5:30am on February 10th, 2012 My beloved husband, friend, captain, partner...John Harold Rodgers had finally find permanent relief from his physical suffering and peacefully passed in the hands of the Almighty God. John had been suffering long enough and wanted to sleep forever. He had said his goodbyes to all of us peacefully and knowing that the love of the Lord is in his heart. He had accepted Christ as his Saviour and Christ on Thursday morning just 24 hours before his last breathe.
John had inspired many, impacted alot of lives inwardly or outwardly. He wanted to be remembered that he lived a full life. A life that meant to be lived. A bold and strong spirit that fought till the end, even his body is shutting down but his spirit is still strong and able to determine who is around and whats going on in his sorroundings.
Amazing he can still recognize everybody. That includes me, of course!
Don and Jo are very good couple that John used to charter in the Bahamas, they been friends for almost 35yrs. It was a relief for me that they were there during those times. I called them in the morning and in five hours drive they arrived in Jacksonville, Florida. Don was one of John's very closest friends. They both share the same passion..and both good sailors. Indeed he was his good friend and he had always prove it. He loved John deeply and his lost is something that no one can pathom.
I am glad that John will not suffer anymore and will rest in peace, but part of me is aching for his presence knowing he will be no longer around me to hug, kiss, argue, talk to, run, share laugh and work around the boat and house. I will missed him and yes I promised him I won't be sad but try to move on with my life as he wished for me to live a fuller life like he did. I just need to absorb his absence and I am trying to get that over with...so help me God.
I have forgotten to mention that when we are staying at a friends house, she is a herbalist and have saved her husbands life for a stage 3 prostate cancer just doing herbs. Indeed in three weeks the tumor that was huge and sticking at my husband's nect shrunk, so we have to reduced his pain medication because the tumor is not pulling all the nerves anymore. However the tumor in his liver that metasteses had already been too late, it has swelled bad. For the last few weeks he had been jaundiced and have shown signs of shutting down. So we moved him from the house where he had hospice for a month, and moved to the center when we cannot manage his deterioration of strenght. So theres really hope for cancer...if it was in early stage and it can still be reduced by eating raw fruits and veges and blend them into a juicer and have alot of herbal supplements.
We give special thanks for Maria Collins and family for helping me take care of my husband while I'm at work, this family bathe, cleans, fed, entertain, prepared his meds and walk him to the yard when Im not around and they keep him company. They are a heaven sent! I wouldn't be able to do this all by myself.
Many thanks to alot of people that help, support, prayed, help us through all this storms. Our boat is still in Panama and we are still raising money to bring it back here in USA. We already have someoen to sail it back and knows the boat since he had been on it for many many times. We hope to get it back before the hurricane season. Or John will surely be so unhappy it will sit there again and rot!
I told John to go in peace and go to the light where the Lord awaits for him, I said that I am letting him go in peace and may peace find him and he should go in peace and time to let go. His love will stay in my heart and no one can ever compare it. He nodded and smiled. His eyes are still open and I whispered and said, Honey you need to close your eyes...anything that is unfinished business we will take care of it. You need to go in peace and knowing you were cared and loved, and everything from here will be alright. He closed his eyes and he took his last breathe.....I started singing...Amazing Grace.
It was the most peaceful time we have together. I have received a feeling of relief to whatever he is going through...he is now free...free from all the restrictions of life. Free from suffering and pain.
We all die anyways, its a matter or how and when. Nobody gets out here alive. Soon we all are be history. What we left is our legacy, how we touched and impacted other peoples lives. We came into this world naked, and surely when we passed we will also be naked. From ashes we came and so from ashes we return. I am glad that he finally John recieved the Lord before he rested forever. What profit a man if he gains the whole world and lost his own soul...as what the bible says. I guess my point is theres alot of us out there who are alive but are dead inside, or wanted to die before their time and there are those who wanted to lived but have a shorter life. I guess we have to do what we can, when we can, to whoever we can, wherever we might be.
In Memory of JOHN HAROLD RODGERS (04/17/51-02/10/2012) From your loving family and friends and supporters...May you rest in peace in the hands of the Almighty God.
