Beauty for Ashes

So what does a young widow do on her wedding anniversary?

Celebrate her family......
That is the idea God gave me several years ago.
So we turned my wedding anniversary into JWS Family Days!!!
Because our family did begin on that day.
So now the days surrounding our wedding date we have fun,
celebrating our family kind of fun.

This year we did devotions on family verses,
ate meals with special homemade food,
biscuits, bread, dinner rolls, and more,
Did grave and leaf rubbings,
looked over baby books,
and photo albums,
shot BB guns,
went for a walk in the wood,
ended up busting up a dam of leaves at the creek,
returned home wet and pleased with ourselves,
had very fancy dining,
used the fine china from the china hutch,
elegant tablecloth and many candles,
had tea,
did devotions using ones grandpa had drawn for the boys in 2009,
and played board games.

I will admit the night before I was hit by a paralyzing grief wave.
I asked some praying sisters to pray.  The Lord was so gracious.
First the boys gave extra hugs and encouragement,
then God reminded me to write, so I journaled a couple pages.
I let the tears flow and received the comfort and peace only God can give.
Then God gave me ideas for the next day. 

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

God truly does give beauty for ashes.