When You Grow Apart, Your Heart Can Hurt.

Sister for always................
Growing up in a close knit family is something I want to recreate for my children. Mom, Dad, my sister and I were like the four musketeers. I know. There are only three, but you know what I mean. One for all and all for one. We did everything together.
I have great memories of my childhood. We had a pool. Every Tuesday my Mom put a red flag up and that let the neighbor kids know that it was open swim. Sometimes mom would cook hot dogs or one of the other mothers would bring over peanut butter and jelly. I can still picture my sister on an air mattress while I swam behind her kicking, pretending like I was the propeller. Good times for sure.
Hiking was what my dad loved. He knew every trail in the southern part of our state. Saturday mornings we were usually up early and ready to go on a new adventure. We were the wilderness family.
My favorite time of the year was Christmas. Dad got on the roof the day after Thanksgiving and hung the lights and then we had hot chocolate together and thought how beautiful the house looked. Shopping, caroling, baking, we did it all and made beautiful and new memories every year.
But then all that changed. My sisters freshman year of college she met the love of her life. At first things were great, but over time she began to change. Over the years it because clear that my sister’s now husband did not want to be any part of our family. I never really can figure out why... It broke our hearts because he did not encourage her to see us either.
Every Christmas the same problem comes up. What to do for my sister and her family?  It hurts to think about.  It would break my heart to do nothing and yet I want to be sensitive also.
Holiday gift baskets the article read.  It told how I could pick out the items I wanted to send and they would be packaged in a Christmas theme and sent right to the house. And so I ordered my basket and had it sent. Somewhere in the bottom on my heart I still believe that my sister remembers all our adventures we had growing up and in her heart she is still part of the four musketeers. I have to believe…..

What Will You Do When You Lose A Loved One To Death?

How many times have you tried to imagine what life would be like without a significant person in your life?  We all do it. We think about how we will react and what we might do to carry on. When you lose a friend or family member you can spiral into the grieving cycle. An unexpected death in the family can be a devastating tragedy.  What can you do to prepare yourself?

If your loved one endured a long illness,  you can prepare to some extent. But, it can be painful and heartbreaking, even if you think you are prepared.  How can you possibly prepare yourself for that kind of loss? Where can you turn?

Many people turn to their faith to get them through a tough time. Your church or place of worship can offer sympathy in a variety of ways. If you are plugged in to a church that has programs that support loss, they can offer relief from tragic moments in life. Some churches offer services such as sympathy gift baskets filled with books and food for the hurting. Some offer counseling, others offer meal delivery. All can help you through a rough patch in life.

The emotions can be intensified if you suddenly lose someone in an accident or some other tragic event when you never even had the chance to say goodbye. You can go into shock and not know where to turn. You also have so many things to do during this time of grieving.  You must prepare for the wake or memorial service and the funeral, along with getting the word out to friends and relatives. You need someone in your life that can help you take care of everything. Someone willing to show sympathy like giving you sympathy gifts that can help ease the hole in your heart.

Sometimes after the funeral or memorial service is when you need the most support. Many people will send sympathy cards and gifts. Some people will send angels to watch over you or memorial gifts like garden stones or a personalized frame. All of these ideas can help the hurting person deal with the grief of losing a loved one.

When you receive gifts or gourmet gift baskets, you need to remember to send a thank you card or note.

Thanking everyone who helped you through a tough time is appreciated by many people. It also gives you a chance to touch base with people who love you. Don't forget your church or place of worship, your friends and those who have brought meals or food to you. When my mother in law passed away. The family sorted through all the gifts and cards and we made a list of all the people who needed a thank you. We then divided the list by all the kids and we all were able to write some thank you cards. When you divide them up, you can write more from your heart because you have less cards to write. The cards are meaningful to the people who gave the gifts and who attended the services.

Inspirational Words by Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon
(June 19, 1834 – January 31, 1892) was a British Preacher who was known as the "Prince of Preachers".
In his lifetime, Spurgeon preached to around 10,000,000 people. People still look to his sermons for inspiration. When I read this passage, it really helped with a recent death in my own life and I wanted to pass it along.

"O children of God! death hath lost its sting. It is sweet to die; to lie upon the breast of Christ, and have one's soul kissed out of one's body by the lips of divine affection. And you that have lost friends, or that may be bereaved, sorrow not as those who are without hope. What a sweet thought the death of Christ brings us concerning those who are departed! They are gone, my brethren; but do you know how far they have gone? The distance between the glorified spirits in heaven and the militant saints on earth seems great; but it is not so. We are not far from home" Charles Spurgeon

Our Sympathies Gift Basket- Gourmet Trunk

Our Sympathies Gift Basket- Gourmet Trunk

Sympathy Gifts can be hard to choose. Sometimes as family and friends, we do not know what to do or say when someone is grieving. Even worse, we may even say nothing at all. As time goes on it gets even more awkward to express your sympathy and condolences for their loss. Planet Gift Baskets strives to make this situation easier on those that wish to express their sympathy. We have created a unique and personalized sympathy gift line that includes condolence gifts for all budgets, lifestyles and recipients.We have also included a line of sympathy gifts for men which can be hard to find that reflect a masculine style. Each gift comes with free personalized ribbon to express your heartfelt condolences. If you are at a loss of what to say, we have included some respectful and common expressions you may choose to add to your ribbon.

