Sep 13, 2011 Posted by Jolene

Vacation from Grief

Guest blogger, Scott Newport, lost his son Evan a few years ago. Rather than hide his grief journey, Scott willingly shares his struggles with others on the same path. During a recent summer walk, he took a vacation from his grief and focused on the beauty around him. With the end of summer drawing near, I hope Scott’s poem will be a final summer getaway for you, too. Vacation from Grief Summer is... read more

Aug 11, 2011 Posted by Jolene

Why Did My Child Live for Only Two Minutes?

What a hard questions to have to ask. And what a hard question to try to answer. No doubt, some of you have had to ask such a question, and I can’t imagine the grief and sadness you have had to bear. An Email from Miranda Gardner A couple weeks ago, my editor at Discovery House Publishers emailed. “I read this article and thought of you and your new book,” Miranda said. (Miranda’s... read more

May 5, 2011 Posted by Jolene

If the Walls Could Talk, Part 2

In yesterday’s post, guest blogger Scott Newport told of time spent with a hunting buddy in Kentucky. Today he explains that he and his buddy are more than ordinary friends because they are fathers of terminally ill children. If the Walls Could Talk, Part 2 After the Hunt After the hunt, I returned back to my in-laws’ old family farm that has been passed down through the generations. We were... read more

Apr 27, 2011 Posted by Jolene

What No Parent Should Have to Do: Plan a Child’s Funeral, Part 2

In the previous post in this series, you met Melissa. During her second pregnancy, she and her husband learned their daughter Julia had a condition incompatible with life. Instead of preparing a nursery for their daughter, they prepared for a funeral. In the months before Julia’s birth, Melissa combed the internet for funeral planning resources. Melissa shared her finds with me a few months later,... read more

Apr 25, 2011 Posted by Jolene

What No Parent Should Have to Do: Plan a Child’s Funeral, Part 1

  No one wants to talk about planning a child’s funeral. For those of us without experience in the matter, the topic is uncomfortable. We avoid it at all costs. For parents who have lost a child, it is a searingly painful time, and they need resources and support while going through it. Planning a Funeral When our son was fifteen, he asked us to help plan his funeral before he went through a... read more