A New Chapter

My silence for the last two years as a blogger was because my husband of 35 years had  become very ill and moved to heaven in January. I served as his caregiver and blogging was the last thing on my agenda.  Because I haven’t posted for a very long time, I lost the rights to joyousbells.com.  

Welcome back to Encore Now.  You can also follow me on Joyjourney.co.  I trust that our time together will be filled with love and joy.  This post is adapted from the Joy Journey post.

I have watched as Joe’s illness caused me concern,turning into stress and frustration.  I attended my sweet husband as he failed.  I tried to give him healthy food, vitamins, herbs and anything else that he would allow.  I prayed and I became desperate.  I would get unhappy with God and He would remind me that He had given us both everything that we needed for life and godliness.  Joe also  knew that but he was so deep in the flow of the disease that it had a firm grip on him.  I watched helpless with a broken heart.

During this time, I was blessed with a church family that came alongside.  One of my sisters in Christ became a care-giver with me.  She taught me so much.  My pastor and the men in the church encouraged me and when the final days came, they took the night watches for me as Joe struggled to let go of this life and move into the amazing heavenly realm.

Joe had Parkinson’s Disease for seven years and in September he fell and broke his hip.  As with so many people who have failing health, this was the beginning of the end.  He was in the hospitall for surgery, then to rehab and home health care; ultimately moving into a nursing home with hospice.

His home going was wonderful.  The atmosphere in the room was filled with the sweet aroma of heaven and stayed with me as I lay in bed with him for the last time.  It was the sweet assurance that all was okay.  The atmosphere shifted some but it never completely left the room until Joe stepped over.

I miss him but I would not wish him back.  He is free and in the loving arms of His heavenly family.  I will  join him one day.  Until then, I have work to do.  I have the joy of spending time intimately with my heavenly Father and my Big Brother, Jesus and being grateful to the Holy Spirit as He navigates me through each day.

I am beginning my new life doing what I love.  I am writing again.  Stay tuned as I will be an active blogger.  Thank you for following me in the past.  I hope that you stay with me in this Encore phase of my new life.