Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud:
“This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”
Mark 9:7
A couple was getting a divorce, they went in to see an attorney.
The attorney says, “Do you have grounds for divorce?”
Husband replies, “About an acre and a half.”
Hmm..
The attorney says, “Do you have a grudge?”
“No,” replies the husband. “We have a carport.”
The attorney tries again, “Does your wife beat you?”
“No,” replies the husband. “I get up before her every morning.”
Finally, the attorney asks, “Why, exactly do you want a divorce?”
The husband replies, “I don’t. My wife does. She says we can’t communicate!”
This is how the Sunday morning sermon started yesterday. The pastor went on to give a beautiful homily on communication and listening to the voice of the Lord.
Communication is key for so many things in life. There are so many voices in the world today, that I have to work at listening to the RIGHT voice. I have to work at not being distracted by all the voices that can pull me in so many directions.
At the transfiguration, even the three disciples, Peter, James and John were told, “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!” These guys are WALKING AND TALKING WITH HIM DAILY – IN REAL LIFE. Yet, they had to be reminded to listen to him.
As I thought about this the rest of the day, I thought about how often I let the voice of other things crowd my head. The voice of other people. If I am not careful, I find the voices of things and people of the world AND the voice of the evil one dictating my thoughts and actions.
So…how do I fix this? How do I make it so that the voice I am listening to is the ONE TRUE VOICE? The answer, which I knew but was given my the pastor yesterday, pray, listen, spend time in His word.
The hardest part for me? The listening. Even during my daily quiet time, if I am not careful I will be thinking ahead about the day and what I have to do. Or thinking about a blog post. Or…whatever. What I really need to do is quiet my mind. Be still. And listen.
So, again today I renew my choice to listen. To listen to the voice that is TRUE. The voice that is AUTHENTIC. The voice that is NOBLE.
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by
filling your minds and meditating on things
true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling,
gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly;
things to praise, not things to curse.
Put into practice what you learned from me,
what you heard and saw and realized.
Do that, and God, who makes everything work together,
will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Philippians 4:8-9 (The Message)
Thank you, Lord, for the reminder – again – to listen. To listen to you and your voice.
And you? Do you have trouble listening and hearing the RIGHT voice?
This is what's been on my mind, and in fact the same topic I posted about too! We can so often ignore His loving and compassionate voice; how blessed I am when I stop and listen to Him and let Him take control of my day!
Mary, our communication with HIM is essential! I'm preaching to myself here. So glad you shared this link, just may join in soon. Hope all is well with you.
In what seemed like the blink of an eye, those young 20 somethings were married for 41 years.
The second photo was taken last year on our 40th anniversary. I didn`t post it because I didn`t like the way my legs looked. Something happened in the last year and I`m reminded that those legs have carried me for 62 years (when the photo was taken). Carried me through 3 pregnancies that gifted me with one living child, @coach_andy_bonner
The last photo was taken on Tuesday as we sat on the beach and a lady walked by and said, "would you like me to take your picture?" We said yes. Time with John is still one of my favorite things. He retired on Friday, before we left on Monday for this trip. There are so many unknowns but so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to in the next stage.
I`m grateful for my clients that give me something to do every day Monday-Friday. @christiepurifoy @kriscamealy @bekah @whatlolalikes @abby_roadhome & to the wonderful team @parkermanagement-you guys all make my life so fun!
And I`m grateful for time at a place like this. Sand and water...not sure there is anything better!
Happy Anniversary Week to my love that is not on ANY social media channel!
She died 4 days after she was born. We buried her 4 days after she died.
Born 6-9-1992
Died 6-12-1992
Buried 6-16-1992
That would be 31 years ago today.
Last year, on the 30th anniversary of her birth we re-buried her on the grounds of St. Emma Monastery Greensburg, PA where her paternal grandparents are buried.
This year, today has been harder than Friday, June 9 the day she was born. Or Monday, June 12 the day she died.
I`ve cried more today than either of the other days.
I took a walk.
Got a pedicure.
Cried.
And chose a simple dinner of appetizers.
And I give myself permission to do nothing else.
I am thankful for the time we had her. For the experience and the things I learned about myself through the experience.
John and I are very conscious of what we say yes to and what we say no to. All because of Amy`s short life.
I`ve tried to use my experience to help others experiencing infant loss-or any loss. Some things are the same no matter the age of the deceased. Even if it is a loss thru miscarriage. I`ve experienced that too.
