Jocelyn and I are buying a gift of a watch for each other for our anniversary today!! We thank God for this gift of time together. It seems only yesterday that we met and began dating. Jocelyn was a really hot chick with long blonde hair, (I think she worried my mother at first) and I fell in love with her at first sight at a weekend campout with the Aldershot Church youth group. She was a spunky gal and all of you who know her, know she hasn’t changed a bit over the years.
My life changed when I met her and I knew she was an answer to prayer. Oh yes, before I met her, I prayed and prayed that God would led me to a girl that I could go through life with and love for the rest of our lives. I had no idea what God has blessed me with and I have often taken it for granted.
Jocelyn made my dream of owning and running a nursery business, “our dream”. I couldn’t have had a better business partner, wife, friend and the love of my life. Jocelyn didn’t hesitate to sacrifice things to make the business go, such as selling our house in Hamilton and living in a trailer for five years on rented land while we started the business. During all this we raised 3 fantastic boys, worked crazy hours, and held jobs outside of the business to supplement our income. Jocelyn could work and work and get by with 4 or 5 hours of sleep, and even now she is still doing.
She never criticized me for mistakes made and was always the upbeat one during times of difficulty, and even now she continues to be energetic and positive. I reflect back on times she would ride with me on a tractor when we had a apple orchard (before kids stage), while I was spraying in the middle of the night, just to be with me.
I knew where Jocelyn’s heart was, always patient with the boys, and with me. She would never get frustrated, willing to do anything at a moments notice without hesitation and with a smile. When Jocelyn is working in the kitchen or in the office doing a menial chore she would subconsciously be singing hymns or songs of praise. That is a testament of her faith and where her heart is at, something that I’m certain made an impression on our boys.
We enjoyed so much raising our boys, seeing them grow up to become men and see them begin a faith walk with our Lord – they have taught us lots! That’s gotta be the biggest blessing that Jocelyn and I have experienced. They are all different, have already had very unique individual experiences, but they have the same love for our Lord. Seeing our oldest get married and now expecting their fourth child is sooo…. exciting and we enjoy our grandchildren so very much. What a blessing!
So we pray that God will give us more time together, learn from yesterday, appreciate today and eagerly look forward to tomorrow. We know our life on earth is temporary and that we can look forward to a rich future in heaven, but we love our life here on earth. We have been so blessed with support from family and friends, some of you have been amazing for Jocelyn, something that I can hardly comprehend.
We have felt the power and peace of prayer and ask that you continue to keep Jocelyn in your prayers. Time for us is precious, something that we are so very conscious of now. Jocelyn and I also have other passions outside of our family and business and some of these we are going to focus on because we don’t know how much time we have ie; our Church in Fenwick, a new Christian School in Fonthill, more time with our family, a few more holidays and one that Jocelyn is particularly excited about is Rose City – Kids.
Rose City – Kids Ministry has been a passion for a number of people in Bethany CRC in Fenwick, to get up and running for the kids of Welland to give them hope. Welland has the highest rate of drug trafficking in the country, has the highest rate of poverty and unemployment in the Niagara Region and has many single parent families, so there is such a need for the children of Welland for this program. This Saturday we meet again.
So many of you of you have told us many wonderful stories about your lives since we have started this blog. Check out http://www.rosecitykids.com/ and we now have a relatively smooth avenue of taking donations – using paypal and by giving your credit card in a secured way. (no taxable receipts can be issued for this yet though). Note that our charitable status could take 6-10 weeks yet and if you would like to get a receipt and wait until then – just send us a email at rosecity-kids@hotmail.com and we will let you know when we have it.
My life changed when I met her and I knew she was an answer to prayer. Oh yes, before I met her, I prayed and prayed that God would led me to a girl that I could go through life with and love for the rest of our lives. I had no idea what God has blessed me with and I have often taken it for granted.
Jocelyn made my dream of owning and running a nursery business, “our dream”. I couldn’t have had a better business partner, wife, friend and the love of my life. Jocelyn didn’t hesitate to sacrifice things to make the business go, such as selling our house in Hamilton and living in a trailer for five years on rented land while we started the business. During all this we raised 3 fantastic boys, worked crazy hours, and held jobs outside of the business to supplement our income. Jocelyn could work and work and get by with 4 or 5 hours of sleep, and even now she is still doing.
She never criticized me for mistakes made and was always the upbeat one during times of difficulty, and even now she continues to be energetic and positive. I reflect back on times she would ride with me on a tractor when we had a apple orchard (before kids stage), while I was spraying in the middle of the night, just to be with me.
