Because of Whose we are, death is a time to party. by Kathleen R. Ruckman Stars didn’t sparkle in the night, and a limousine didn’t pick us up, but Eileen and I were dressed as though we were on our way to the Academy Awards! It all began earlier that day when we had…
Category: Death and Grief
The First Seven Days
When silence and compassion are enough. by Kathleen R. Ruckman There are times when silence is golden, when we are at a loss for words because, simply, any word chosen would be grossly inappropriate. Often in times of illness, suffering, and despair, silence and compassion are enough. An ancient story drives home this truth….

How to Climb a Mountain
(when you want to sit and cry)Guidelines for dealing with the businessof a loved one’s death. by Ann Peachman So this is what executor means. I guess I signed up for this. When my husband died after an intense year of illness, I was physically and emotionally exhausted. During that year, I had taken…

Finishing Touches
Learning to survive a shipwrecked faith. by David G. Hawkins My wife of 50 years, Norma Jean, dies in September. She is cremated in a pressboard container “as soon as practicable after the expiration of 48 hours.” Following the church service is the greet-and-meet reception, the “geriatrics’ cocktail hour.” A cluster of friends must…
Taking Off My Rings
Finding a world outside “Kansas.” by Ann Peachman I stared at my hand and knew I needed to remove my rings. My husband was dead, and everything normal in my life was altered. Although they felt as much a part of me as the freckles on my arms, I realized that the familiar look…
New Mercies
Can a loving God understand thedepth of a mother’s pain? by Laura A. Baggett His name was James. At sixteen weeks, my pregnancy was going fine, and I did all the right things. But one day when I went in for a routine ultrasound, there was no heartbeat. For the next thirty-six hours, I…
When Death Visits a Home
by Petey Prater Coping with death is one of life’s most difficult tasks. All of us will have a friend or family member who will need our support as they deal with the death of someone they love. Though we feel inadequate and vulnerable, there are several practical and emotional ways to help another…
When Nightmares Come True
The pain of losing a baby brings afocus on God, who lost a Son. by Marlo M. Schalesky I woke with a surge of fear. My hands, balled into tight fists, gripped the sheets as my breath came in ragged gasps. The chill of the pre-dawn air wrapped cold fingers around my chest and…
The Private Pain of a Motherless Child
A daughter’s struggle to find new life. by Kristy McHaney My mother’s screams startled me out of sleep that November morning in 1978. When I scrambled out of bed and ran to my parents’ room, I found Mother grabbing her head, rocking back and forth, and yelling at my father “Joseph,* help me!” I…
Walking With a Dying Friend
by Denise Carlson I’d known Randy Wilson* for twenty years when he was stricken with a brain tumor. Early in the course of his illness, the highlight of this former architect’s day became the mailman’s arrival. Randy and his wife Barb were flooded with encouraging cards and notes. The ringing phone competed with the…