I love this painting by Liz Lemon Swindle, “Be It Unto Me.”

When I was 17 my mom was dying of cancer and too weak and sick to carry on the usual Christmas traditions.

I recalled as I set up the decorations for her early December how I found a note in my stocking she had written and placed from the year earlier. She had anticipated she would not make it to the next Christmas. In true JoAnne fashion, she left us each a loving note.

I wept as she slept quietly in the other room hurting for her that she was living knowing she was dying. We all knew it was only a matter of days left for her mortal life on Earth.

It seemed unfair that this healthy and happy woman became so sick and that all her desire to fight wasn’t possible because her body just wouldn’t allow it anymore.

It was a quiet Christmas season that year. As I crawled in bed on Christmas Eve I turned the radio on and the song “Silent Night” was playing. It was such a silent night and I felt alone. As the song played on and I listened to the words I felt warmth and comfort that although it is about the Christ child I felt I was the child and Christ was comforting me to sleep in heavenly peace on a holy night. That there were heavenly hosts watching over our family and to rejoice in the knowledge I will see her again because Christ the Savior is born!!

Now I am remarried and living a beautiful life better than I could have imagined with Mark and our children. I am still reminded that Christ is with me to comfort me. My mom is there as other angels watch over us and our home. There are so many angels on Earth that have been there for us and we feel it.

My prayer is that as we all put our head to our pillow at night that we may have a moment to feel the silence of the night. To know that God is with us. Christ was born to die for us to know us individually. And may this knowledge we have each night help us all sleep in heavenly peace and bring extra comfort to those that feel dark and alone.

Merry Christmas Eve! ❤️⭐️💚

#grief #cancersucks #dday #divorce #remarriage #hope #healing #silentnight #christ #christlives