As Christmas draws near I am realizing just how much not having my Mom with me this year hurts. I know I am not alone in missing someone.  Several of you who read have also lost loved ones and you know that tug and pull of celebrating while grieving.

We will make new memories this year but the air will be palpable with longing for those who are not present.  One of the new memories for our family will be taking Roses to my mom’s grave in honor of what would have been her and Dad’s 59th wedding anniversary.  He had been giving her roses for the past several years.

I think that is what hurts the most – knowing that my Dad has lost his bride.  He married her on Christmas Day in 1959 and he loved her well through all the years they had.   I remember the week she was in Hospice he held her hand and told her that he had loved her for 58 years and would never stop loving her.  I know she heard him because she tried to tell him that she loved him. We heard the word love.  It was one of the last moments that we knew she was still somewhat aware of us. A moment we will treasure.

Two hearts entwined; inseparable LBT

Christmas is Love.  The greatest love ever given to us was the birth of Jesus.  It is because of his love that we are capable of loving.  It is because of his love that my parents were able to celebrate so many years together and raise their children to know Jesus.  I know my mom loved Jesus.  She would tell me that she wanted to see Jesus. In the midst of the Alzheimer’s she still knew who Jesus was and she would talk about him.

This year she is celebrating Christmas with Jesus. She is having the ultimate Christmas and so even though I miss her terribly and know that Christmas will be bittersweet this year I am rejoicing with her that she is experiencing the greatest love of all this Christmas.

She has received the gift that was anticipated for so long.  Her long-expected Saviour has arrived.  As we are celebrating the Advent of Christmas, we too can wait expectantly for the Christ-child. We can open our hearts to receive him. He will be our comfort and help us navigate the missing, the longing, the memories and the hope of one day being reunited.

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.        1 John 5:11

Hope for the journey,

Teresa