You Know You're a Redneck If.....

You know you're a Redneck if your billfold is full of business cards to all the local taxidermists, contains 2 concealed weapon carry permits, and a hunting and fishing license.

That is what I found in my husband's billfold when I cleaned it out a few weeks ago. It made me laugh. That's my husband. He loved hunting.

It's almost that time again. I miss him getting ready for deer season to open. He'd be going through all of his equipment and making sure he had everything he needed and going out scouting trying to find the best tree to put his deer stand on. He'd be so excited. And every time we'd go to Walmart he would head to the sporting goods section. I actually found myself walking through the hunting section the other day at Walmart.  It's tradition.

I know I'm going to miss all of his hunting stories this fall. He always told me there was something so special about being in the woods on a cool crisp autumn morning as the sun started to rise. He would be alone with God sitting up there on his tree stand and watching and listening as the woods would come alive. Good Memories.

Psalm 42:1

As the hart panteth after the water brooks,
 so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

 

I Know Whom I Have Believed

I was reading about the different stages or phases of grief. They were talking about what's normal and what's not normal. It said people go through denial, depression, loneliness, etc. It said everyone grieves in their own way.

I'm not sure what phase I am going through right now, because sometimes I feel a little bit of everything. Most of all I miss my husband so much. The mornings seem to be the hardest. Sometimes it's hard to even get myself motivated. I just want to sit there and not move. And when I come home from being someplace, the house seems so empty. Sometimes I feel like a lost little girl and I'm not sure what I'm suppose to do next.  I know it will get better. I'm so blessed to have friends and family that care and a God that is always with me to comfort me through the hard times.

 

I use to be a Civil War enthusiast. During the Civil War with so many casualties, grieving and mourning was a big part of every day life. Could you imagine the number of widows there were.

And if you were in mourning it was customary to dress in black. Even underwear and accessories had to be black. And if you could not afford to buy black clothing then you would have to dye your whole wardrobe. Crape was used to cover your outer wear and bonnets. If crape got wet, the black color would run and ruin everything it came into contact with.

If I had to dress like that tonight it would not have been good. It was pouring down rain before and after church. I would have been a scary sight with black running everywhere. No one would have wanted to come near me.

 

And there were so many superstitions about death. If you were in mourning and went out in public, you had to cover your face with a veil. It was to protect you so that no one could see your tears and also to protect other people.  They said the spirit of the deceased hovered around their loved ones and if you looked directly on the face of the mourner that spirit might attach itself to you. When someone died, all the mirrors were draped in crape, so that the next person to look in the mirror wouldn't be the next person to die. Clocks in the house of the deceased were stopped so that they might not choose someone to accompany them to the grave, and they took the body from the house feet first in the belief that if the face of the deceased faced backward they might influence another member of the family to follow them in death. They also took mourning photos to preserve the image of the deceased.

 

I'm so glad I don't have to live in a world of superstition and fear. Years ago I accepted Jesus as my Savior and I know without a doubt that I'm saved and have a home in Heaven.

 

My life verse is II Timothy 1:12

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

 

"I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED."

 

I appreciate your love and prayers.

 

 

Today's Adventure

I did it! I did it! I had to get vehicle titles transferred over to my name, so I went to the courthouse in downtown Greenville all by myself. For me that is quite an adventure. We have lived here in Greenville for a little over four years and that is the first time I have been to the downtown area. I even saw the local library building.

Each day I try to work on a little bit of business that has to be taken care of. There are things that Jerry always took care of or we took care of them together, so it's been a little different. I appreciate so much the help that our son, Neal, has been.

It's the beginning of  a new chapter to my life. It will contain pages full of new adventures and experiences I have not had to deal with before. Some of the pages will be filled with lonely times, some with fear, and some with victories.

I know that the times I feel lonely and afraid, God is always with me. He'll give me the strength I need.

Joshua 1:9 

 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid,

neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

He's Still In My Tomorrow

It's hard to believe that it has been two weeks since my husband went to sleep in my arms and woke in the arms of Jesus.

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind with the funeral and the memorial service.

