Sunday, January 24, 2021

Reflection - Health and Frailties - Bereavement and Loneliness

Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART IV: HEALTH AND FRAILTIES, Chapter 27, "Bereavement and Loneliness", Question 1, Page 180.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012
 

Psalm 146:9 says that God 'sustains the fatherless and the widow'.
PHOTO: Psalm 146:9 says that God "sustains the fatherless and the widow". Why does the Bible pay particular attention to the needs of the bereaved (Deuteronomy 14:29; Isaiah 1:17, 23; Acts 6:1; James 1:27)?
The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale measures the stress an individual is facing. Topping the list of life stresses is the loss of a spouse (100 points). It often comes as a devastating blow, especially when the relationship has been close. It's even worse when the couple have been living in an "empty nest" - there is suddenly an overwhelming sense of loneliness and helplessness.

Old age brings with it potential bereavement; it is something we cannot avoid, unless we are the spouse who die first. It has been noted that husbands usually die earlier than their wives; there are more widows than widowers. It has also been noted that the surviving spouse may die soon after.

The grieving process that people go through when a loved one dies has been studied extensively. Typically, five stages are described as comprising the grieving process; these are the same in any experience of loss.

  • Stage 1: Denial. The person uses a psychological defence mechanism to deny that the loved one has died. She is shocked, numbs her feelings, and speaks of the spouse in the present tense, as if he is still around.
  • Stage 2: Anger. The truth can hit hard when the bereaved person finally faces reality. There may be a sense of frustration and helplessness. Feeling of anger may be directed at doctors ("Why did they not catch it earlier?"), circumstances ("Why did it have to be us?"), God ("Why did you let this happen?"), or the departed ("Why did you leave me so soon?").
  • Stage 3: Bargaining. At this stage, the bereaved person lives in a "What if" and "If only" phase, going through what could have been done or how things could have turned out differently. Feeling of guilt may dominate.
  • Stage 4: Depression. This is a phase of coming to terms with the painful reality that the loved one has died, and one is now alone. A sense of loneliness and self-pity can make the depression more painful to bear. Symptoms may include trouble sleeping, frequent weeping, loss of appetite and energy, and staying away from others.
  • Stage 5: Acceptance. The bereaved person comes to accept the new reality, makes necessary adjustments, feels more at peace, and moves forward emotionally and practically in the everyday details of life. Healing takes place.

Sometimes a person may return to earlier stages as part of the healing process, or they may get stuck at a certain stage and find it difficult to move on. It is good to remember that the Lord wept when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). He understands what it means to suffer loss and grief, and he "heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).

One of the major struggles faced in old age is loneliness, which often becomes more acute with the loss of a spouse, close relative, or friend. Loneliness can be a very painful experience that leads to social isolation and depression. It may result in the loss of a healthy self-regard.

Ultimately, God is with us. We may be alone, but we need not be lonely, because if we are walking with Christ, He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).


How can the church minister to those suffering from bereavement?
The congregational community of a grieving family has a number of opportunities to make a difference:

Be present.  Ways of being present at the time of crisis include being part of the rescue team, bringing meals, starting a prayer chain, caring for the well and surviving child, meeting financial needs for hospital and funeral costs, sitting in the emergency room and the intensive care waiting room. Keep being present a year after the death and ten and twenty years after the death.

Listen to the story as many times as the bereaved need to tell it.  The key to being helpful is hearing the story every time as though it were the first.  Those in crisis and those who have lost someone important to them have to find a way to make sense of the experience.  Telling it to a good listener is the most effective intervention.

Be honest.  Provide information that is accurate and simple and in small increments.  It is not necessary to tell all truth at once.  Persons in crisis need time to absorb the realities of death and loss.

Never take away hope.  Persons in crisis deal with reality as they are ready.  Being honest does not mean communicating hopelessness.  Allow people to reframe their hope as they are ready.  A mother once expressed hope that she would be healed, then that she wouldn’t hurt, and finally that her children would be cared for after she was gone.  She was never without hope.  The content and focus of her hope changed over time, however.

Be available over time.  The process of grief takes years.  The entire first year after a loss is one loss after another.  Mark your calendar and send a note or call on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and the anniversary of the death.  Remember that the bereaved will be thinking about when their child would have graduated from high school, will mourn the secondary losses of the grandchildren they will never have, and will continue to deal with the loss over time.