A loss is a loss.
Thank you to my sister and niece @sherrigd @tarahelise for letting us spend last weekend on your porch crying, laughing, and drinking wine and margaritas. I love you guys more than you know and I really needed that.
In what seems like the blink of an eye, it is 31 years later. Not a day goes by that I do not think of her.
My heart still hurts.
I cry at random times.
And I miss her. Still. 31 years later.
I grieve all the things that didn`t happen.
The relationships.
The life events.
Strangely though there are fewer tears today. Sometimes I think my tears are all gone. The well is dry.
Lack of tears does not mean lack of grief. There is no right or wrong way to grieve. So I accept my emotions today-whatever they may be.
If you know someone that has experienced a loss, don`t be afraid to tell them you remember. Let them know you care. Take a meal, send a text, write and snail mail a card. We want to know our loss is not forgotten.
I cried in church. Not because I was thinking about the events leading up to the crucifixion but because there was a little girl of about 5 or so sitting in front of me. She had the most gorgeous dark hair. With streaks of gold running through it. Natural streaks. Not the artificial colored streaks I pay more than I`m willing to share to get every few months.
As I observed her I thought about my own daughter. The one that died at 4 days old.
I thought of how she might be standing next to me this morning or next Sunday on Easter. Maybe she would have travelled to Charlotte to spend some time with her dad and me.
Grief is something that robs us of so much. It robs me of not just my daughter but it robs me of being the mom of a daughter.
I look at some of my closest friends, all mothers of daughters and I envy, yes ENVY!, the relationships they all have with their daughters. They may not agree with them on all things or see eye-to-eye with them but the daughters lead the charge to throw surprise 60th birthday parties for their parents or make sure that mom gets a Mother`s Day card, a birthday card, etc.
I think daughters are different than sons. Daughters are more sensitive than sons based on my observations as an outsider. I do not experience that sensitivity. And I grieve the fact that I am not the mother of a daughter.
The version of me before Amy`s death is totally different than the me that is here now.
If you want to read more about about my daughter, Amy, you can go to https://marybonner.net/?s=Amy and read more about my journey through infant loss and moving forward.
Adam McHugh`s book Blood From a Stone is a beautiful piece of writing about returning from the dead. I encourage you to check it out. You can find the book on Amazon or wherever books are sold. Find and follow him @adammchughwine You won`t be sorry.
"Grief is so agonizing not only because you have lost something, but you have lost someone, and that someone is the version of you that was alive before your loss." Blood From a Stone Adam McHugh Page 102
Every June I think I`m going to handle this better. Whatever better looks like - I don`t know. 30 years and I still cry at random times. And every June I fall apart.
She would have been 30 next week. Instead of whisking her off for a 30th birthday trip to Key West like we did for her brother @coach_andy_bonner or Niagara Falls like we did for his wife we will make another kind of trip.
There will be a mass next Saturday and we will stand at a grave site as we move her body from the small town where she was buried to a final resting place by her paternal grandparents on the beautiful grounds of St Emma Monastery in Greensburg, PA.
I look forward to the weekend and I dread it all at the same time.
Today I broke down and sobbed. Just like yesterday. And probably will tomorrow. But I remember that He catches my tears in a bottle Psalm 56:8
If I learned anything from this life experience, it is this: I can do hard things. But not of my own strength. Philippians 4:13
Boy, you hit the nail on the head today–
especially the part about "thinking ahead" and maybe about a "blog post."
I may be taking a break soon just to clear my head and get alone with Jesus once again–
To empty myself of me and let Jesus fill me with Himself–
Great post, Mary and thanks so much for the "shout out."
Jesus said His sheep would know His voice so we sure do need to know who we are listening to and make sure it is the Lord's voice….I
It's so easy for the world to drawn Him out and that alone is reason enough to spend as much alone time with Him as possible….
Thank you for this post….I am still pondering….
That is why he also said 'BE still and know … ' for when we are still we can perhaps hear his whispers.
This is what's been on my mind, and in fact the same topic I posted about too! We can so often ignore His loving and compassionate voice; how blessed I am when I stop and listen to Him and let Him take control of my day!
Blessings and hugs Mary, 🙂
Denise
Mary, our communication with HIM is essential! I'm preaching to myself here. So glad you shared this link, just may join in soon.
Hope all is well with you.