Sorry it’s been quiet here lately other than Weekend Wisdom posts. I’ve been struggling with writing and wrapping my head around this bizarre life we are temporarily living. I’ve also spending a lot of time editing pictures for the Stay @ Home series on OgleOhio.
I will have some thoughts about current circumstances next week. In the meantime, here’s another post in my Living a Joyful Life series because life will be as normal as possible on this blog. The prior posts are on my “Start Here” page
Words
It’s only words and words are all I have
Words
To take your heart away
BeeGees
While the BeeGees were talking about taking someone else’s heart away by saying words of love, you can take your heart away by using the wrong words.
Words like muddle, okay, alright and mediocre don’t have a place in your vocabulary when grief strikes. I used those words and they describe the life I’ve lived since Joe’s passing. I told people I would be okay, that I didn’t know how but I would muddle through grief and unemployment.
Life has been a roller coaster and if I had read, listened and believed people who wrote or spoke words of excellence, grief and unemployment might have been easier to work through.
The old saying “Garbage In, Garbage Out.” is true. If you do not put enough quality content in your mind, your actions and words will not result in quality life achievements.
Don’t be like me.
Fill your mind with quality words by reading and listening to uplifting people. Then speak positive words to yourself and others during tough times.
Finding The Right Words
The best place to find joyful, life-giving, words for any nasty life event is The Bible.
Encouraging Scripture for Grief
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
New Living Translation
(NLT)
biblegateway.com
Getting through grief involves a lot of waiting and walking slowly down a new path. There might be times when you are tempted to run though grief, but that is not advisable. You can do more damage hurrying through grief and not dealing with all the “firsts” you will encounter after your spouse’s passing.
Encouraging Scripture for Unemployment
4 For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!’
Deuteronomy 20:4
New Living Translation
(NLT)
biblegateway.com
I was in the unemployment line back in 2009, not a good time to be dumped there due to a reorganization. God was with me but most of the time I was blind to His presence as I was too busy looking at the rising pile of bills and the dwindling bank account.
He gave me victory in the form of temporary jobs, making new friends, safe travel to and from networking events, job search support groups, and an excellent coach who taught me the new rules of job search.
Encouraging Scripture for Troubled Times
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:16
New International Version
(NIV)
biblegateway.com
The Lord is with us all the time even when we are dealing with new societal rules such as social distancing. He is the same today as He was before the Coronavirus was unleashed upon the world and He will be the same after a cure and vaccine are found. In the midst of any troubled time, not only is he with you, He will give you His peace.
Listen, Watch and Edit
No matter the nasty event in your life, listen to the words you say, watch the words you read and write and strikeout words from your vocabulary.
Speaking of striking out words, don’t be afraid to edit what others say to you. If someone states that you will get through grief and be okay again. Tell them,
“Yes, I will get through 99% of my grief but I will not be okay. I will be better than okay. I will thrive! I will use being a widow to grow personally and professionally. I refuse to simply be okay.”
Wild or Okie Dokie?
The words you use will determine whether you have an okie dokie mediocre life or one that exceeds your wildest expectations. What you say around others reflects your mindset. Fill your mind with encouraging, life-giving words, speak them over yourself and others and you will have a joyful life.
Related Resources: Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief by Martha Whitmore Hickman. The devotional God spoke to me through after Joe’s passing.
Hope Your Heart Needs: 52 Encouraging Reminders of How God Cares For You. – Holley Gerth – You will not find anyone more positive, encouraging and uplifting than Holley. I’ve read a lot of her books and they are filled with life-giving words. Disclaimer: I was also on Holley’s Fiercehearted, Live Fully, Love Bravely book launch team.
Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently using those skills as a virtual logistics contact center representative for a Fortune 100 company. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of history, music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com
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