our light) causes others to
find their way illuminated with hope where the pathway
was once somber and filled with the darkness of despair.
No, the grief we feel of losing our loved one will
not dissipate overnight or even over the years,
but with the comfort and encouragement of others
we walk with on this journey called grief, we will all
feel the strength to carry the torch of consolation
and faith to the newly bereaved while giving our hands
and hearts in friendship at the same time.

So, let us all lift our candles of memory higher to
thwart and drive away the darkness that threatens to
overwhelm the hearts of bereaved families...
Let us offer instead glowing, radiant hope of
relief which we can all be encouraged by instead
of hiding our light under a bushel like
I've been so guilty of doing.

May God forgive me and change my heart way
down in the very depths of its foundation...in
the deepest parts of my spirit and my own
bruised and broken heart so that I can find my
way to lead another to the light of His Love,
His Grace and His Comfort...I am finally
learning to trust my Heavenly Father like I've
never done before...and raising my candle of hope
is my first step towards the Father of all Lights
because I know now that no matter what happens
on this earth, that....
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of
lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning." James 1:7 (KJV)

Yes, unpleasant things, even bad and hurtful
things may happen in our lives, but we have an
Ebenezer...a rock of help, a stone that is raised to
commemorate a victory....a fortress and a strong
arm of deliverance that belongs to the
Almighty God whom we call our Father.
Yes, we will be sad, we will miss our loved
one...our child, or parents...our relatives and friends
that have gone on before us...but by holding the
light of their memories high enough to share with
others, we can all walk in that luminous glow of
their life-song each and every day.

Yes, stormy days will come, but look for the beauty in

the midst of the storm...seek out the colors of God's

creation as the storm clouds gather overhead.

This photo was taken in South Lake Tahoe and within

the hour it was a swirling blizzard of snow that came

down in all it's furry, covering the delightful

fall colors I was able to capture in  one of my beloved

"Moments of Time"...but even after the snow storm

(representing the storms of life)

had calmed and quiet reigned once more in the forest, 

there was a new and ethereal beauty to behold...

My friend, each storm of life, may feel like it takes 

everything out of you, sapping you of every ounce 

of strength...but that's when we must say...

"I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence

cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD,

which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer

thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee

will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel

shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is

thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon

thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by

day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve

thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

The LORD shall preserve thy going out and

thy coming in from this time forth, and even

for evermore." Psalms 121  (KJV)

Treasure each moment...reach out and take the hand

of someone who may be struggling along the way..

have them look around at the beauty of God's

creation, because even though our heart may be

broken and seem beyond repair...God is there, waiting

for you to hand the pieces to him so He can make

from your broken heart, a beautiful

mosaic of beauty and love.

© Susan Reynolds

The Digital Artist