But yesterday I think the reality of it all started sinking in. I was back home in an empty home where memories of Jerry still linger. I can almost imagine him at times sitting in his recliner looking over at me, telling me he loves me.

Sometimes I sit here and ask God, "What do I do now?" People think I'm a strong person, but right now I'll admit my heart becomes fearful at times.

But, I have no complaints. God blessed us this past year more than I can imagine. We saw the love and kindness of family and friends and we saw the wonderful grace of our Lord and Savior.

I tell myself each night that God is still in my tomorrow, leading the way; and that each day He will give me the grace and strength I need for that day.

Lamentations 3:22-23

 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

II Corinthians 5:8

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body,

 and to be present with the Lord. 

Yesterday morning, July 24, 2012, at 10:05, at the age of 63, my husband went to sleep in my arms and woke in the arms of Jesus.

I didn't say goodbye to him. I told him I would see him later. He's at rest now with the One Who died for him.

He had wanted me to write his obituary. I thought how do you put a person's life in a few short paragraphs. I wanted to say so much more, because there's so much more to Jerry Rice than a few lines on a piece of paper.

The most important thing I wanted to put is how he gave his life to his family and to serving our God with all his heart.

He wanted everyone to know how much he had loved the kids at Greenville Christian Academy and how much he had missed them this past year.

And he wanted everyone to know that we have a good God who has been faithful to us.

I could never express how thankful I am to everyone for all the support and love that has been given to us through Jerry's illness. We love you.

What A Day That Will Be

"What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see."

I knew Monday would come, but I wasn't ready. It was a very emotional day.

We knew that the cancer was progressing because Jerry had been getting weaker and the transfusions had not been lasting as long.

He fell early Saturday morning and scraped and bruised his back. Then Monday the oncologist sent us to the hospital for Jerry's transfusions of blood and platelets. They had given him the first bag of platelets when the nurse called me out of the room. She was crying and I knew something was wrong. She kept trying to stop crying and she kept saying, " I know I'm not suppose to get emotional, but I love you folks so much." Then she told me that Jerry's vital signs showed that his body was shutting down and he might not make it through the day.

I think I was in shock for a few minutes. She had called our oncologist and he said the transfusions weren't helping any longer. I had promised Jerry that I wouldn't let him die in a hospital. So Monday I took him home and the doctor arranged for Hospice to start coming in to help us.

It has been a rough few days, but we have had  a lot of support and love from family and friends.  Sometimes when it's hard, Jerry and I just hold each other and start singing -

There is coming a day,
When no heart aches shall come,
No more clouds in the sky,
No more tears to dim the eye,
All is peace forever more,
On that happy golden shore,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

There'll be no sorrow there,
No more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain,
No more parting over there;
And forever I will be,
With the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

 

Jerry told me he's going to go to sleep in my arms and wake in the arms of Jesus.

 

We love you.

A Boy Once Again

The other morning my husband woke up remembering when he was young. He loved summertime. He said he wanted to be playing baseball, riding his green bike, swimming in one of the farm ponds close by, and showing our grandson, Ethan, how to frog gig.

It’s hard sometimes not being able to do all the things that you once enjoyed.

But then he thought about Heaven and how wonderful Heaven is going to be. And he thought about how much God loves him. We are so blessed.

This poem is written by me through my husband’s eyes.

A Boy Once Again

I woke to dreams of yesterday

Days that seem so far away.

To a baseball flying through the air

And in my mind I knew I was there.

Playing baseball on a summer day

And enjoying a wonderful time of play.

Going swimming all the day long

Remembering when my body was strong.

Sneaking watermelons from a neighbor’s farm

There was so many what could it harm.

Taking a ride on my bike of green

Through country roads while I day dream.

Hearing the crickets and frogs at night

Going frog gigging with the pale moon light.

Hearing my father call my name

“Come home, my son, it’s time to rest.”

And then I awaken to another dream

Of a beautiful place with fields of green.

Where I hear my Father call once more

“Come home, my son, it’s time to rest.”

- Patricia Rice

We love you!