Now and then I would forget that my husband’s absence was permanent. One morning I woke and
wondered if he’d already gone to work. Another day I was putting dishes on the table and realised that

Ponder The process of determining what God is asking is called discernment. The word discernment means to sift apart. When we enter into discernment, we

There’s so much to do after your spouse dies: making funeral arrangements, receiving guests, writing thank-you cards, executing the will, managing finances, sorting through clothes

Condolence wishes can truly bring us comfort. They communicate that others share our grief. The word “condolence” comes from the Latin word meaning “to feel pain”. But others cannot truly feel how deeply
we are suffering. They cannot know the conflicted feelings within us. Their expressions of sympathy can
only go so far in easing our grief. And yet, their wishes do serve to remind us that we are not alone in our sorrow, that others also cared for and will miss our departed spouse (friend).

You’re supposed to have strong feelings when your spouse dies. In the first few days or weeks you may have been worn out with sadness

Respect for ourselves and for the one we care for is a central attitude to live and to be lived by. We simply do not, and will not, know the truth and fullness of anyone’s personal life, for it is hidden even as we live it. Then to be respectful is first to give up thinking that we know what others are essentially about, and second, it is something we can hold on to, like a railing, while we learn as we go.

We are an ageing society. As the general population ages, so do the members of our churches. The foundational members of our churches are experiencing

One of the biggest things we relinquish when we have recognised that we will be caregiving someone for the long haul is control. It is

Ponder God wants us to be the best person that we can be with all of our strengths and all of our weaknesses. Each one

When the caregiving task is felt and known to belong to us, we take on the responsibility of it. It happens almost despite us. At