Anticipating Healing

Tomorrow I leave for a week of sister-time, hometown beginnings, and bittersweet memory remembrances.  I am trying my best to have no preconceived expectations, but to be yielded to the Holy Spirit.  To let this trip be what He would have it be.  There will be a visit to the cemetary where our mom was buried 15 years ago.  Time has healed much of the pain, but the ache for her presence never completely goes away.  I'm longing for healing, knowing I will be brought back to times of yesterday.  There are good memories there in that town, and painful ones as well.  To quote Brandon Heath's song, "I'm not who I was", and thank God for that.  He is doing something in me, refining me, transforming me, and I pray, continually healing me.  I want to be  yielded to this process.  I want the chains of shame and deception broken, as much as they can be this side of Heaven.  He came to heal the brokenhearted, to restore, renew, and regenerate.  Lord, let me be sifted, let me grieve, but let me be transfigured more into the image of Your Son in it all.  All the while enjoying the sweet fellowship of a blood relative relationship, the only other person on this planet that understands the memories of that town are both bitter and sweet. Be present in our sister-talk this week and use both the good and bad memories for Your design and purposes.