I received some lovely cards after my husband’s death. Some were very meaningful and I want to share a few.
One was from my old friend, Jeannie. We go way back to the early years of our marriages. Our husbands knew each other as boys and worked together for a time. That’s how I met Jeannie.
I remember my husband, Chuck, would sometimes go to several stores in order to find the right card for me, or our daughters or his mother. When someone else takes that kind of care it means something. Jeannie knew of our love of music. She paid attention. The card she gave me was perfect, something hard to find.
Remembering Their Beautiful Song
God gives every person their own unique song —
It’s one that will play their entire life long,
Through the love that they give and the gifts that they share,
Through the memories they make and the dreams that they dare…
It’s a song filled with beauty and day-to-day grace,
That plays through until they see God face to face.
A song that is heard in the heart, loud and clear —
A song, if we listen, we’ll always still hear.
(American Greetings)
Another card was from Chuck’s “State Farm Family”. I felt like it was from a close friend. I don’t know who picked it out, but I’m guessing who it was. I thank God for using these ladies, only a few of whom I ever got to meet, to bless me with these timely words.
… I imagine you may be overwhelmed because you’ve been dealing with so much lately, and maybe you’re wondering how things are ever going to work out.
And I just want to remind you that although life brings many changes, God’s love for us remains constant.
He’s always there, guiding us through decisions and helping us do the hard things…
And the most beautiful thing about God is that the more we need Him, the closer He is.
That’s how I know He is especially close to you now.
God has truly been helping me do the hard things. And He has sent others to help me do some of those hard things.
I am so grateful to God for the ones He has put in my life who still pray for me. On those nights when it seems so dark, I know that I have been sustained by prayers. I know that God hears others when I can’t find words. Then, in the morning, I am able to go on. I am able to pray for guidance and pray for those I love, both family and friends.
So, today, if you think of one of your sisters-in-widowhood, or anyone who has lost someone, or just anyone who might need encouragement, reach out. Send a card or text or email. Or better yet, call or visit.
PS- the photo at the top was taken on our trip to Montana to visit our daughter in 2015.
About Angie Bell
Angie Bell was born in Georgia but raised in Florida to where she recently returned after six years in Birmingham, Alabama. She is a former teacher who loves hiking, photography, and writing, often combining all three.
After planning for several years, working on a way to live on a shoestring budget, Angie’s husband of 41 years put in for early retirement so they could move back home. They put their house on the market and had a contract within four days. Less than two weeks later her husband was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. They decided to transfer his care and move back to Jacksonville, Florida, renting a furnished apartment and hoping for a miracle. One month later he was gone. After her third move in less than a year, Angie is now in Tampa where her grandchildren live, trying to find her way in her new life. God, in His mercy, has put numerous other widows in her life and a new empathy for this sisterhood she never would have chosen.