losing someone

I just found out last night that my cousin Van passed away on Monday. I am sad about it of course, he was only 46, just 12 years older than me but as a young kid I idolized him.  We talked about rebooting this last week and Van was someone who really couldn't do it, you could offer your whole self to him, all the help in the World and he just couldn't grasp it.  We lost a truly sweet person though, he would never hurt anyone, always kind and happy to see family and friends and help out when needed.  He only hurt himself, he didn't take care of himself, he never thought highly of himself and that hurts all of us, his family.  His Mom abused him from a baby to an adult and he just shut down. She was cruel to him and then after his Dad died it was worse.  So it is no wonder he didn't take care of himself, she broke him and it was/is a shame.  He was doing ok, he had a little house in the Bayou and a boat and loved to do his fishing but Hurricane Katrina wiped out the entire town of Waveland, Mississippi and he just never got back on his feet after that. I saw him in January of this year and I could barely look at him, he wasn't the Van I grew up knowing. I walked away feeling really sad and wanting to find him help. I tried, we all tried he just wouldn't take it and now he is gone.  He is probably much happier now up in heaven we are all just left here wonder what could have been if only, if only he would have rebooted.

 Monica

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It's close to a pit in and

On July 23rd, 2008 mlock said:
It's close to a pit in and of itself when you feel helpless watching someone else struggle and just hoping and praying they could get rebooted. I join you in the hope that somehow this life isn't the end of Van's story and he will experience the freedom and joy of the big, unconditional love God always intended for him to know.

true

On July 23rd, 2008 merickson said:

That is true, it really hurts to watch someone struggle and not be able to reach them. I think we all have been on both sides, I know people have watched me struggle and been frustrated that I wasn't listening or walking down my own destructive path all alone without regard for how it impacted other people.  It is a tough thing on both sides.

 Monica

broken hearts

On July 23rd, 2008 dawn@jacobs-well.net said:
It is a very tough thing on both sides....and for both sides, this promise stands...that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34). Your broken hearts will be in the prayers of this community. In Christ's peace...Dawn

what is it about

On July 24th, 2008 merickson said:
This is probably going to sound very dumb, but what are the Psalms all about?  It is sad, I went to private school and had years of Religion classes but I can't remember if they are letters and from whom.

So, that's not a dumb

On July 24th, 2008 dawn@jacobs-well.net said:
So, that's not a dumb question at all. Even the big-time scholars can't pin it down exactly. The psalms are a compilation of many writers over hundreds of years. They are songs, prayers, praises, laments...but they are completely poetry. They really use poetry and very vivid imagery and language to express the unexpressable, in a way. The psalms cover about every possible feeling...feelings of being treated unjustly, feelings of fear, incredible trust in God and awe of God, feelings of complete defeat and hopelessness, and on and on. That's why I love the psalms....they help get out of me, in a sense, the feelings I have a hard time getting out ot myself...they are cathartic! They were also Jesus' prayer book. Give them a read and see what you think...

Psalms

On July 25th, 2008 merickson said:

We are going up to the North Shore for the weekend, I think I will give it a try. Water is my comfort element so sitting on Lake Superior reading Psalm's, maybe it will be a healing time for me.

 Monica