Grief step 3

Saying for the day- Above the dark clouds the sun still shines.

Today and every Sunday for the next seven Sunday’s we are looking at the steps in the grief process as described by Pastor Granger Westberg. These steps are:
1. Shock
2. Emotion
3. Depression
4. Physical pain
5. Fear or panic
6. Guilt
7. Anger
8. We function poorly
9. The breaking in of hope
10. The start of the new life
This week we look at depression.
This is the part of grieving that one person described as “ a dark black cloud falling over all of life”.

During this period we may feel lonely and lost.
The idea comes that God has left us or God doesn’t care.
This is a painful stage but a normal one.
It is normal to feel like this after a great loss.
You are not sick or different.

When we are depressed it feels like it will last forever.
But for most people the clouds pass and the depression slowly ends.
Some people move through this stage faster than others drawing on their own inner resources to move them to the next stage.
Others seem to linger and may need professional help to move on.

If you have a friend in this stage the best thing you can do for him or her is to keep visiting.
Assure them that this stage will pass.
This is a hard time to visit because you want to move them out of the depression and can’t.
But keep visiting. Keep assuring. Keep caring.
Little by little the clouds will blow away.

If your friend is a person of faith help them to call on the resources that faith gives them.
Pray with him or her.

Next week physical pain.

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News from Pigeon Falls– the little town in my backyard.– The parade went well yesterday. Pastor Marvel mad quite a hit in his Captain Marvel suit. He really hammed it up. The 65 piece 3 man liar’s club band was a little out of tune but nobody cared. All the floats were well done and went without incident . If you don’t count the cross falling off of Last Lutheran’s float near the end of the parade route. Pigonelle Lodge number 1 had a giant pigeon on the back of a truck which was impressive. They had recorded coo’s played out of the back of the truck. All in all for a small town it was an impressive parade. For the kids the best part was picking up the candy thrown from the floats. You would think their parents never gave them any candy. A few fights even broke out among the kids.
The wildest thing happened after the parade. People were just millin around like you do when a parade is over when suddenly flying down the middle of main street was a small green dragon spewing fire. It was no Tom in a dragon suit. This was a dragon and everybody saw it. It turned at the edge of town and headed out into the woods. People were afraid it would set the woods on fire, but it didn’t. So the dragon is back. But there was no White Rabbit.
One tourist even too a video of the dragon. They played it over and over in the Fly Inn bar. It made for good drinking conversation. It was good that nobody got hurt. Nobody even got burned. But people are a bit scared. They keep looking up expecting something to come flying at them spewing fire. I bet obe could sell a lot of fireproof hats in Pigeon Falls right now.
Despite the dragon the Methodist ladies sold a lot of pasties and Nancy did a lot of business. It was a good day for the town. The bars didn’t suffer either.
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Today's link- The Katzmeow- Remember to put Dr.John in the comment to get those furry little JCPOINTS. Check your total JCPOINTS HERE.
Betty is still sleeping we will have today's drawing when she gets up. If Margaret is drawn she gets what's in the JCPOINTS BOX and Bree will be happy at last.
While we are waiting let me tell you how depressed I am today. I lost the great liar's contest to my daughter-in-law by one vote. One crummy vote. I needed somebody to give me one more vote. I just needed one vote. Well really two votes to win but I would have been happy with being tied. How can I go to family gatherings with my head held high after this. This could be the end of the world . On the other hand it might not be. I'll let you know what I decide. In any case I am going into seclusion until I get over this horrible, horrible defeat. Don't waste your sympathy on me.I am old. The torch has passed to youth.
Betty is up and the name is drawn and it is ....




Gungirl Sorry Margaret (Sorry Bree) If she is drawn tomorrow she gets what's in the Prize Box. She has one chance in 62,953 of being drawn.Good luck Gungirl
Now because , I am so depressed, I think I will go sit in the sun without sun screen.
I do want to say it is all my fault. If I had just voted one more time last night before i went to bed. But I was over 200 votes behind. Some nice person pushed me up almost to winning. It is my fault, my grevious fault. I am so depressed I think I will watch TV.
The TV caused me to become even more depressed. So I quit and took up serious drinking. But after three cans of diet Sprite I am still depressed. I think I'll go play with my trains.
Betty really worked on the kitchen windows today including painting the sills. I played with the outside train. My depression lifted. Then built three fantasy cars. I might show you the train on Thursday.
Well I need a breathing treatment.
GBYA