Don’t box people into artificial stages or categories.  Normalize the grief experience with language of feelings and permission to feel those feelings. Don’t tell persons what they must do or must not do.  Each person must find the expressions of grief that are helpful to them and those that are not.

Provide spiritual support by allowing persons to live the questions.  God can handle expressions of anger or questions.  Let the bereaved’s belief system guide discussions about life after death, the sources of hope for the future.  Be the presence of God when the bereaved cannot see or feel God.

Speak the name of the deceased.  It is helpful to provide rituals of remembering and memorials that honour the deceased.  A great fear of the bereaved is that their loved one will not be remembered.  Ask how the bereaved can be remembered for years after the loss.

Remember that persons who are grieving are not locked in time.  They age, grow, change, and enter new life stages as well.  Allow the normative changes of life without judgment.  A bereaved husband may, with time, marry again.  A dying teenager once shared with me his prayer that his parents would have another child soon, not to replace him, but because they were such incredible parents.  As the bereaved begin new stages of their lives, they will continue to remember the relationship that was lost.

Offer readings on grief to the bereaved. Understanding that their ability to accept them and timing will vary from person to person.

Trust your own intuitive awareness.  What you say is less important than that you are there.  Take care of yourself so that you can care for others.  Model self-care.


In an era of families often stretched across great geographic distances, and congregations are in a unique position to offer to those who are isolated by grief or distance or both. The love and nurturing that is naturally part of the spiritual family experience are the foundational pieces of churches reaching out to those who are grieving.
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Psalm 146:9 says that God "sustains the fatherless and the widow". Why does the Bible pay particular attention to the needs of the bereaved (Deuteronomy 14:29; Isaiah 1:17, 23; Acts 6:1; James 1:27)? How can the church minister to those suffering from bereavement?

Psalm 146:9 says that God "sustains the fatherless and the widow". Why does the Bible pay particular attention to the needs of the bereaved (Deuteronomy 14:29; Isaiah 1:17, 23; Acts 6:1; James 1:27)? [1]
The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale measures the stress an individual is facing. Topping the list of life stresses is the loss of a spouse (100 points). It often comes as a devastating blow, especially when the relationship has been close. It's even worse when the couple have been living in an "empty nest" - there is suddenly an overwhelming sense of loneliness and helplessness.


Topping the list of life stresses is the loss of a spouse (100 points).
PHOTO: Topping the list of life stresses is the loss of a spouse (100 points). It often comes as a devastating blow, especially when the relationship has been close. It's even worse when the couple have been living in an "empty nest" - there is suddenly an overwhelming sense of loneliness and helplessness.
Picture saved by Rachel Wehby to Photographs - The lover
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https://i.pinimg.com/564x/aa/01/6e/aa016ed67a74b7d2a3634c3534719d33.jpg
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/236087205436455002/


Old age brings with it potential bereavement; it is something we cannot avoid, unless we are the spouse who die first. It has been noted that husbands usually die earlier than their wives; there are more widows than widowers. It has also been noted that the surviving spouse may die soon after.


Old age brings with it potential bereavement; it is something we cannot avoid, unless we are the spouse who die first.
PHOTO: Old age brings with it potential bereavement; it is something we cannot avoid, unless we are the spouse who die first. It has been noted that husbands usually die earlier than their wives; there are more widows than widowers. It has also been noted that the surviving spouse may die soon after.
Picture posted by nicoversteeg on 25 May 2008 - Inaktelke
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https://live.staticflickr.com/2123/2521503587_c93b1bb602_h.jpg
https://www.flickr.com/photos/24506054@N04/2521503587


The grieving process that people go through when a loved one dies has been studied extensively. Typically, five stages are described as comprising the grieving process; these are the same in any experience of loss.

  • Stage 1: Denial. The person uses a psychological defence mechanism to deny that the loved one has died. She is shocked, numbs her feelings, and speaks of the spouse in the present tense, as if he is still around.

