Monday's Mourning Ministry - A New Year's Poem from Mother to Child in Heaven ~by Grieving Mother Tammy Brown / Sweet Child O' Mine ~Sheryl Crow

Love from all our Heavenly children...

Monday's Mourning Ministry

A New Year's Poem

from Mother to Child in Heaven

~by Grieving Mother Tammy Brown

~

Sweet Child O' Mine

~Sheryl Crow

The poem below shares the sweet sentiments of a fellow grieving mother that express so well our angst and yet our recognition that our precious child now "knows" the depths of our love, despite our frail attempts to communicate, for now they "know" as even they are "fully known"!!!

~I Corinthians 13:12 "then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

‎12/31/2011

Larry,

I sat here searching deep within
to find the words to express
how much I love and miss you
searching for a language that eludes me

to lose you to death is beyond human language

there are no Earthly words ever spoken
nor written
that will in any form
express the depth of my sorrow

so as I sat here
fingers poised and waiting
it finally occurred to me

if the words to express my sorrow
do not yet exist
then the words to define
the eternal love that my heart holds for you
will never be born of Earthly expression

with this
a new thought occurs

you are my son
born of my very own
existence

I have no need to search for words do I?

you already know

the moment you left this Earthly plain
is the moment you first truly felt it

just as I felt your first movement of life within me
so you now feel the depth of my love

again we are one

my promise to you:

I will carry you forward with me
this New Year and every one after

until we
once again
become two…

I love you my son, always.

~by Tammy Brown in loving memory of Larry Brown

*****

Sweet Child O' Mine

~Sheryl Crow

He's got a smile that it seems to me

Reminds me of childhood memories

Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see his face

It takes me away to that special place

And if I stared too long

I'd probably break down and cry

Oh-o-oh

Sweet child o' mine

Oh oh oh oh

Sweet love of mine

He's got eyes of the bluest skies

And if they thought of rain

I hate to look into those eyes

And see an ounce of pain

His hair reminds me of a warm safe place

Where as a child I'd hide

And pray for the thunder

And the rain

To quietly pass me by

Oh-o-oh

Sweet child o' mine

Oh oh oh oh oh

Sweet love of mine

Oh oh oh oh

Sweet child of mine

Oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh

Sweet love of mine

Where do we go?

Where do we go now?

Where do we go?

Where do we go?

Where do we go now?

Where do we go?

Where do we go?

Sweet Child

Where do we go now?

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Where do we go ~

oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Where do we go

Sweet child

Where do we go now?

Where do we go ~

oh oh oh oh oh oh

Where do we go now

Now now now no

Sweet child

Sweet child o' mine

Picture: Thanks to Dr. Athena Staik

Poem: Thanks to the gracious permission of Grieving Mother, Tammy Brown

Video: http://youtu.be/T4lSms1pokA

Monday's Mourning Ministry - The Rugged-Cross Way: The Way of the Griever / Through the Fire ~The Crabb Family

Monday's Mourning Ministry

The Rugged-Cross Way:

The Way of the Griever

Through the Fire ~The Crabb Family

A dear friend was upbraided this week for asking her friends to pray for her brand new grandbaby who was found to have a potentially debilitating defect at birth. The so-called "friend" told my friend she should just take this before the Lord privately and not ask anyone else to help her pray for the precious child! My friend was greatly hurt and wondered,

~ Aren't we to be merciful to one another, and help to "carry one another's burdens"?

I wondered:

Is this the wave of the future, the possible result of many sitting under the ear-tickling pastors who lead people to think that loving God means "having our kingdom here now," so that any difficulties we may have might lead others to think our lives are not peachy-keen and therefore a bad reflection on God...

Thinking of her and all of us child-loss grievers while praying midst my insomnia in the wee morning hours, I felt the urge to write the following poem:

The Rugged Cross Way:

The Way of the Griever

We are going through severe losses;

Tears pour down with our mourning song.

Jesus calls us to take up our crosses,

But you? ~ You tell us we are doing "it" wrong!

You tell us that in taking up our cross,

Our hearts bleeding out, our breath sucked away,

That it's a sacrilege against our Lord of the cross

Who died on the cross to take all loss away...

Who suffered for us that we could now thrive...

So that when we weep and mourn our great loss

Of the child we fought so hard to keep alive,

You think we're maligning our Lord of the cross,

That we should be quiet, happy all day...."

