Today I'm linking up with Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday. I don't usually post on Fridays, but recently I've been trying to work on freewriting and opportunities like Five Minute Friday provide that arena for me. When I saw the word "empty" on Gypsy Mama's post, I knew right away I had to write today!
Go.
Everything feels so empty. Our family has recently been slammed with a diagnosis of an illness in my husband's brother that has devastated us. We've been travelling recently to Jim and Helen's home about five hours away to help with downsizing as they prepare to move. Jim's health requires this move, as Helen can't keep the pace caring for him and their home too.
Jim's illness is emptying him out too. He was diagnosed a year ago with Parkinson's but last week we learned from a specialist that it's Parkinson's with Lewy body dementia. The dementia has attacked Jim's mind like a freight train without brakes. The person we knew is gone, empty of much thought and recognition. How can it be this man is becoming empty? Or is he? We don't know.
But God's promise is that with him in our lives we will never be empty. If that's so, how is it we feel empty, we see empty, we sense empty? It's because there will always be trials and tribulations, sorrows and grief, struggles that cause us to feel empty. Yet, if we reach for God's hand and love, we will be filled again and again, and capable of moving forward away from the emptiness.
"'Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone
who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.'"
John 7:38 (The Message)
who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.'"
John 7:38 (The Message)
Stop.
[Images and verses added after 5 minutes.]
Photo credit: www.ecoki.com
See you over at Gypsy Mama's for Five Minute Friday. Give it a try!
Thank you for such a touching post...I will continue to follow your posts (if I can remember as my mind is not as sharp as it once was, but I will try. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeletePat
Visiting from Gypsy Mama's blog.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting through such a tough time.
Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement.
DeleteWhat a great scripture you shared for the "antidote" to empty!
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to your family for a trial such as this. The scarier it gets, I pray you all hold on to His hand tighter.
Jerralea, thanks much for your sweet words and encouragement. I like that you're praying for us to "all hold on to His hand tighter." What else can we do?
DeleteI'll be dropping in to see you in a bit, and see what you're up to!
Sherrey, thank you for sharing such a heartfelt message. I'm sorry about your brother-in-law's illness. I can feel your sense of emptiness though your words. I can also feel your sense of hope through your faith in God. As you and your family "reach for God's hand and love" may you all "move forward away from the emptiness. "
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Kathy
Kathleen, this exercise on Friday was the best thing to have happen to me in this time and place. I didn't realize how empty I felt until I started that five minutes of free writing! Thanks so much for stopping by -- when I see you among my comments, I feel like a close friend has come for chat and a sip of tea. :)
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