Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Monday 30 March 2020

It's Hard to Say Good-bye and Feeling Blue!

Hello my dear friends! Before I share my tea time with you today, I have some sad news to share.

The past week has been a hard one. Last Tuesday my brother, Dennis, who lives in Indiana, was taken to the ER with pneumonia. As some of you know, he had called me on New Years Day to tell me he had lung cancer. I got word last Wednesday that he was being moved from the ER to hospice. Early Thursday morning, he passed away. I am devastated! The whole family is. I thought he might not last long but I never dreamed he would go so quickly. How do you say, "Good-bye," when you haven't seen your brother for a few years and then you are not even there to tell him you love him? 

I am grieving for my brother. His son who lives in Victoria, BC could not attend the service nor could anyone else in the family. My oldest son, who lives here on PEI, I named after my brother, and he is devastated as well. My other boys live in British Columbia and Michigan. None of us could attend. It is hard to lose your loved one at any time but right now, with the coronavirus making its rounds, it is so much harder because we have to stay put. 
Dennis was too young to go so soon. I am trying to cope as best I can under the circumstances. I'm just so terribly sad. Please pray for my family, especially his wife, Marsha, and his son, Chris.

My tea time today is one I posted some time ago but I know you will understand. I'm not up to taking pictures at the moment. I hope you enjoy it.

Spring would not be spring without bird songs. ~ Francis M. Chapman

Knowing the weather will eventually turn warmer, I am setting my table with blue and white. Those colours echo the colours of the sea and the sky which are predominant when you live on an island.

These striped napkins I got from Avon and they go perfectly with my blue and white china. I also have these adorable bird napkin rings. 



Now you know my theme for today.


Soon the birdies will be building their nests. As you might have guessed, I love the wee bird's nest my son found for me!
The very sight of a teapot puts a smile on the face of most people. One cannot help but think of more serene and genteel times. ~ Barbara Roberts




I used a variety of blue transferware for my tea table. Johnson Brothers Devon Cottage, JB Old Britain Castles, and Churchill Victorian Calico.



Tradition gives us a sense of solidarity and roots,
a knowing there are some things one can count on. ~ Gloria Gaither

Every afternoon we enjoy our refreshment, be it tea or coffee, between two and three o'clock. It is a tradition here in my home and oftentimes it is taken without a treat of any kind although Hubby prefers a sweet. Personally, I prefer a little tea sandwich. It is just lovely to sit in a cozy room and have that time to relax and a little chat. Do you set aside a time for tea?



Thank you dear friends for stopping by for a visit. It's lovely having you! Do take care of yourselves and stay well out there. The Lord bless you all!

Friendship is a word the very sight of which in print makes the heart warm. ~ Augustine Birrel



Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

30 comments :

  1. Sandi, I am so very sorry to hear this. I know your pain because I lost my younger Brother to cancer less than two years ago. He did just a few weeks after diagnosis. I am so so sorry that you didn't get a chance to say goodbye or attend his service, but he will live forever in your heart. There are no words to express how I hurt for you and I know you will grieve for a long, long time. Please know that I'm thinking of you and praying to you and your family. Love to you.
    Sissie

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  2. I am so very sorry for your loss Sandi. Please accept my heartfelt condolences. x

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  3. Oh Sandi, I am so sorry. Hugs and Prayers to you and your family. Some friends of ours lost their 49 year old daughter unexpectedly and they had to have a private burial with hopes of a memorial service later. It is hard to grieve when you cannot go through the rituals that comfort us.

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  4. So sorry to hear about your brother. I think one of the saddest things about our present situation is that people cant get together to grieve.

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  5. Oh I am so very sorry to hear your sad news. Oh Lord, we cling to You in this time of loss and devastation. How hard, as someone has already said, to grieve when you cannot go through those usual rituals that bring us comfort.

    Sending heart hugs...
    Brenda xox

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  6. I am so sorry for your loss Sandi. I pray for you each day for your health and will pray for comfort for you and your family. I hope you stay safe during this difficult time.

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  7. Dear Sandi,
    Even in the midst of your sorrow, you took time to share with blog friends. I thank you, and offer my sincere condolences. May God bless you, and all your family, and be with you during this time.
    Linda

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  8. Oh Sandi, I am so sorry. It is so hard to lose a loved one, but to be so far away has to be even harder. Prayers are with you.

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  9. So very very sorry for this loss. In February my brother in law died from liver cancer. He withered away to 66 pounds at 5'10". Was so very sad. God's comfort to you all.
    d

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  10. My deepest sympathies...Sending prayers,God bless you.

