A toast to share with all my Bereavement Group Loved Ones:

[havocmom]

Toast

Our voices are merry
with songs that are light.
But each of our hearts ache
for someone tonight.

So raise up you cups, friends,
to the ones who aren't here.

To all absent loved ones:
Christmas good will and cheer!

Thank you all for being the warm, welcoming light in the window when each of us needs to come for comfort from a friend.

You are all grace come to life and you are important to others beyond what you could ever know. You have meaning. You are bearers of light and love. You carry essence of those you love who have gone on. You cary their light along with your own. Never forget that!

[auntAgonist]

1. Beautiful! I will use this on Christmas Eve.

I hope you don't mind :)

Thanks for the lovely Private note too. Your friendship is valued.

:hug:

kesha

[livetohike]

2. Thanks havocmom!

:hug: The toast is perfect. Thank you for being here.

[RevCheesehead]

3. Tonight, Christmas will be simple.

And I will raise my glass in a toast, not just for loved ones departed, but also for everyone here.
Thank you for sharing your strength and love with me throughout the years. :hug:

Ruth

[havocmom]

4. Rev, that meager bit that I have to share is naught but passing along what has been given

by you and so many others. While I will not claim to precisely share your faith in God, I have been blessed with personal knowledge of the mysterious well of grace and strength that some might call godhood. We all have access to it, but some choose not to imbibe. Others have strong taproots into the well and bring much forth to spread out for others, like great sheltering trees.

Hope my pagan leanings do not offend your Christian beliefs, for I do feel the well of all spiritual good is one source with many outlets, but I always see you as a beautiful, strong tree, shading from too hot a sun and sheltering from too raw a wind, providing sustenance and comfort to many. You draw from the well of grace and blessing and share so freely with all comers.

You bloom so beautifully too.

[RevCheesehead]

5. Not offended in the least!

I embrace all forms of spirituality. A good friend in one of my churches is Native American, and she taught me well that our differences are merely different expressions of the same reality. After I left that church, she went on to become a pastor, too. :)

Sometimes the tree gets too much sun and wind, and needs to hibernate. Why am I reminded of the apple trees from The Wizard of Oz? ("how'd you like it if someone came along and picked something off of you??" :rofl: )

It's been a rough weekend. My dad's health slipped very low, and for a while there, I thought we were going to lose him. But today, he's doing much better. Maybe that's because I called my brother and told him he might want to come out and see Dad "just in case." He's arriving tomorrow, with his two kids.

Thank you again for your kind words. I am blessed to know you! :hug:

[havocmom]

6. Glad you dad is doing better

and that your brother is coming to see him.

[auntAgonist]

7. Ruth, I hope your Dad continues to do better.

I'll be thinking of you and your family.

Wishing you all a very happy new year.

:hug:

aA
kesha

[RevCheesehead]

8. Thanks, Kesha.

Yesterday was the first day I saw a brief glimpse of my Dad. Physically, he's adjusting to the change of meds, and is doing much better. He just might stick around for a while longer. :)

:hug:

[auntAgonist]

9. Isn't that awesome! I'm glad he's doing better

Sometimes it's just a change in meds that makes all the difference in the world.

:toast: to your Dad's health.

kesha
:loveya: