Find the Adventure and Look for Someone to Hug

Collins, my granddaughter, that I get to see in a week!

Kerrville Daily Times

Community Journal

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

December 2013

Most of us think of the holidays as a time of celebration, gatherings with friends and family, and pretty lights. For others, the holidays only remind them of what is NOT in their lives anymore. Grief often shows up unexpected during this season triggering the pain that might have remained hidden the rest of the year. 

my grandson 

The good news is God is with us in our pain. I speak from experience.... The things I have learned from walking through grief have been some of the best teachers in my life.  Learning that no matter what I face, God holds my hand and is full of compassion has given me great confidence and expanded my compassion for other people, which is priceless.

 God cares when our hearts hurt and wants to heal us. Psalms 34:17 states “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  It may not feel like God is close in our pain but the truth is, He has never been closer. As I have experienced Him guiding me, encouraging me, and His kindness, it has made the above scripture very real. God relentlessly kept showing me He was right beside me. Too many times our feelings lie to us and in tough times, we feel like life is over and God has forsaken us, but we must believe the truth of God’s word and press through the feelings.

If you are brokenhearted over losing a loved one, recently divorced, or another loss, let me encourage you to ask God to open your eyes to see his nearness and to encourage your heart. I have done that and it works! You are precious to Him and He cares that your heart hurts.

hunting in Alpine

Sunset at Thanksgiving

With the loss of both of my parents this past year, this Thanksgiving was the first holiday I faced without either one of my parents or my children. As I approached the holiday, instead of focusing on missing them, I began to wonder what adventure would God had ahead for me. God is always good and I’ve learned from losing my late husband, that when facing something new and different without a loved one, I find comfort and joy looking for the adventure and God’s goodness. Needless to say, it was different this year as I spent the holiday in Alpine Texas with my new husband on a 40,000 acre ranch mule deer hunting and helping him with his hunting business, a side business he has done for years. The beauty and majesty of the area was breath taking and I missed a 10 point buck...I’ll get him though! My dad loved west Texas and it will always remind me of him. Enjoying something he loved so much brought me a smile. I’ve found joy in the differentness and enjoyed the challenge.

How to make use of a trophy mule deer

 You may not be grieving this Christmas season, but God may want to use you to be His arms of compassion and love. Often people that are grieving just need people  to affirm their pain and loss and encourage them. Life isn’t the same without those that have been a huge part of our lives. It is challenging to go on without them. Love and compassion will always win and bring healing. Love never fails. Sometimes someone else's  arms  and kind words mean the world to a grieving person. 

The Holy Spirit is the best comforter and is what Jesus sent to us, but let me encourage you to ask God how he might want to use you to be a gift to someone hurting this season.  Being sensitive to others helps us be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and vice versa. Jesus said he would send the comforter. That is a promise so look for the great comforter. Psalm 147:3 says “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Hang on to the promises and enjoy the new adventures that await you. And don’t forget to look for people to bless with a hug.

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