And yet our Lord says ~ Blessed are those who mourn;

He knows the depths of the hurt thrown our way!

Our angst, our hurt, our tears He does not scorn;

He merely says ~ That's the rugged-cross way!

Why do you think on That Day He will bless

Those who reach out and love ones who hurt most,

Yet throw out those who tout their own righteousness,

Who taunt "the least" with holier-than-thou boast?

Be careful ~ ye who criticize, malign

The humble cross-bearers who follow The Divine

Who wisely warned ~ In this world, you will have trouble,

But for all your tears here, your joy will be double.

If you choose to be unmerciful to us, "the least,"

Perhaps you have swallowed Pharisee's deadly yeast.

What we have learned as our tears make us meek,

We draw closer to the God whom we seek;

Our tears, though they pour, restore our vision,

Keenly clarify our earthly mission:

To go through earth's kingdom, pouring out love,

Lifting up "the least" to see God's Kingdom above.

So, while you busily build your kingdom here,

We will bear our cross, as God catches each tear.

*****

Through the Fire

~ The Crabb Family

written by Gerald Crabb,

solo sung by Gerald's son Jason Crabb

So many times I've questioned certain circumstances

Or things I could not understand.

Many times in trials, weakness blurs my vision

And then my frustration gets so out of hand.

O but instead, I am reminded I've never been forsaken

And I've never had to stand my test alone

That's when I look at all the victories

And the Spirit rises up in me

And its through the fire, my weakness is made strong!

O, He never promised that the cross would not get heavy,

And the hill would not be hard to climb;

He never offered our victories without fighting

But He said help would always come in time.

Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision

And the adversary says give in,

Just hold on, our Lord will show up

And He will take you through the fire again.

I know within myself that I would surely perish

O, but if I trust the mighty hand of God,

He'll shield the flames again, again!

He never promised that the cross would not get heavy

And the hill would not be hard to climb;

O, He never offered our victories without fighting

But He said help would always come in time.

Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision

And the adversary says give in,

Just hold on, our Lord will show up,

And He will take you through the fire again.

So just hold on, our Lord will show up,

And He will take you through the fire again.

He never promised that the cross would not get heavy

And the hill would not be hard to climb;

He never offered our victories without our fighting,

But He said help would always come in time.

Just remember when your standing in the valley of decision

And the adversary says give in,

Just hold on, our Lord will show up

And He will take you through the fire again.

Just remember when you're standing in the valley of decision

And the adversary says give in,

Just hold on, our Lord will show up

And He will take you through the fire again.

So just hold on, our Lord will show up,

And He will take you through the fire again.

So just hold on, our Lord will show up,

And He will take you through the fire again!

Pictures: thanks to FotoSearch

Poem - The Rugged-Cross Way: The Way of the Griever - Angie Bennett Prince - 7/17/2011

Video - Through the Fire - The Crabb Family - http://youtu.be/VP4OvUU-ZHU

Tuesday's Trust - When People Disappoint... No Matter What... God is Here!

Tuesday's Trust

When People Disappoint...

No Matter What... God is Here!

In my struggle I exposed in my post last week on Friday's Faith, I "stumbled across" (or was this God's hand?) a poem I had written several months ago that as I reread it, began to minister to my broken spirit. I then re-worked it to fit the situation at hand. God is amazing in His ability to turn things completely around in my heart so that instead of my being disheartened, I am actually at rest in Him, and excited at what He will help to come from this "misadventure"! I guess He always uses painful circumstances to grow us in our love for one another and in our faith, trust, and dependence on Him!

He also brought to mind some people I dearly love who had recently lost loved ones (including their child) for whom I have been praying but amidst the starkness of the deaths, I too have been rendered speechless and have not yet reached out to them as I normally would. God is good at helping me to step off my "high horse"!

When People Disappoint...

No Matter What... God is Here!

No matter what people do ~ GOD is here.

No matter if their "love" grows cold ~ GOD is here.

There is no meanness, sin, nor Satan in Heav'n ~

Yet God uses everything this side of Heav'n

To bring Himself glory and bring men to Him.

No matter what Satan does ~ God loves me... and them!

Thank You GOD for Your amazing love;

It reaches down and holds me ~ takes me above!♥

I love You LORD and thank You for saving me

in this Hell I find myself going through

in this Child-Loss Nightmare, compounded

with the ones who "promise" to "love" me true.