Stage 1: Denial.
PHOTO: Stage 1: Denial. The person uses a psychological defence mechanism to deny that the loved one has died. She is shocked, numbs her feelings, and speaks of the spouse in the present tense, as if he is still around.
Picture saved by Christina Mace to Hands of Time
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https://www.pinterest.com/pin/518617713310759919/
 
  • Stage 2: Anger. The truth can hit hard when the bereaved person finally faces reality. There may be a sense of frustration and helplessness. Feeling of anger may be directed at doctors ("Why did they not catch it earlier?"), circumstances ("Why did it have to be us?"), God ("Why did you let this happen?"), or the departed ("Why did you leave me so soon?").

Stage 2: Anger.
PHOTO: Stage 2: Anger. The truth can hit hard when the bereaved person finally faces reality. There may be a sense of frustration and helplessness. Feeling of anger may be directed at doctors ("Why did they not catch it earlier?"), circumstances ("Why did it have to be us?"), God ("Why did you let this happen?"), or the departed ("Why did you leave me so soon?").
Picture posted by Miguel Zurera on 02 December 2017 - Zurera
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  • Stage 3: Bargaining. At this stage, the bereaved person lives in a "What if" and "If only" phase, going through what could have been done or how things could have turned out differently. Feeling of guilt may dominate.

Stage 3: Bargaining.
PHOTO: Stage 3: Bargaining. At this stage, the bereaved person lives in a "What if" and "If only" phase, going through what could have been done or how things could have turned out differently. Feeling of guilt may dominate.
Picture posted by Claire McCormack on 05 April 2016
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  • Stage 4: Depression. This is a phase of coming to terms with the painful reality that the loved one has died, and one is now alone. A sense of loneliness and self-pity can make the depression more painful to bear. Symptoms may include trouble sleeping, frequent weeping, loss of appetite and energy, and staying away from others.
 

Stage 4: Depression.
PHOTO: Stage 4: Depression. This is a phase of coming to terms with the painful reality that the loved one has died, and one is now alone. A sense of loneliness and self-pity can make the depression more painful to bear. Symptoms may include trouble sleeping, frequent weeping, loss of appetite and energy, and staying away from others.
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  • Stage 5: Acceptance. The bereaved person comes to accept the new reality, makes necessary adjustments, feels more at peace, and moves forward emotionally and practically in the everyday details of life. Healing takes place.

Stage 5: Acceptance.
PHOTO: Stage 5: Acceptance. The bereaved person comes to accept the new reality, makes necessary adjustments, feels more at peace, and moves forward emotionally and practically in the everyday details of life. Healing takes place.
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Sometimes a person may return to earlier stages as part of the healing process, or they may get stuck at a certain stage and find it difficult to move on. It is good to remember that the Lord wept when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). He understands what it means to suffer loss and grief, and He "heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).


It is good to remember that the Lord wept when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35).
PHOTO:  It is good to remember that the Lord wept when his friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). He understands what it means to suffer loss and grief, and He "heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalm 147:3).
Picture saved by Bruce to Humble Man - John 11:35
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One of the major struggles faced in old age is loneliness, which often becomes more acute with the loss of a spouse, close relative, or friend. Loneliness can be a very painful experience that leads to social isolation and depression. It may result in the loss of a healthy self-regard.


One of the major struggles faced in old age is loneliness, which often becomes more acute with the loss of a spouse, close relative, or friend.
PHOTO: One of the major struggles faced in old age is loneliness, which often becomes more acute with the loss of a spouse, close relative, or friend. Loneliness can be a very painful experience that leads to social isolation and depression. It may result in the loss of a healthy self-regard.
Picture posted by Zenmaijikake on 27 June 2011 - A lonely old woman
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https://www.deviantart.com/zenmaijikake/art/A-lonely-old-woman-215221778


Ultimately, God is with us. We may be alone, but we need not be lonely, because if we are walking with Christ, He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).


Ultimately, God is with us.
PHOTO: Ultimately, God is with us. We may be alone, but we need not be lonely, because if we are walking with Christ, He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Picture posted by pixy.org
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How can the church minister to those suffering from bereavement? [2]
The congregational community of a grieving family has a number of opportunities to make a difference:

Be present.  Ways of being present at the time of crisis include being part of the rescue team, bringing meals, starting a prayer chain, caring for the well and surviving child, meeting financial needs for hospital and funeral costs, sitting in the emergency room and the intensive care waiting room. Keep being present a year after the death and ten and twenty years after the death.


