I took a few days off from writing in my blog to reflect and remember all the great times and memories I had with my best friend.

Even though I knew her time this year was short after visiting her a few days before she passed, no one can really prepare for one’s passing.

One of the things I’m learning as I am in the last half of my life, and whatever time the Lord gives me to spend here on earth, is that you see death more often as the natural cycle of life happens as you get older.

Michelle’s death was too soon. She was only 51 years old. Up to three months ago, she was full of vigor and might. She was the source at work that kept pushing me to do better and maintain the standard I set at work. She was always on the go, running grandkids to school in the morning and picking them up afterward. Every once in a while, you could see she was overly tired, but nothing seemed to slow her down.

Then cancer showed up and took her in a quick three months. I don’t know why some people can fight and beat cancer while for others, it’s a losing battle from the start. It seems unfair, with all the knowledge and technology we have in this day and age, that we still lose friends and family to cancer.

It’s good for a person to take time and reflect back on the memories of the person(s) that were close to you. That is one of the ways you heal from the hurt and loss you feel. Life still goes on, and so must you. Part of the healing process is that after you gather your thoughts and memories together, you have to put the loss behind you and move on.

Yes, it’s painful for a while, but you are not the only one who has gone through this, and as long as the Lord tarries before His second arrival, it will happen again.

One of the slogans I had hanging on my locker at work was this: “It’s okay to get knocked down, but it is not okay to stay down.”

That statement is so true. In life, we are going to get knocked down many times. It doesn’t matter how we get knocked down; what matters is how we pick ourselves up and move on.

For born-again Christians, you would think this should be a piece of cake. Human nature, though, plays a big role, and sometimes we forget to keep ourselves focused on not our will, but God’s will.

I’ve mentioned this before, and I know I will again. God has His own plan and timing for your life. Many times we get to enjoy His plan, and other times, we must endure it.

God is the Great Creator of everything we see and everything we are. Who are we ever to question His judgments and will? God’s love for us should be enough.

Enough to see us through when we are hurting, enough for us to enjoy the wonders of life. God’s grace is sufficient for us to grab onto, which will help us get through anything. The problem is our human nature. It is much easier to focus on what we lost, feel sorry for ourselves, and wallow in self-pity rather than pushing ourselves forward, looking to God, and receiving the blessings He has in store for us.

God’s grace is full of love, full of power and might, and full of forgiveness. God gives us His grace, all of it, freely. All we need to do is accept it and believe in it.

Part of growing in the faith of God is learning to accept God’s grace. His grace is always available, yet so many times we tend to ignore it, or we would rather wallow in self-pity.

God’s promise to us is that we will have eternal life. God has never promised us a life free from disease, physical pain, hardships, or mental pain.

As long as we live on this earth, we will have to endure the things of this earth, knowing that when it’s our time to leave, we will have the forever joy of being with our Great Creator and Loving Father. There will be a place waiting for us at His Thanksgiving table.

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden and hid from God, death is going to happen.

The wages (the price) of sin is death, but the gift (salvation) of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

I live with that promise, and I pray that you do also.

God’s grace will always be sufficient for whatever we are dealing with. We just need to remember to reach out and take it.

May God’s peace always abide in you.