Faith and Love ~

Faith and Love

As some of you may remember my cousin Dona lost her sweet husband Gary rather suddenly

back in August.  Since then she has shared some of the stories, love stories like I've never heard.

My heart breaks as I try to imagine the sense of loss she must experience daily.

Then of all people, it's she who reminds us of where Gary is and that we will meet again.

Dona's faith and love for the Lord has been so amazing.

I can't help but think of the number of lives she has touched through her sharing, how many readers

have given their lack of spiritual life a second thought.  How can one not want some of what she has?

Faith in the One true God.

A love for others at a level nearer to God's love for us.

Gary may have moved on, but he and their love story lives on.

Below is Dona's beautiful Love post from today...

be blessed by it, I was.

In 24 days my dear son will marry the love of his life. This is a very special love story... and there is another layer to this love story that is very personal to me... and very precious. My Gary was thrilled to know that God had brought Jeremiah and Staci together... And he knew Staci... and loved her... and he was able to see Jeremiah's happiness. When Gary left this earth to go live with God, Jeremiah asked me if he could have his dad's wedding ring... And then he asked if he could propose before Gary's Homegoing service so he could be engaged at his dad's service. Our whole family agreed joyfully that this was so good! Gary would be so excited and touched! So... the kind people at the mortuary tried to remove his ring in the conventional way. They called to tell me that they were unable to and asked if it would be okay to cut it off because they knew about Jeremiah and that it was important to take it off. I was touched by their sensitivity and kindness. Later we took the ring to the jeweler to be sized and buffed. I told all my kids about how, on our honeymoon I had laid my ring in the window sill while I put lotion on. Gary came up beside me and took off his ring and put it over mine. Mine fit perfectly within his. He said this was how our life would be. He would surround me with his love and protection. I have never taken my ring off since that day on our honeymoon. The day we picked up Gary's ring, I went off from the kids for a moment so I could put it on and relive that precious moment in my memory. So precious... and still his love surrounds me... and I get to hand Gary's ring over during the wedding service. I am blessed. 

Great Faith and true love, it's what echos from my heart today...