Be present.
PHOTO: Be present.
Ways of being present at the time of crisis include being part of the rescue team, bringing meals, starting a prayer chain, caring for the well and surviving child, meeting financial needs for hospital and funeral costs, sitting in the emergency room and the intensive care waiting room. Keep being present a year after the death and ten and twenty years after the death.
Picture posted by Dan Mager MSW on 05 November 2015 - Being Here Now: The Art of Precious Present-Centeredness
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https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/some-assembly-required/201511/being-here-now-the-art-precious-present-centeredness


Listen to the story as many times as the bereaved need to tell it.  The key to being helpful is hearing the story every time as though it were the first.  Those in crisis and those who have lost someone important to them have to find a way to make sense of the experience.  Telling it to a good listener is the most effective intervention.


Listen to the story as many times as the bereaved need to tell it.
PHOTO: Listen to the story as many times as the bereaved need to tell it.
The key to being helpful is hearing the story every time as though it were the first.  Those in crisis and those who have lost someone important to them have to find a way to make sense of the experience.  Telling it to a good listener is the most effective intervention.
Picture posted by Kathy Temean on 29 August 2019 - Listen by Holly McGhee
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https://kathytemean.files.wordpress.com/2019/08/listen.jpg
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Be honest.  Provide information that is accurate and simple and in small increments.  It is not necessary to tell all truth at once.  Persons in crisis need time to absorb the realities of death and loss.


Be honest.
PHOTO: Be honest.
Provide information that is accurate and simple and in small increments.  It is not necessary to tell all truth at once.  Persons in crisis need time to absorb the realities of death and loss.
Picture saved by Romina to Amor
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Never take away hope.  Persons in crisis deal with reality as they are ready.  Being honest does not mean communicating hopelessness.  Allow people to reframe their hope as they are ready.  A mother once expressed hope that she would be healed, then that she wouldn’t hurt, and finally that her children would be cared for after she was gone.  She was never without hope.  The content and focus of her hope changed over time, however.


Never take away hope.
PHOTO: Never take away hope.
Persons in crisis deal with reality as they are ready.  Being honest does not mean communicating hopelessness.  Allow people to reframe their hope as they are ready.  A mother once expressed hope that she would be healed, then that she wouldn’t hurt, and finally that her children would be cared for after she was gone.  She was never without hope.
picture posted by J. Halil Jebran
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https://biwastudio.wordpress.com/2015/12/26/ჯ-ჰალილ-ჯებრანი/


Be available over time.  The process of grief takes years.  The entire first year after a loss is one loss after another.  Mark your calendar and send a note or call on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and the anniversary of the death.  Remember that the bereaved will be thinking about when their child would have graduated from high school, will mourn the secondary losses of the grandchildren they will never have, and will continue to deal with the loss over time.


Be available over time.
PHOTO: Be available over time.
The process of grief takes years.  The entire first year after a loss is one loss after another.  Mark your calendar and send a note or call on special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and the anniversary of the death.  Remember that the bereaved will be thinking about when their child would have graduated from high school, will mourn the secondary losses of the grandchildren they will never have, and will continue to deal with the loss over time.
Picture posted by Suely. on Sunday, 20 May 2018 at 18:22
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA-0Fc3kySTiOeVxoxFqc3NHwUmZrawgbgp68yhYi7H4UDH1FWw6hMKz5fXVhajS58i_KGE_RWXDPDPeSHQ3a8EfTjPCRk-c0XBM1_ojt1Dm-Fmb4HQhTc0b3DsDwbTjxBK9a4BjiWPQ/s604/tumblr_nmm5vd6DDG1tz6u7go1_500.jpg
https://64.media.tumblr.com/8eab768baaa36260799ca2cd717cf675/tumblr_nmm5vd6DDG1tz6u7go1_500.jpg
https://lavoztelecinco.foroactivo.com/t751p900-suely-carinet#45718


Don’t box people into artificial stages or categories.  Normalize the grief experience with language of feelings and permission to feel those feelings. Don’t tell persons what they must do or must not do.  Each person must find the expressions of grief that are helpful to them and those that are not.