How To Help A Family Through A Rough Time

Right after high school graduation our son joined the Marines. He wanted to do something that would bring purpose to his life. Even though his father and I could think of other things we would rather see him do, we were very proud of him. While in boot camp, the unthinkable happened - 9/11.

In a nearby city, a young man who also wanted to find purpose in his life chose a career in firefighting. After graduation he started taking all the steps needed to live out his dream as a fireman. Then 9/11 happened. It made such an impact on him that he decided to join the Marines and serve his country. My son and Bryan ended up in the same platoon. They quickly became the best of friends. Over the next few months they worked hard at becoming war ready. In February of 2003 they answered the Commander-in-Chief's call and headed to Kuwait.

Bryan lost his life in Iraq. With honor, he gave his life as he protected those Marines with which he served. I remember the phone call his mom made to us just as if it were yesterday. We spent the next few days with his family grieving, crying and even laughing. The community gave Bryan's family great support and many friends stopped by their home with offerings of food, flowers, sympathy gift baskets and shared memories of Bryan. Even though the pain of their loss was overwhelming, these offerings helped comfort them.

For tips on how to help visit our Sympathy and Grief Resource Center
Sympathy Gifts of words and love can help.

How We Helped Grandpa Through The Holidays

Grandpa was funny. He always acted so strong and in control. He was the man of the family. The one who wore the pants. Sure, he loved my Grandma but he made most important decisions. I always wondered if it was him or his generation? Maybe it was both. But when Grammy died, I am sure part of Grandpa did too. See, in many ways she died slowly. My grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was a slow painful disease. We all watched her turn into someone she wasn’t. So when that first Christmas came where Grandma was with us physically but the disease had stolen most of who we knew her to be it was hard for all of us. But especially for Grandma

Grandma loved Christmas. She cherished it. I can still picture her Santa shaped sugar cookies, her beautiful table, and I can’t forget about Christmas Eve Soup night. It hurts to actually recall those things. Time changes things. And while it was inevitable, Grandpa needed our sympathy gifts that first Christmas more than anything else.

It was hard to know what to give her or him. The Grandma we knew had changes so much and most of her time was spent sitting and staring. It was heart breaking to watch and yet if we were hurting I can only imagine what Grandpa who always seemed so self assured must have felt. We decided to help him through this first holiday but keeping Grandma’s memory alive. We made a blanket with all of the great grand kids pictures on it. Both would enjoy it and Grandma always was cold before she was sick.

We made a sympathy gift for Grandpa. It was a basket of all of his favorite things that reflected Grandma. Her sugar cookies, her silly hats she made for Grandpa, a framed photo of their wedding day with an embossed love note I found in a drawer.

These sympathy gifts were hard to see. But meant the world to Grandpa at the same time. And while Grandma may have only been aware for a moment I am sure I saw her smile as Grandma held close their wedding photo as if it were tugging at his heart.

Helping of all of us walk through the pain Alzheimer’s can bring is heart wrenching. But offering a sympathy gift during the holidays can help heal and mean hearts.

Memorial Gifts...How Can You Choose What To Give?

A memorial is a time to pause and reflect upon a life that was lived. It is a time to seek and look for all that was good in the precious life that was lived. A memorial is also a celebration of life. It is a time to rejoice and remember. A memorial gift can help keep those memories close to ones heart. It can help heal, bring joy, and continue the celebration of a person’s life. There are many different types of memorial gifts one can give. Here are some ideas and tips when giving a memorial gift to celebrate a loved one’s life for all of time.

*Choose a gift that reflects the person who has passed away. Sympathy Gifts for Men can be simple. If he loved fishing then a fishing photo personalized with his name would be a wonderful gift for a family member.

*Choose a gift that can be well used and often remembered. A blanket can be an everyday item but a blanket personalized with the date of life to death of a favorite grandmother will become a cherished item and not just a blanket.

*Remember those who are sometimes forgotten. Children can have a hard time expressing their emotions when death comes. A gift basket that is filled with items that reflects the person who has passed away is a great way to show love to the child and also respect for the lost. It is fun for kids to go through a gift basket and discuss how the items remind them of the person who is no longer in their lives.

*Memorial gifts should be positive. All life ends at some point. Seek to give an inspirational gift that encourages and focuses on the good. Prayers, poems, and inspirational messages coupled with beautiful artwork can do wonders for a grieving heart. There are many different items that can fill this need and constantly be a reminder of the life that was lived.

*Include a personal message. If you are not sure what to say than buy a book that helps one walk through the stages of grief. And write a small note on the inside. Actions as always speak louder than words.

There are just a few hints when choosing a memorial gift to celebrate your loved one!