I knew where Jocelyn’s heart was, always patient with the boys, and with me. She would never get frustrated, willing to do anything at a moments notice without hesitation and with a smile. When Jocelyn is working in the kitchen or in the office doing a menial chore she would subconsciously be singing hymns or songs of praise. That is a testament of her faith and where her heart is at, something that I’m certain made an impression on our boys.
We enjoyed so much raising our boys, seeing them grow up to become men and see them begin a faith walk with our Lord – they have taught us lots! That’s gotta be the biggest blessing that Jocelyn and I have experienced. They are all different, have already had very unique individual experiences, but they have the same love for our Lord. Seeing our oldest get married and now expecting their fourth child is sooo…. exciting and we enjoy our grandchildren so very much. What a blessing!
So we pray that God will give us more time together, learn from yesterday, appreciate today and eagerly look forward to tomorrow. We know our life on earth is temporary and that we can look forward to a rich future in heaven, but we love our life here on earth. We have been so blessed with support from family and friends, some of you have been amazing for Jocelyn, something that I can hardly comprehend.
We have felt the power and peace of prayer and ask that you continue to keep Jocelyn in your prayers. Time for us is precious, something that we are so very conscious of now. Jocelyn and I also have other passions outside of our family and business and some of these we are going to focus on because we don’t know how much time we have ie; our Church in Fenwick, a new Christian School in Fonthill, more time with our family, a few more holidays and one that Jocelyn is particularly excited about is Rose City – Kids.
Rose City – Kids Ministry has been a passion for a number of people in Bethany CRC in Fenwick, to get up and running for the kids of Welland to give them hope. Welland has the highest rate of drug trafficking in the country, has the highest rate of poverty and unemployment in the Niagara Region and has many single parent families, so there is such a need for the children of Welland for this program. This Saturday we meet again.
So many of you of you have told us many wonderful stories about your lives since we have started this blog. Check out http://www.rosecitykids.com/ and we now have a relatively smooth avenue of taking donations – using paypal and by giving your credit card in a secured way. (no taxable receipts can be issued for this yet though). Note that our charitable status could take 6-10 weeks yet and if you would like to get a receipt and wait until then – just send us a email at rosecity-kids@hotmail.com and we will let you know when we have it.
4 comments:
Happy Anniversary you two!! May you have a great day together. I thiink the idea of the watches is an awesome idea!! It has a meaning!! Your marriage is a gift from God and the different experiences and adventures we have along the way are blessings from Him. You have raised three young boys who have grown into young men with ther faith and zest for their Lord. Your marriage has shown them your love for your God and you have passed that on to them and now your grandchildren and also to those who know you. May God bless you today and everyday. May you cherish each other and never take each other for granted. Our God is an awesome God and he has plans for you!! Take this day to appreciate each other, and thank God for all He has done through your marriage and what He is still doing. Have a great day you guys!! All our love and best wishes, Martin and Brenda and family
Happy Anniversary!!!
Pretty sweet tribute to Jocelyn, John!!! Very special! I hope you both are able to take the day off and enjoy it together! God has given you 33 wonderful years together! Make the best of each day and enjoy them to the fullest! It's also exciting that a new grandhild could be born this weekend! Wouldnt it be wonderful if he's born today so that he can celebrate a birthday everytime you celebrate your anniversary!(No pressure Tiff!) Although it would be nice!lol
Have a great day and continue to count the many blessings God has given your wonderful famly! Your family has been an inspiration to ours. May God continue to bless you all! Love John & Sonya and famly
John and Jocelyn: Happy Anniversary to you both. Your picture looks great. You have surely modeled a great marriage to us. We hope you had another great day today as you celebrate another year together. You both together have always put others first in your life. What an example for us all to see and strive for. May God bless you today and all the years ahead. Love from, Pete and Lorraine, Dan and Christine,Brian and Karina, Devin and Katie and Darren
Congratulations! Isn't a solid marriage an awesome gift of God?! We are reading along with your blog and your experiences, and while we are for the most part quietly in the background, we want you to know that our prayers flow regularly to God's throne for you. And these aren't just 'cancer prayers' because it doesn't take long to realize that you're up to lots of amazing things. You guys obviously aren't letting cancer define who you are - you've recognized that that is God's job - and you are fully living out what He has called you: His loved and loving children who have been given the opportunity to work with Him in bringing in His Kingdom.
God bless you!
Tony and Ruth Ann
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