Don’t box people into artificial stages or categories.
PHOTO: Don’t box people into artificial stages or categories.
Don’t tell persons what they must do or must not do.  Each person must find the expressions of grief that are helpful to them and those that are not.
Picture posted by Voice Of Heart on 02 December 2019
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https://www.facebook.com/SahirRouswa98/photos/a.1069490279798915/2675817992499461/
 

Provide spiritual support by allowing persons to live the questions.  God can handle expressions of anger or questions.  Let the bereaved’s belief system guide discussions about life after death, the sources of hope for the future.  Be the presence of God when the bereaved cannot see or feel God.
 

Provide spiritual support
PHOTO: Provide spiritual support
God can handle expressions of anger or questions.  Let the bereaved’s belief system guide discussions about life after death, the sources of hope for the future.  Be the presence of God when the bereaved cannot see or feel God.
Picture posted by The Chaplaincy branch of the Royal Navy
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https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/roles-and-specialisations/branches/chaplaincy
 

Speak the name of the deceased.  It is helpful to provide rituals of remembering and memorials that honour the deceased.  A great fear of the bereaved is that their loved one will not be remembered.  Ask how the bereaved can be remembered for years after the loss.


Speak the name of the deceased.
PHOTO: Speak the name of the deceased.
It is helpful to provide rituals of remembering and memorials that honour the deceased.  A great fear of the bereaved is that their loved one will not be remembered.  Ask how the bereaved can be remembered for years after the loss.
Picture posted by Patti Martin
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https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/242209286195932608/


Remember that persons who are grieving are not locked in time.  They age, grow, change, and enter new life stages as well.  Allow the normative changes of life without judgment.  A bereaved husband may, with time, marry again.  A dying teenager once shared with me his prayer that his parents would have another child soon, not to replace him, but because they were such incredible parents.  As the bereaved begin new stages of their lives, they will continue to remember the relationship that was lost.


Remember that persons who are grieving are not locked in time.
PHOTO: Remember that persons who are grieving are not locked in time.
They age, grow, change, and enter new life stages as well. Allow the normative changes of life without judgment.  A bereaved husband may, with time, marry again. As the bereaved begin new stages of their lives, they will continue to remember the relationship that was lost.
Picture posted by Hope Edelman on  25 August 2019 - Ms. Edelman is the author of “Motherless Daughters.”
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https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/08/25/opinion/25edelman/25edelman-jumbo.jpg
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/25/opinion/mothers-childhood-grief.html


Offer readings on grief to the bereaved. Understanding that their ability to accept them and timing will vary from person to person.


Offer readings on grief to the bereaved.
PHOTO: Offer readings on grief to the bereaved.
Understanding that their ability to accept them and timing will vary from person to person.
Picture posted by themindfulword.org on 02 September 2014
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https://www.themindfulword.org/2014/losing-loved-one-positive-outlook/


Trust your own intuitive awareness.  What you say is less important than that you are there.  Take care of yourself so that you can care for others.  Model self-care.


Trust your own intuitive awareness.
PHOTO: Trust your own intuitive awareness.
What you say is less important than that you are there.  Take care of yourself so that you can care for others.  Model self-care.
Picture posted by Penn Medicine, Philadelphia on 25 June 2018
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https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/fertility-blog/2018/june/practice-selfcare-to-bolster-wellbeing-during-fertility-treatments


In an era of families often stretched across great geographic distances, and congregations are in a unique position to offer to those who are isolated by grief or distance or both. The love and nurturing that is naturally part of the spiritual family experience are the foundational pieces of churches reaching out to those who are grieving.


Congregations are in a unique position to offer to those who are isolated by grief or distance or both.
PHOTO: Congregations are in a unique position to offer to those who are isolated by grief or distance or both. The love and nurturing that is naturally part of the spiritual family experience are the foundational pieces of churches reaching out to those who are grieving.
Picture posted by Linnea Crowther on 06 November 2019 - How Veterans Grieve
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https://www.legacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/veteran_grieving_1600x500-1200x900.jpg
https://www.legacy.com/news/culture-and-history/how-veterans-grieve/


Dear Lord
Dear Lord
PHOTO: "Dear Lord, the Bible pay particular attention to the needs of the bereaved, and especially ‘sustains the fatherless and the widow’. The loss of a spouse is 100% stressful. It often comes as a devastating blow, especially when the relationship has been close. It's even worse when the couple have been living in an ‘empty nest’ - there is suddenly an overwhelming sense of loneliness and helplessness.

