My dedication to Jim~ with Love Kathleen 2-21-13

Good afternoon!   God Bless you!! 
Today I join you all in celebrating the life of James Louis Carey.  Although I am not here with you physically, my love and prayers are with you and I thank you for letting me share a little about my journey with Jim.
A few weeks ago, I was blessed to be able to spend some time with Jim reflecting over our journey the past 19 years.  One of the fun memories he shared with me was the time when our son Ryan’s beloved snuggle toy elephant aka “Gus” fell apart.  Jim was trying to wash or clean it while Ryan was taking a nap and it was so worn prior to this that  a bunch of Gus’s stuffing came out and Gus needed to be put together and put back together quickly.  Jim made an immediate call to Ryan’s Aunt Phyllis, who came to the rescue to fix Gus. Thank you Phyllis!  I laughed so hard as Jim was telling me this as the expression on his face was sheer horror … he was re-living this event as if it had happened just yesterday… he was saying that the stuffing came out all over place as he tried to put it back and sew it and that made things worse.  I told Jim that although Ryan has long outgrown his “Gus”, I still have the frayed, bandaged, sewn up Gus in my treasure chest. 
We then diverted in conversation to when Jim and his dad Louis Agustus Carey  AKA Grandpa Gus, took a trip out to Colorado to see Ryan, Krista, my sister AJ , my folks and I.  If any of you are familiar with the “5 little monkeys jumping on the bed” story.. it was a similar sight.  Grandpa Gus was lying across the bed in the Motel Room they had rented.  He was the anchor while Ryan and Krista jumped and bounced and squealed with joy!  Thank God their motel room was on the first floor!
Ryan would spend the summers with Jim, and I used to love to hear all the wonderful adventures they went on from looking for lizards with Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Bill around their house, to taking road trips to Oregon to visit family and California to the beach and other places... to going shopping with Aunt Wanda and Uncle Bob.   Ryan always came home smelling so good…hmmmm I think he was blessed with fragrance from a Jafra Rep. LOL   Ryan spent several Christmas’s in Nevada with Jim and always came home packed with goodies,  especially from his Aunt Phyllis! Jim and Ryan loved to spend time at Brian’s house watching a wrestling match, catching a football game or just hanging out!  Ryan talked about fun times with his dad and cousins Greg, Rob, Pam, also fun times with Angie, Hayden and the second cousins (too numerous to name).  But WAIT..there’s more… Jim’s best friend Bill…what would life have been without all the “Crocket and Tub’s” Stories! 
Jim dearly loved our son Ryan.  Jim blessed Ryan with guitar lessons over the years…a priceless gift Ryan will enjoy for a lifetime.  Jim and Ryan built up quite the coin collection and I’m sure Jim’s dragon collection will live on and continue to grow through Ryan.  Jim used to tease me about my “Chinese Zodiac Sign” which is the Dragon.  He’d tell me I was the Dragon that got away.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank you Jim for being a good father to our son.  
In his final days on this earth, Jim and I were able to reflect on a journey that had trials, ups and downs, heartache and Joy, laughter and tears.  I was blessed to read and share with Jim what the Lord promises us heaven will be like in His Holy word, the Bible, for all those who receive his son Jesus.   Praying with Jim was amazing and as we focused on our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit ushered in peace. Thank you Jim for the love, gentleness and kindness you expressed during this time.  I almost wanted to say to Jim, “See I told you so”  in the beginning of this letter about heaven …but since you got to go home a little sooner than the rest of us Jim, you already know!  You are now in a new glorified body , You are free, no pain, no sorrow, no anxiety, no stress, you now know perfect love, peace, joy, health and the list goes on and on!  I believe you are having a fabulous time with those whom went before you… your mom, dad, friends and family that welcomed you to heaven with open arms! 

Thank you Wanda and Bob for bringing Jim to your home to love and care for him as he fought his final battle with cancer, Thank you also to Bonnie, Phyllis, the rest of the family (too numerous to name)  and hospice staff who supported Jim as he started his transition home to heaven.   Wanda I can already hear you saying “You wouldn’t have had it any other way”.
Hebrews 12:  1-2 (NKJV) says  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jim, you may have felt that at times you didn’t run the race well, but I’m here to tell ya… you finished well and that’s all that matters in the end!  
In closing, I ask this question to Jim:  When we think of you Jim, Where will you be?    That’s right….in our hearts!
Love in Christ,
Kathleen