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  11. So sorry to hear of your loss. Being apart is hard, and now with all the tension and stress in the world, it's hard to realize we can't control any of it. I hope you can gather your memories and sustain you and your family in this hard time, hugs, Sandi, from Sandi!

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  12. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your brother. It must be so hard not to be able to say goodbye or to gather with your family. May the Lord bless and comfort you all. xo Deborah

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  13. I'm so sorry for your loss in this troubling times, especially being apart at this time. I hope you are feeling better.
    We must stay inside and the news is not getting better.
    Take care and God Bless xo

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  14. Dear Sandi, I'm so sorry for your loss. Praying for you and your family. Stay safe and well. xx

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  15. I'm so sorry! It's hard to lose someone you love, especially in these circumstances. My sister and I will keep you in our prayers. Blessings to you!

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  16. Hi Sandi,
    I am so sorry for your loss. It is hard to lose a loved one at any time but especially during this strange time of isolation. I remember Dennis from our childhood days.
    I love all your blue and white china.

    I hope you and your family stay well .
    Blessings,
    Carolyn

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  17. Dear Sandi ~ Love, hugs and prayers for you and your family at this time. May you feel God's comforting love surrounding and flowing through you. ~ FlowerLady

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  18. Oh my dear Sandi, I am so very sorry about the loss of your beloved brother. I know that you are devastated and I will keep your family in my prayers. God bless you and Dennis’ family.

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  19. Oh Sandi, I am SO sorry to hear of your brother's passing so soon. I know how much that hurts. My oldest brother Russell passed away last spring from Leukemia, after a 9 month battle. It was so hard for all of us as well. He did not want a Memorial Service as such, but our family gathered later in the fall at a family reunion and celebrated his life at that time. My heart goes out to your family during this time of grief. May the Lord comfort you and keep you and give you peace in knowing your brother is with the Lord, and that you will see him again one day. (((hugs))). Your tea time is so lovely, and it gives us comfort to be able to set aside a special time just to enjoy what blessings God has given us. Thank you for sharing this all with us. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

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  20. Praying for you and your family in Oregon!

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  21. So very sorry to hear of the loss of your brother so quickly and not being able to see him before he passed. My deepest condolences to you and your family during this time, especially when travel and visiting is not allowed. May the LORD give you grace, strength and comfort knowing you'll see him again. Hugs!

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  22. Sandi,

    I'm so sorry for your loss. It's never a good time but to happen during this horrific virus is even harder.

    Not be able to be together as a family. Not being able to say goodbye the way you would. I'm very sorry.

    You're in my thoughts

    Cindy

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  23. Dear Sandi,
    I am so sorry to hear of the passing of your dear brother. These are such difficult times. I pray that the God of all comfort will surround you with His love.

    We are going through something similar here - my daughter's mother-in-law is dying of cancer. Her sisters were planning to come from Holland, but flights were cancelled. Even family in Canada cannot come to say goodbye. I cannot see my daughter and her family, and yesterday I "babysat" my 7 year old granddaughter via Skype - keeping her entertained in another room, while my daughter and her husband dealt with medical matters. Such hard days.

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  24. My condolences for the loss of your brother. I will keep your family in my prayers.

    It looks like my working from home is going to last another month. I may start doing the afternoon tea times, but the tea will have to be caffeine-free.

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  25. Dearest Sandi, I am so very sorry to read this sad, sad news. It is heart breaking.I will lift you up in prayer today and asking our Lord to give you strength as well as his whole family. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  26. Oh Sandi, I am so sorry to hear that you lost your dear brother. It is never easy to say goodbye and there will always be a hole in your heart no matter how much time passes...hard enough during "normal" times. Not being able to gather to say goodbye makes it all the more devastating. May God comfort you and your family during this time of sorrow...sending my prayers. ♥

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  27. Dearest Sandi...just getting back to blogging and was so sad to read your post. These are such hard times for families and the virus situation makes it more difficult for families. I am praying for you and your family.

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  28. Oh Sandi... I am so sorry. Especially now, when it is so hard not to beable of comfort each other physically. I am grieving and praying for your family. May The Comforter bring the peace and solace you are needing. So wish I could give you a hug. This weekend will I hope, give you all some light for another day together.
    Ruth

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  29. Sandi, I just saw your post. So sorry for your loss. Praying for you and your family as you journey through this particularly difficult time of grief. Hoping you are able to find some comfort through your memories of your brother.

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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