Why You Never Stop Missing the Missing
You may have heard the saying, “time heals all wounds.” Well, it’s not true. When you lose a loved one, grief is painful, but the whole process becomes impossible if you never recover their body. In 1982, my…
Courtesy of Kristopher Roller on Unsplash.
How to Stop Jumping to Conclusions
I am a jumper. Not someone who jumps out of airplanes or off bridges with bungee cords wrapped around me. I jump to conclusions. I take something I hear and within a matter of moments I have it…
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Decluttering Our Minds: Here’s How to Sort Your Thoughts
You know it’s time to declutter when you are in a group of people and you open your mouth and the wrong words pop out. Come on, I know I’m not the only one who’s ever done this.…
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When We Pray to God, This is What Happens
People pray on bended knee, opening their hearts to God, asking him for a myriad of things: healing of cancer, a job after all these months, a buyer for their house in a frozen market, the end of…
© 2015 Jessica Peterson. www.jessicapetersonart.com
3 Most Important Things Every Griever Needs
Something seemed different. Walking into the Bible study, I saw that Al wasn’t leading as usual. He and Jeanie must be visiting their baby, I thought. Still, there was a quietness that hung over the room. One that…
Why Does it Seem That Sometimes My Prayers Go Unanswered?
This article was previously published on Christianity Today. People pray on bended knee, opening their hearts to God, asking him for a myriad of things: healing of cancer, a job after all these months, a buyer for their…
The Most Important Party I Ever Threw
The lights were out as we waited for them to come in the door. Everyone held their breath. This was so much fun. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest. My sister…
I Ran to the Restroom and Here’s What Happened
Sometimes it’s not good to wait too long. Then you end up rushing without thinking clearly. Today is one of those days. I’m sitting at a table while my husband does his rehab. I’m half-listening to a few…
Photo courtesy Jessicapetersonart.com
The Person I Couldn’t Forgive – Me
It only would have taken a moment. One small moment and I would have subtracted one of my biggest regrets in life. I had just laid down on the couch and my brother came and stood over me.…
People Feel Invisible: We need to open our eyes
“You look tired,” I said to the young woman scanning my groceries.
I’m not one to just spit out the question, “How are you?” Maybe because I know people just say what they think you want to hear.
“Oh, I AM tired,” she responded a little surprised. “I haven’t slept in days.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“We’ve had 3 break-ins in the past couple of weeks. I’m afraid to sleep.”
Photo Courtesy Alvin Engler
Boundaries: Why You Need to Know What They Are
“Why do you do that?” he asked me…”Why is it every time she calls you, no matter what time it is, you run out the door?” For some reason, I heard him this time. I paused long enough…
Photo courtesy Jessicapetersonart.com
Please Don’t Tell Me to Move On
I have a Master’s Degree in grief. Not a real one, but believe me, I should have an honorary one. And one thing I know for sure. Grieving stinks. All of a sudden you’re invited to a…
The Dad I Never Had
Father's Day is almost here. Sons and daughters will stand in line with cards and gifts in their hands. Cards that tell their dads how much they mean to them. Others will barely make it through the day,…
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Sticks and Stones Are Not the Only Things That Hurt
Ten days ago, two teachers in South Carolina were dismissed for giving a student an award for being “Most Likely to Not Pay Attention.” The student has ADHD. The two teachers were dismissed once school officials were…
This is the Story of the First Time I Met My Daughter
I remember waking up after the effects of the anesthesia to hear the glorious words, “You have a daughter, she is fine.” But while other mothers were joined by cute little facsimiles around the clock, I was not.…
White Coffee and Wildflowers
Today is Grandma day. A day I look forward to all week. A day when I start smiling and don’t stop till I drop the kids off back home. And I don’t mean the kind of smile I…
A Little blue Car, a Prayer, and a Big Smile
I used to be hardly here. Let me explain. Since I've lost so many loved ones, I made a decision. Okay, I’ll be here, but I won’t enjoy myself. God wants us to live, not merely exist. Enmeshment…
We Need to Talk (FmF)
Hooking up with Lisa Jo Baker for Five Minute Friday. Prompt: ordinary I’ve seen you before. I’ve looked into your eyes when you’ve looked away. I see your hurt. But I want to tell you something. You matter. You…
Clean out Your Closet: Why storing our feelings can be dangerous
Oops, I did it again. I can tell by your flinch that I’ve poked you. It wasn’t my intent. My closet must be full. The one I stuff my emotions in. When I don’t deal with my emotions,…
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I Lied to God
(Five minute Friday ) We were on our way home. We had just finished a retreat with Willow Creek, where I was able to do a poetry workshop. Then I sold pieces of my poetry. We made $1250.00 for…
Like a blanket
(Five minute Friday) Sitting in desperation I gave in to dark thoughts of what her last moments would have been. The images were tormenting me. I knew their source. Still, in the midst of it I couldn’t seem…
“Isn’t she Beautiful?”
(Five minute Friday) Time for Five minute Friday, linking with Lisa Jo Baker. Write for five minutes. Post without editing. Prompt: beautiful “Isn’t she Beautiful?” he asked me. Honestly, I wondered if we were looking at the same baby?…
How Do You Move on When Their Grave Lies Empty?
Your loved one has died. The shock wears off and there are arrangements to be made, people to call. And in between, you ask yourself if it’s real. Grief comes and makes himself comfortable in your life. And…
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Warning: Regrets Can Suck the Life Right Out of You
“Mom’s calling you,” my 18-year old brother said. “No she’s not,” I answered. What did he know? I had just spoken to my mom two minutes ago. Gus and I often played that game. But I was disgusted…
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He is NOT Having a Heart Attack!
“Your husband is having a heart attack,” the ER nurse says. I watch Mike’s breaths get shorter and shorter. “He is not!” I want to scream back. But instead, I sit here watching. After all, he was in…
The Hole so Deep
Anyone who calls suicide a decision clearly doesn’t understand all that it entails. We are complex human beings. More goes on below the surface than we can even comprehend. More and more, we hear about people taking their…