IN MEMORY OF JOEY
Joey in Junior High (14)

While visiting in Ohio: A tender moment when Joey found a stranded baby bird Joey at 16 or 17 loved to fishA proud moment!

One of Joey's happiest events in his life: marrying Carla Joey with wife, Carla after a successful fishing expedition

Loved to cook and was great at it. One of his dreams was to open a restaurant.Joey's last Christmas with us.At peace on the water This is how I choose to remember Joey today.
Joey had a passion for fishing; his happiest moments being at the waterI dedicate this post to you in your memory:
Joey: November 17, 1967-April 16, 1997

We lost Joey 12 years ago today--12 years since I've heard his voice. The silence is deafening. I thought it would get easier, but the longer there is silence, the sadder it becomes. I can say today however, that the paralyzing shock and grief has faded, leaving random moments when I my heart aches for him....missing him.

I've been sitting here spanning Joey's life. Words are not coming to me tonight. There is so much to say, but where to start, I do not know. Joey was 29 when he died. Some of his life was good and some of it was difficult. Through it all, I loved him. He knew I loved him. His dad loved him. He had two brothers who loved him. He had two cats who loved him. He had friends who enjoyed being with him. Most importantly, God loves him. In the last couple of weeks of his life, in the midst of his pain, he was seeking God. He had a relationship with God even though he was struggling. I know that he is with God today.

Joey, I love you son. You have blessed me with your life...your smile...your laughter....your heart....your beautiful green eyes and curly hair. You have blessed me with your energy...your giftedness in so many areas, such as your art, your writing, your musical talents, your ability to decorate your apartment/house, your cooking talents, and your love for the ocean/gulf/beach/fishing. Your gardening expertise amazed me. I have been blessed by your tender heart. Joey, you have always been a very important and special part of my life and I am the person I am today partly because of who you have been in my life. I loved being your mom.

Even though you are not here in person, you are very much alive in my heart and will always deeply love you.

Since your death, Joey, I have run to God for refuge, help and strength, for He is strong in my weakness. He has shown me more of Him and His infinite Grace & Mercy. In "The Purpose Driven Life", it states: 'The Bible says, "God has planted eternity in the human heart." 'You have an inborn instinct that longs for immortality. This is because God designed you, in His image, to live for eternity. Even though we know everyone eventually dies, death always seems unnatural and unfair. The reason we feel we should live forever is that God wired our brains with that desire."

He is teaching me how important it is to live in light of eternity. "To make the most of your life, you must keep the vision of eternity continually in your mind and the value of it in your heart." Your death has been very difficult to accept; however, God is showing me to live purposefully for His Glory & in His time, I will one day join you to be in God's presence. Until then.....

Psalm 23