The Discipline of Loss

This morning on my wog (walk till you're bored, jog till you're tired) I went to the Memorial Chapel on the campus of Taylor University. (See http://www.taylor.edu/edify/slideshow.html)


So close, so beautiful and inspiring, and I had never been. I plan to walk the 20 minutes more often and begin to memorize the powerful quotes.


The phrase that caught my attention today was from Milo Rediger (our pastor, Jay Kesler, is always quoting his prof/mentor). "...a grace-laced discipline..." I love that descriptor. He was saying that loss can become that through prayer.


On the walk home I listed mentally the various losses we've experienced. Some have been huge and incomprehensible, others of lesser import. We struggle through, some days more gracefully, yet God's grace is ever available and abundant.


Back from my meditative wog, I decided to put in an hour of yard work (following the example of missionary friends in Mexico whose family discipline over the years has been for each member to give an hour every Saturday after breakfast).


As I pulled weeds in the front garden area, I came to a cherished plant that represents one of the most painful losses we've experienced. The three branches symbolize the precious little ones that were already grandchildren to me and were suddenly removed by the agency from the home inexplicably just before they were to be adopted by our son and daughter-in-law. Grace has carried us all through this trial.


Perhaps one day I will be able to collect all the photos and memories of those many precious Meemaw Moments. For now I have a plant to tend and a discipline to cultivate.