Instead of Truth, I see sin, lies, deceit;

But, hidden in You ~ T.h.e. TRUTH ~ I'm complete.

Guard me LORD, take away all bitterness;

You'll protect and guard me with Your sweetness.

Blessed are we who mourn ~ YOU comfort us;

YOU love, guard, guide from dawn to dusk,

Going before, going behind, protecting us.

Hold me so close Lord ~ I am lonely and sad

When those who (I feel) should "love" me treat me "bad,"

But ever IN YOUR ARMS OF LOVE, YOU make me GLAD!

I rest in You my Lord, my Loving Abba Dad!♥

Poem - When People Disappoint: No Matter What... God is Here! - 10/10/10, revised 6/10/11 - Angie Bennett Prince

Blessed Thanksgiving - Under Your Wings / "The Prayer" ~Celtic Woman

Blessed Thanksgiving

Under Your Wings

~

"The Prayer" ~Celtic Woman

Under Your Wings...

My child who rests under Your wings,

Lifts her voice to You and sings ~

God who longs to gather us near,

Hold us close, and catch each tear ~

Surrounded by Your love each day,

We walk in peace midst grief's way.

May we too rest under Your wings

Like Your fragile bird who sings

Despite the cold, amidst the storm,

Knowing You're there to keep him warm.

Keep our hearts at rest in Thee.

Within grief's glow, Your face we'll see,

E'en as our child looks up at Thee...

*****

"The Prayer"

~Celtic Woman

I pray You'll be our eyes

And watch us where we go--

And help us to be wise

In times when we don't know...

Let this be our prayer

As we go our way:

Lead us to a place,

Guide us with Your grace,

To a place where we'll be safe.

I pray we'll find Your light

And hold it in our hearts;

When stars go out each night,

Remind us where You are.

Let this be our prayer

When shadows fill our day:

Lead us to a place,

Guide us with Your grace,

Give us faith so we'll be safe.

(Interlude)

We ask that life be kind

And watch us from above;

We hope each soul will find

Another soul to love...

Let this be our prayer:

Just like every child

Needs to find a place

Guide us with Your grace

Give us faith so we'll be safe.

Need to find a place,

Guide us with Your grace,

Give us faith so we'll be safe.

*****

He who dwells in the shelter

of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of

the Almighty...

He will cover you with His

feathers,

and under His wings you

will find refuge...

~Psalm 91:1,4a

I call on You, O God, for

You will answer me;

give ear to me and hear

my prayer.

Show the wonder of Your

great love,

You who save by Your right

hand

those who take refuge in

You from their foes.

Keep me as the apple of

Your eye;

hide me in the shadow of

Your wings...

~Psalm 17:6-8

How priceless is Your

unfailing love!

Both high and low among

men

find refuge in the shadow

of Your wings.

They feast on the abundance

of Your house;

You give them drink from

Your river of delights.

For with You is the fountain

of life;

in Your light we see

light.

~Psalm 36:7-9

Have mercy on me, O God,

have mercy on me,

for in You my soul takes

refuge.

I will take refuge in the

shadow of Your wings

until the disaster has

passed.

I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who fulfills His

purpose for me.

He sends from heaven and

saves me...

~Psalm 57:1-3a

Hear my cry, O God;

listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I

call to You,

I call as my heart grows

faint;

lead me to the rock that is

higher than I.

For You have been my

refuge,

a strong tower against the

foe.

I long to dwell in Your tent

forever

and take refuge in the

shelter of Your wings.

Selah.

~Psalm 61:1-4

O God, You are my God,

earnestly I seek You;

my soul thirsts for You,

my body longs for You,

in a dry and weary land

where there is no water.

I have seen You in the

sanctuary

and beheld Your power

and Your glory.

Because Your love is better

than life,

my lips will glorify You.

I will praise You as long as I

live,

and in Your name I will lift

up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as

with the richest of foods;

with singing lips my mouth

will praise You.

On my bed I remember You;

I think of You through the

watches of the night.

Because You are my help,

I sing in the shadow of

Your wings.

I stay close to You;

Your right hand upholds

me.

~Psalm 63:1-8

Picture: http://angelos-gabriyel.xanga.com/687367996/rest-in-the-shadow-of-his-wings/

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ928V55S5U&feature=rec-LGOUT-real_rev-rn-1r-2-HM

Poem - Under Your Wings - Angie Bennett Prince - 11/22/10

All scriptures are from the New International Version of the Holy Bible