Grief Step eight

Saying for the day: Grief is not evil making us hide it is.

Today and every Sunday for the next two 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
We have reached step eight in the grief process.
We find that we have trouble doing our work.
We have trouble going out with other people.
Our entire life seems to stand still.
Part of this is because of the American way of handling grief.
We hide it.
We do not grieve publicly.
There was a time when people did grieve in public.
Men wore black armbands and women black veils.
People knew they were grieving.
Now the grief is hidden.
We do not want to cry at work so we hold it in and the quality of our work suffers.
At this stage in grieving we need a friend who will let us grieve.
When we start to talk about the one who died they will not cut us off.
They will listen and allow us to move in our grieving.
People do need to share their grief.
Let us love them enough to let them do it.
This is not easy because society puts pressure on them to hide the grief.
Be happy society says.
We don’t like long faced people
So we may go for coffee and the grieving person won’t talk about the one who died unless they know it is okay.
We can say something like “I remember when you and …. Went to …”.
Then if the person cry's accept it .
That’s grief.
The tears are good not evil. Let them tell you about the departed even if you have to listen to the same story several days in a row.

This step too will end.

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News from Pigeon Falls– The little town in my backyard where the trains still run and dragons fly free– The High School foot ball team lost again last night . When they came out on the field they were greeted with cheers from the other side that went “Mash the potatoes” Mash the potatoes” . This new name is driving the players nuts. One feels that the next school board meeting is going to have some irritated parents in attendance. Some are suggesting the teams should be called the dragons. That certainly is better than New Potatoes. One has to wonder if the local dragon will approve.
The White Rabbit was seen yesterday with a red, white, and blue sweater. He was carrying a sign that said “Mayor”. The way things are going he could be the only candidate. There seems to be nothing in the law to prevent a rabbit from being Mayor. There is nothing to prevent a kid either. They just can’t vote in the election.(The law does require that one be a US citizen .Sorry Cuppojoe)
Mrs. Trumble greeted this latest news by saying this proves it was evil and demonic. The sooner she shoots it the better. If it gets elected and she shoots it can she be tried for shooting the Mayor? She has a rabbit license after all and it is a rabbit.
They have gone over the video of the person trying to break into Eino’s garage and Eino says the man looks familiar, He might have been one of those who came to clean out the Hermit’s house.
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Today's Link-Geek Zen Daddy- Remember to put the word's Dr, John in the comment to get five, smells like apple, JCPOINTS. Check HERE for yours.
We went to church this morning. The coffee was great as was the fellowship before church. But the service was the real treat. It was the guitar service Sunday with the guitar liturgy . The congregational songs were great. The children's choir sang. The first graders were given their bibles. The confirmands and parents were blessed and the sermon was good. Just one fantastic Sunday. In the afternoon Betty painted and I visited all the blogs that left comments yesterday and then some others from the links list. Some days are so good you don't want them to end but now I do need a breathing treatment.
GBYA