Lord, we learn that old age brings with it potential bereavement; it is something we cannot avoid, unless we are the spouse who die first. It has been noted that husbands usually die earlier than their wives; there are more widows than widowers. It has also been noted that the surviving spouse may die soon after.

The grieving process that people go through when a loved one dies has been studied extensively. The five stages are described as comprising the grieving process; these are the same in any experience of loss.
Stage 1: Denial.
Stage 2: Anger.
Stage 3: Bargaining.
Stage 4: Depression.
Stage 5: Acceptance.

Lord, sometimes a person may return to earlier stages as part of the healing process, or they may get stuck at a certain stage and find it difficult to move on. We are comforted that you understand what it means to suffer loss and grief, and will ‘heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds’. It is good to remember that the Lord wept when his friend Lazarus died.

We believe that another reason why the Bible pay particular attention to the needs of the bereaved is because old age faces loneliness, which often becomes more acute with the loss of a spouse, close relative, or friend. Loneliness can be a very painful experience that leads to social isolation and depression. It may result in the loss of a healthy self-regard.

Thank you for being with us. We may be alone, but we need not be lonely, because if we are walking with Christ, He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.

Lord, we learn that the church can minister to those suffering from bereavement in the following ways.
1. Be present.
2. Listen to the story as many times as the bereaved need to tell it.
3. Be honest.
4. Never take away hope.
5. Be available over time.
6. Don’t box people into artificial stages or categories.
7. Provide spiritual support.
8. Speak the name of the deceased.
9. Remember that persons who are grieving are not locked in time.
10. Offer readings on grief to the bereaved.
11. Model self-care.

Lord, it is comforting to know that we are now in an era where families often stretched across great geographic distances, and congregations are in a unique position to offer to those who are isolated by grief or distance or both. Their love and nurturing are the foundational pieces of churches reaching out to those who are grieving.

Through Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!"
Picture saved by Saurabh Chauhan Blog Post - Help Yourself By Going Back To Nature
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Reflection - Health and Frailties - Bereavement and Loneliness
Source (book): "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, PART IV: HEALTH AND FRAILTIES, Chapter 27, "Bereavement and Loneliness", Question 1, Page 180.
By Robert M. Solomon, Bishop of the Methodist Church in Singapore from 2000 - 2012


Other Books

Also from the same author, Robert M. Solomon

"Faithful to the end", A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon

'Faithful to the end', A Preacher's Exposition of 2 Timothy, @ 2014 by Robert M. Solomon<br>
Reflection - Faithful to the end (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2017/06/reflection-faithful-to-end-links.html


"Finding rest for the soul" Responding to Jesus' Invitation in Matthew 11:28-29, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
Reflection - Finding rest for the soul (Links)
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2018/10/reflection-finding-rest-for-soul-links.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART I-III, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-i.html


"God in Pursuit" Lessons from the Book of Jonah, © 2016 by Robert M. Solomon

'Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
Reflection - God in Pursuit (Links) - PART IV, posted on Saturday, 10 August 2019
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2019/08/reflection-god-in-pursuit-links-part-iv.html 


"Songs of Christmas", The Stories and Significance of 20 Well-Loved Carols, © 2018 by Robert M. Solomon

Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
Reflection - Songs of Christmas (Links), posted on Friday, 24 April 2020
https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/04/reflection-songs-of-christmas-links.html
 
 

Reference
[1] From "Growing Old Gracefully", Following Jesus to the End, Copyright © 2019 by Robert M. Solomon, ISBN 978-981-14-1836-5, PART IV: HEALTH AND FRAILTIES, Chapter 27, "Bereavement and Loneliness", Page 175-179.

[2] Helen Wilson Harris, What is a congregation to do?  Grief in family and congregational life, https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/92007.pdf, Page 19-22.


Links
Other Books - https://veryfatoldman.blogspot.com/2020/10/reflection-books-links.html


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