"Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ."   1 Corinthians 15:54-57
As I was Facebook Stalking today I saw a post from a friend that said that it was just one year today that her father died and went to be with God and her mother.  It reminded me that in exactly one week it will be a year since my own Dad died.   Throughout the past year I have had many ups and downs as I have remembered him.  I have learned many things.   
1.  No matter how good or bad your relationship is with your parent; you will still miss them.    No matter what the relationship was like, there will always be both good and bad memories.  You choose what you want to remember.  As for me, I am choosing to remember the good times.
2.  No matter how much it hurts, the pain will eventually lessen.   I didn't say it would go away, but it WILL eventually lessen.
3.  Life goes on.   It might be different, but it still goes on, and you must too.
4.  We are never alone in our pain.  God is always right there with us, even if we don't see Him.
5.  Our help comes from the Lord.   Even if you feel like you have lost your safety net; you haven't.  Parents can only help and support so much... our real help and support comes from God.   
6.  The hard times make us stronger.   And God uses the hard times to teach us.  Many times we eventually see benefits from working through the hard times.   God sometimes uses the hard times to bring us together and to heal wounds that have gone too long without healing.
7.  Life is short.  Sometimes it feels like it goes on forever, but it wasn't that long ago that we were young and here we are today....
8.  We are here for a reason.  When the Bible says that God "knew the plans He had for us" it implies that God has a plan for our lives.  That would imply that we are here for a specific purpose.   We need to go to Him and seek our purpose.   Ask what He would have us do... and then ask His help in doing it.
9.  It all comes back to number 5.  Our help comes from the Lord.