Catching UP with Life and the year.....

Well, it's been a year. For those of you who know me personally, either on the web at all the different needlework areas, or my family, you know that it's been a year! Roger my beloved went to be with Jesus in May, and that has been quite a bolt for me to face. Life is beautiful when you are happy, and challenging when you face it without the same joys you knew when you were happy and life was even. Being a Christian, and knowing Jesus as I do, I am not unhappy that my husband is well and walking and running in heaven, and free of all the challenges he faced as a paraplegic on earth, but I miss him terribly! He is and was such a blessing to my life, that being without him is like taking color out of the world. I will never get accustomed to life without my best half. He was and is and always will be the love of my life! The One I treasured and enjoyed with the kind of happiness that people dream of and seldom have. I had it with my Rog, and being without him and all that he was to me is the biggest challenge of my life. We had the best love, the best marriage, the best life together, and it wasn't because we had perfect circumstances in our lives. One of the things I miss is Rog's singing. He used to sing what we called "silly songs", though some of them were very sweet and sometimes loving and romantic songs he made up for me. Rog became paraplegic 10 months after we were married, and we faced a lot of ups and downs as a result of that challenge in our lives, but we did learn to make life happy in spite of the challenges, and in my opinion a hero in the way he faced them. We grew into a oneness that most people never find. He was and is my best friend, my confidant, my encourager, and my best coach and always cheered me on in whatever I attempted. He loved me. I guess one of the things you never forget is the way they express their love to you, and Rog would tell me he loved me and his eyes would fill with tears from the depth of his love for me. He loved me....and I knew it! Anyway, you only find this love when God is in the center of your life I think and that was true for both of us. We were committed to God before we were committed to each other. One thing I do know in spite of the challenge of going on without my Rog beside me, is that God is with me, and I will face life courageously no matter what is ahead. God has plans for me obviously or I would not be here, and whatever His desire is for me, is my desire. I thank God for the promise of eternity and the hope of being in heaven someday with my Rog too, and experiencing the joys of reunion with my family that has gone on before me as well, and enjoying all the wonders of Home with God! In the meantime, I am pressing on into God's will for my life and with all the courage He provides, looking at the future with hope, knowing His purposes for me are good! This of course doesn't mean that there aren't challenges yet to face, and bridges to cross -- it doesn't mean I won't have days when I feel lost or that I won't miss Rog so much it seems unbearable...I've already had days like that, but I also know the God in whom I trust, and He has always been there through the tough times in my life and brought me through. He doesn't change, and the Lord will be with me throughout the rest of my journey -- of that I am sure. If you are facing something difficult today, I pray that God's arms will surround you and give you the strength and courage you need to face the day with hope and know that He too has good plans for your future. Be blessed...... Cathy....

Here is a picture of my beloved....my darling!!!
This is when Rog first came home from the Rehab hospital after he had had surgery and a time of learning how to function after the fall he had taken while rock climbing. We were both so glad to be home and to have the time to heal and work through our new life together. God made it possible for us to find great joy, peace and happiness in our lives, and a great love together. I could not have asked for a more perfect husband and friend as I found in my darling Roger.

I hope my Sweetheart is watching me from Heaven and praying that I will continue my race here and do it well. How grateful I am for the life I had with my husband Roger, and for the joys and happiness we shared. The riches we shared went well beyond what money can buy, or replace.