Life after death....

 Today marks 12 years...wow!! How did we get here??? One breath, one moment...eventually one day at a time!! There have been many moments, days I thought I would never make it through...quite honestly many I didn't want to make it through!! So how did I get here?
If you know me at all you will know what my first answer will be...the most important answer...by the grace, strength and extravagant love of God! I could and maybe should just end there...but I want to share another choice I made early on. The choice came actually before Marty died. The choice came after I tapped out...screaming at God that I could NOT walk through my husband's death, crying every day, functioning on 1 hour of sleep. You know what God told me in that moment? "Focus on life!" Thankfully I listened!! It changed the journey for me!! I decided instead of grieving Marty while he was still alive, I would make each day count...we would live each day to the fullest! And boy did we!!
The choice came again two days after Marty died. I had a boy who's birthday came...but wait my best friend, life partner, lover, husband just died how could I celebrate?? God whispers..."celebrate life!" You know what?? We did!! Cole had a "normal" 5th birthday, celebrated with lots of friends and family at Chuckie Cheese Pizza...(thanks to dear friends who pulled that off!!) From that time on I never publicly acknowledged this day, because I never wanted Cole's birthday to be overshadowed by his Dad's death. Instead we celebrate Marty on his birthday. It took 11 years for Cole to figure out that his Dad died just 2 days before his birthday!! (That is why I can post today) My point?
There are choices to make after death...you can focus on death or focus on life. I have chosen to focus on living after death...celebrating life. Please don't misunderstand me...I am NOT saying do not grieve. I am saying don't miss the life that still surrounds you by focusing only on death. This day changed my life forever...I still miss Marty...I still grieve the life I lost on this day. I had a great marriage...I looked forward to celebrating our 25th Anniversary together, watching our children grow together...watching them graduate from high school together, watching them get married TOGETHER....that didn't happen.
Marty was diagnosed with a terminal disease and I was faced with a choice...
Disease ended Marty's life and I was faced with a choice...
Focus on death or focus on life...
The choice was presented to others who were grieving over two thousand years ago...Imagine their grief...Their Savior, their hope, their teacher and friend, their brother, their son...had come into this world and changed it and now he was gone. What emptiness they felt...he left a gaping hole in their hearts and lives...We can read their story in 4 different books. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all have accounts of their story. What I have learned as I have focused on their story over the last several weeks...
1. They could have missed life by focusing on His death. Several almost did!! Jesus rose from the dead...remember we celebrate that at Easter. Those who loved him dearly were mourning him greatly! They go to his grave on the 3rd day after his death and an angel appears to them and says, "why are you looking for the living among the dead?" Jesus then appears to over 500 witnesses. Yep that would hold up in a court of law!! It really happened! His life after death changes my life after death!! Why?
Jesus came and died for my sins so I could have life...eternal life! Yes there is life after death! Know where you will spend it. His death was very important...it changed everything. But don't miss the fact that He conquered death...he was seen alive after death. His life after death changed everything! It meant he was truly God. It meant He had the authority to promise all the things he promised...it showed us there IS life after death. Those mourning him could have missed seeing him if they didn't look up! Please don't miss what God is doing by refusing to look up...
2. What does one say to those in mourning? What did Jesus chose to say to those grieving Him?? "Peace be with you". How dare he!! How could they have peace in their hearts while they were ripped apart?? They could have peace because he wasn't leaving them empty handed. He left them and us with himself...the Holy Spirit. We can have peace despite our circumstances because we have Jesus living in us...if we have chosen that. He repeatedly tells them..."peace be with you". I am NOT saying that's what we should say to each other when we are grieving! Those are words for God to speak in those quiet, heart wrenching moments. I am saying we can can experience peace after death because of what God has done. He gives us His peace so that we can have life and have it to the full...even after death!
My words to you on this day of remembrance...
Celebrate life! You are surrounded by it today. You, like me at many times over 12 years, may not like what it looks like right now...but you are still surrounded by life...celebrate it in some small way. Life is precious...each day we have is a gift! Even in grief...even when our hearts are ripped apart and the hole is so BIG we haven't a clue how to go on...God tells us we can experience peace. Be bold, ask Him for it! I promise He will supply!!
Living life after death requires focusing on life after death. We learn through death how valuable life is...live each day accordingly.