I’ve been busy of late so it’s high time I took a break & enjoyed a cuppa with you my friend. So come on in & I’ll put the kettle on…

How have you been? What’s been happening in your part of the world? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

We’ve had some crazy weather patterns here on the east coast of Australia with heat waves, then cool days, then rainy & stormy days & some days we’ve had all four seasons in one!

Memories

Those of you who join me here often will be pleased to know that I’ve completed my grandson’s scrapbook album for his upcoming 18th birthday shared in The Keeper of Family Memories . Phew!

And it’s been the catalyst in getting back to enjoying being creative again, so I’ve been sorting through my scrapbook albums, catergorising & updating them.

I even repaired & upcycled one that had fallen apart, so now it has a new lease on life as a rather classy looking album!

And because it only had a 20 page capacity, I thought I’d use it as a Memory Album for time with my late husband. In particular when we started restoring our century old homestead back to its original glory.

Sadly, Ed passed away before it was completed, thus I set about completing the restoration after his death. Which was very therapeutic in those first few months & year as a widow.

It has brought back many treasured memories of a beautiful marriage & blessed life that we had together.

However, it has also brought some painful memories of the last few months of his life when he was running the greatest marathon of his life against a very aggressive brain tumour.

You see we only had 12 weeks from the day of his diagnosis, with a Glioblastoma Multiforme Grade Four, to his passing.

Please Note;

We need to acknowledge our pain & process it when it surfaces otherwise we become emotionally stuck in grief.

Once that pain has been acknowledged & worked through we can enjoy the sweet memories of a wonderful life together & move forward in the acceptance & assurance that we will see them again one day.

For Jesus promised;

“…In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.”

John 14: 2 & 3 BSB

It’s okay to remember, to create photo albums & to smile at those memories for those who have gone ahead of us…it’s actually a healthy part of grieiving.

A lifetime can be lived within a  very short time!

You see my late husband & I were only married for 32 months when he passed away. But during that time we lived a lifetime together.

How so?

Well, you see we worked the farm together each day, we had extensively travelled here in Australia during our Honeymoon & on our holiday breaks.

Each evening we sat together on the verandah before dinner to wind down from our hard day’s work, having a cuppa, cheese & crackers chatting about all things as we watched breathtaking sunsets. Even in those last weeks we kept this habit until he couldn’t anymore…

We had a ministry of providing a lovely country farm stay for our many visitors who came to restore & rejuvenate from their busy lives.

And we baked bread & made batches of the sweetest Maramalade from our hundred year old Orange Tree for our visitors to enjoy for breakfast & to take home as a memento of their stay with us.

We also faced the death of loved ones & endured heartbreak within our time together.

What a Legacy!

I often think just as Jesus lived the fullest of ministries in only three years, that impacted this world for all of Eternity.

We too can have a lasting impact for Eternity within a short time & it’s never too late to start living that for Him!

You see my late husband’s greatest desire for me, after his passing, was to continue to live the Abundant life & not be in grief & sadness for him…

However, the true Abundant life can only come through Jesus for He said;

 “I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”

John 10: 10 AMP

Are you living that life my friend? It’s never too late to do so!

Until next time,

Jennifer

You’re also welcome to join me in My Story  

Or in Prayer

---

© 2024 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All Rights Reserved. Photo on Pexels.com 

Blog Party link ups