Monday, March 27, 2017

PILES OF MEMORIES- PART 2

Good from Horribleness
By Bonnie Bruns

                  At this point, dealing with Adriana’s death has not gotten “easier with time”.  But I DO know what DOES make it easier.  When God makes good from something so terrible, THAT is what makes it easier.  I continually pray, “Lord, please bring good from the horribleness of what has happened.”

                  Since Adriana’s death I have gleaned much from Romans 8.  Even though I’ve read this chapter so many times before, God is continually showing me more truths.  The oft-quoted verse 28 says, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good….”  As the Lord reveals these good things, I am  keeping track and the list is growing!

I want to focus on His faithfulness in bringing about good, instead of on the horribleness.


 For example, let me share how He has orchestrated good through a “violin story”:
                   Adriana had played the violin faithfully since the first grade, thus accumulating a lot of music over the years.  As I contemplated what to do with all of it, I thought of a friend who gives violin lessons.  We arranged to meet and as I handed her the stack of music, she knew JUST the student to whom it could be given – a student whose family had recently moved to the area.  They had been through a house fire and the student had lost all her violin music in the fire!

But it doesn’t end there!  I also gave my friend Adriana’s last violin with two bows enclosed inside. That very afternoon I received an email from my friend:
“I delivered Adriana’s violin to a new student of mine…. Her violin broke at our last lesson.  It was a hand-me-down and in bad shape.  Her family couldn’t afford a new, used, or even rent one right now.  I told them to pray after our lesson last Tuesday and I would connect with a few people who might have one they could loan her.”   She continued, “I told her that Adriana’s violin can bless her as much as it blessed Adriana and others when she played but when she was done playing it, or maybe decided to change to another instrument, that I would love to have Adriana’s violin back.  My intent is to allow Adriana’s violin to bless many students over the years and that it won’t be retired or sold but given to other children who wish to make beautiful music to the Lord; allowing Adriana’s love for the instrument to continue for generations.” 

And yet a third student was blessed through Adriana’s violin!  My friend went on to tell of another student whose family had been through a lot in the past year.  She badly needed a new bow for her violin.  “She loves playing violin and cried/laughed when I brought her one of Adriana’s bows.”  My friend closed with, “God’s timing is always amazing.” And it truly is as I watch His goodness unfold.  

                  Well, that’s the end of the ‘violin story’, but not the end of God’s goodness!  As I look through Adriana’s aviation materials, I believe it's time to make a trip to Purdue.  Certainly this pile of aviation books and accessories can be a blessing to others in the aviation department there.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good…"

Romans 8:28


 PC: vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com

Saturday, March 4, 2017

PILES OF MEMORIES- PART 1

PILES OF MEMORIES: PART 1
By Bonnie Bruns
“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life”, I tell my friend.  Even the anticipation of knowing I need to do this leaves a sick feeling inside me.  Over one year has passed now since my beautiful 23 year old daughter decided to end her life.  A few people matter-of-factly say, “It will get easier with time”, BUT THAT’S JUST NOT TRUE, at least not yet.   All we are left with now are memories and that dreaded task – going through all her things she left behind.  
“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life”
We’ve put off the task long enough; we’ve gone through enough excuses for not beginning the task.  We start making piles.  We make a pile of some of her homemade things on the bed – the cloth purse she made with Grandma out of her dad’s shirts, the remaining unique stuffed bears she made and loved to give away – so creative, crafty, generous.  There’s another pile where her violin sets with a pile of music from first grade all through high school – such musical talent and the beautiful music that came out of that violin.  Then there’s the pile started with her aviation items – her private and commercial licenses, the aviation books and her headset – oh how she loved to fly, oh how she worked so hard in her studies.  Piles of photos, scrapbooks, Bibles with her personal notes written in the margins, “hardest worker” swim team trophy and “champion” Bible quiz team trophy, that silly hat she wore from her first job delivering newspapers on her bicycle. The piles continue; the unstoppable tears flow.
image from: recyclenation.com

The piles continue; the unstoppable tears flow.


But what awaits us are the ever-visible five large blue trunks stacked on top of each other in the garage, the ones she had ready to take back with her to Purdue when she returned from Germany – always so neat and organized.  What does each one hold?  More memories, I’m sure; the stirring of more hard emotions, I’m sure.  This is going to be a slow, hard process, I’m sure.