Mourning the loss of a close relative or friend can be really difficult. Even though it’s been more than twenty years, my wife still struggles with Valentine’s Day week. That’s when my mother-in-law passed away. While we know she’s with God, that absence is real. Question: How are you handling death in front of your kids or grandkids? While it’s sad, God’s promises are true: “To be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV). Apart from Christ, that’s not possible. As parents, through our pain, remind them that our tears are because we miss them. But the smile through our tears is knowing there’s a Father who’s already caring for them.

Suggested Reading: Exodus 20:12, Leviticus 19:32