Mid-October in Tennessee allows residents to begin to sense the shift in the season, though summer can fool us and pop up again at any moment. Still, the leaves are changing and cooler temps are beginning to become a norm. I love Fall and hope to do what I failed to do last year—take at least one nice, long drive to enjoy the colors of creation.
In a recent post about the season, I was reminded of this truth I found in the changing of the leaves: “Fall is a reminder that beauty comes in letting some things die.”
For the past ten years, Fall has been the gateway to my own season of remembering another death—that of my dear husband, Raouf Ghattas. He died suddenly on a beautiful, sunshine-filled Fall day in November. There is something about the grief journey that makes specific times more significant than others. I don’t know why that is, but it’s probably more of a man-made construct than anything. I miss him every year at this time of year, but there is something about this mark of one decade that makes it hurt all the more.
Believe me, I’ve discussed this with the Lord, knowing that I’m probably building it up more than I should, but at the same time, I think it’s best for me to use the next couple of months to just pull back and lean into God’s Word. I want to focus on the blessing of the man I loved while also remembering God’s faithfulness with me during this decade in his absence. With the conclusion of my Friday Focus on the word Remember, I know he’s allowing me to find a natural break in writing. I’ll repost some items that perhaps you haven’t read, so my emails and posts won’t drop off completely.
If you think I’m depressed or cutting myself off, please don’t worry. I’m excited about the release of my Advent Devotional, When You Don’t Feel Like Celebrating. That will keep me engaged on social media and hopefully with further speaking opportunities. I’m also working on a family history project for my siblings, so I’m deep in names and dates and interesting facts about my ancestors right now. This allows me to push off a future writing project specific to the grief journey until after this ten-year mark has passed. I am confident the Lord knows what he’s doing in bringing all these things my way at just such a time.
This time next year, I will have been blogging at lifeinexile.net for ten years. With over 1,100 posts, I am sure there are many you haven’t yet read or listened to! I know that as I get back into my routine by the end of the year, much will have happened, inspired me, and encouraged me to get back to writing on a regular basis. I pray you’ll be right there with me, as we encourage each other on this side of eternity.
Grace and Peace
If you missed the last Wednesday Wisdom, click HERE, or check out more of my Wednesday Wisdom posts.
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Praying you have a wonderful season of remembrance, pausing from the regular routine. Thank you for faithfully writing. You encourage me, sister.
Thank you, Susan. We are in the mutual admiration society, as my father would say. Appreciate your prayers for me during this season. Blessings.
Thank you for your writings thank you! I was just listening to BBN where you were being interviewed. So glad God brought me here on this Saturday. Normally I am not listening on the weekends. I will begin reading your blogs.
Oh, I’m so glad you heard the interview. Thanks for reaching out and I trust you’ll be blessed by the blog posts.