December 2015

Leesburg Chapter

December 2015

Merry Christmas Dear Grieving Mother and Father

A Prayer and a Poem for You

May you have a blessed Christmas as He holds you in His arms.

May you cling to His love coming and not this world’s vain charms.

May you hear the angels singing into your own child’s ears.

May you feel peace the Christ Child’s bringing as it rules out all death’s fears,

For the Enemy is conquered by the Love the Christ Child gives;

The Father gave His Child for yours, reassuring your child ever lives.

May we join with the angels’ singing as we welcome the Christ Child in;

May we bow our knees in adoring the One who welcomed our child in.

Merry Christmas precious Mother;

Merry Christmas dear Daddy too;

May you know there is no other who loves as God loves you.

~Angie Bennett Prince, mothergrievinglossofchild.blogspot.com

Used with permission.

Suggestions for Getting Through the Holidays

- Accept the likelihood of your pain.

- Feel whatever it is you feel: fear of future, anger, guilt, apathy, feelings lead you to yourself.

- Express your emotions; be yourself.

- Plan ahead.

- Take charge where you can, but don’t make drastic changes.

- Eat, drink wisely.

- Exercise, walk. Choose activities that bring you energy.

- Turn to others for support.

- Be gentle with yourself - do what you feel like doing, don’t push yourself.

- Remember to remember.

- Search out and enjoy your blessings. Enjoy laughter.

- Do something for others, feel needed, appreciated, valued.

- Give voice to your soul, make room in your day for expressions of your soul, meditation, silent walks, talks with special friends.

- Harbor hope.

~ TCF , South Bend, IN

Lights of Love

Can you see our candles

Burning in the night?

Lights of love we send you

Rays of purest white

Children we remember

Though missing from our sight

In honor and remembrance

We light candles in the night

All across the big blue marble

Spinning out in space

Can you see the candles burning

From this human place?

Oh, angels gone before us

Who taught us perfect love

This night the world lights candles

That you may see them from above

Tonight the globe is lit by love

Of those who know great sorrow,

But as we remember our yesterdays

Let’s light one candle for tomorrow

We will not forget,

And every year in deep December

On Earth we will light candles

As . . . we remember.

~Jacqueline Brown, TCF, Peace Valley , New Britain, PA

Chanukah

At this season of life, we remember the light you brought into our lives:

The light of your laughter

The light of your wit and intelligence

The light of your love

May the time not be distant when the memory of these lights will illumine our hearts and minds

and eradicate the darkness therein.

~Stephanie Hesse, TCF, Rockland County, NY