| Chips Happen © Ferna Lary Mills |
Years ago I heard a story that goes something like this:
Michelangelo was being interviewed about his magnificent sculptures and his superb
talent. He was asked how in the world he could take a huge clump of plain stone and
turn it into something of such beauty. He thought for a moment and said, "Well, if I want
to carve an elephant, I just picture the elephant in my mind. Then when I look at that
chunk of stone, I just chip away at every part that doesn't look like an elephant."
Now before you ask me what in the world that has to do with getting over grief, let me
explain. Life has many ups and down, both the little bitty ones and the GIGANTIC ones
~ like grief. But the one thing the ups have in common with the downs is that both of
them cause change in our life. Sometimes, very drastic change. But regardless of the
size, every event in our life shapes and molds us into who we are right now and who
we are to become later on down the road.
When a huge event like Grief comes into our life, it's a major change. We are no longer
the same person. Maybe it's a partner missing, maybe it's a hurt not healed, maybe it's
an anger smoldering. But whatever the cause, the result is the same: We will ALL
change. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. HOW we change is up to us. A
social person may become a semi-hermit. A cheerful soul may become bitter. Our goals
and our dreams change. Everything changes. The ME before a death of a loved one is
not the same ME after that death has occurred. But I am STILL ME. I look pretty much
the same on the outside, but I'm NOT the same on the inside.
When I lost my loved ones, I thought someone had ripped out the inside part of me and
for a long time just left a gaping hole inside. In a sense, that's partly true, for there is a
gigantic void after a loss. As in all science, any void WILL be filled. We cannot exist in a
vacuum. But what we allow it to be filled WITH is our choice. We can choose all the
negative emotions or we can choose positive things for positive life changes. I
personally chose to go for the positive and allow that void to be filled with good things
in order that SOME good would come from my loss. Thus, this website began in order
to encourage others during their journey through grief.
Along the way, I learned some interesting things. I learned that I'm still capable of things
I never would have believed possible again. I can love. I can grow in my faith. I can
reach out to help others. God has left my feet on this planet for a purpose and it's my
goal to find and fulfill that purpose. I honestly believe that if He didn't have a really good
reason for me to be here, then I wouldn't be.
Since, there IS a reason (because I'm still here), then it's up to me to try to let this
unwanted change in my life result in something good. The same goes for you, too.
I believe the scripture that state that "all things work for good for those who love the
Lord and are called according to His purpose". Sometimes it's so hard to find any good,
but God sees the whole picture when most of the time we can't. We only see the Now.
He sees the Forever. He knows the things that are changing in our life right now, and
although I believe He grieves with us in our sorrows, He also knows how this change
will affect things on down the road, in our life as well in the lives of others. Maybe it's a
relationship with someone close, or maybe it's simply a word spoken in passing to a
stranger. But He knows.
A pastor once told me that God is a lot like this analogy of Michelangelo. He said we
are that clump of stone. That God sees us and in His mind he pictures his son, Jesus.
Then whatever doesn't resemble Jesus, He allows that part to be chiseled away. Every
trial, every milestone, every success, is all part of that chiseling and polishing. It's HIS
goal that we try to become more like Christ and use ALL the changes in our life for
good.
Throughout life, chips happen. That's a part of living, working through the good and the
bad. But life gets better when we allow Him to use those chips to mold us into
something better - in SPITE of our tragedies, not BECAUSE of them.
Maybe that IS our purpose. Maybe that's our only REAL purpose. What better purpose
could there be than that?
May God bless you in ways that you will know beyond a shadow of doubt are from Him
as you walk this journey through your grief. May you also realize that you do not walk
this journey alone. He is there with you to lead and guide you and to comfort you. I say
this with complete confidence, that if you seek Him, you WILL find Him. He promised.
Michelangelo was being interviewed about his magnificent sculptures and his superb
talent. He was asked how in the world he could take a huge clump of plain stone and
turn it into something of such beauty. He thought for a moment and said, "Well, if I want
to carve an elephant, I just picture the elephant in my mind. Then when I look at that
chunk of stone, I just chip away at every part that doesn't look like an elephant."
Now before you ask me what in the world that has to do with getting over grief, let me
explain. Life has many ups and down, both the little bitty ones and the GIGANTIC ones
~ like grief. But the one thing the ups have in common with the downs is that both of
them cause change in our life. Sometimes, very drastic change. But regardless of the
size, every event in our life shapes and molds us into who we are right now and who
we are to become later on down the road.
When a huge event like Grief comes into our life, it's a major change. We are no longer
the same person. Maybe it's a partner missing, maybe it's a hurt not healed, maybe it's
an anger smoldering. But whatever the cause, the result is the same: We will ALL
change. Maybe for the better, maybe for the worse. HOW we change is up to us. A
social person may become a semi-hermit. A cheerful soul may become bitter. Our goals
and our dreams change. Everything changes. The ME before a death of a loved one is
not the same ME after that death has occurred. But I am STILL ME. I look pretty much
the same on the outside, but I'm NOT the same on the inside.
When I lost my loved ones, I thought someone had ripped out the inside part of me and
for a long time just left a gaping hole inside. In a sense, that's partly true, for there is a
gigantic void after a loss. As in all science, any void WILL be filled. We cannot exist in a
vacuum. But what we allow it to be filled WITH is our choice. We can choose all the
negative emotions or we can choose positive things for positive life changes. I
personally chose to go for the positive and allow that void to be filled with good things
in order that SOME good would come from my loss. Thus, this website began in order
to encourage others during their journey through grief.
Along the way, I learned some interesting things. I learned that I'm still capable of things
I never would have believed possible again. I can love. I can grow in my faith. I can
reach out to help others. God has left my feet on this planet for a purpose and it's my
goal to find and fulfill that purpose. I honestly believe that if He didn't have a really good
reason for me to be here, then I wouldn't be.
Since, there IS a reason (because I'm still here), then it's up to me to try to let this
unwanted change in my life result in something good. The same goes for you, too.
I believe the scripture that state that "all things work for good for those who love the
Lord and are called according to His purpose". Sometimes it's so hard to find any good,
but God sees the whole picture when most of the time we can't. We only see the Now.
He sees the Forever. He knows the things that are changing in our life right now, and
although I believe He grieves with us in our sorrows, He also knows how this change
will affect things on down the road, in our life as well in the lives of others. Maybe it's a
relationship with someone close, or maybe it's simply a word spoken in passing to a
stranger. But He knows.
A pastor once told me that God is a lot like this analogy of Michelangelo. He said we
are that clump of stone. That God sees us and in His mind he pictures his son, Jesus.
Then whatever doesn't resemble Jesus, He allows that part to be chiseled away. Every
trial, every milestone, every success, is all part of that chiseling and polishing. It's HIS
goal that we try to become more like Christ and use ALL the changes in our life for
good.
Throughout life, chips happen. That's a part of living, working through the good and the
bad. But life gets better when we allow Him to use those chips to mold us into
something better - in SPITE of our tragedies, not BECAUSE of them.
Maybe that IS our purpose. Maybe that's our only REAL purpose. What better purpose
could there be than that?
May God bless you in ways that you will know beyond a shadow of doubt are from Him
as you walk this journey through your grief. May you also realize that you do not walk
this journey alone. He is there with you to lead and guide you and to comfort you. I say
this with complete confidence, that if you seek Him, you WILL find Him. He promised.
| A Christian Grief Ministry |
Life After Loss |