Jump for Joy!

September 25th, 2026 Jay and I will celebrate 49 years of marriage.  We are not planning a big party.  But as mature (we won’t say old) people, we thought we would share what we have learned about marriage.

Some of you already know these things.  Some of you, especially you young pups, may not know these truths yet.

It is a choice each day to be married to the person you are with today.  Neither of you is the person you married.  Don’t spend time trying to change each other back into the people of yesterday.  

Realize when you get married, each of you will continue to grow and change.  You will not do this at the same rate.  This will result in mutual growing pains, sometimes called marital discord.

Wait to see what God is creating.  Pray for your spouse that he or she only change as God is directing.  And recognize God is still shaping you as well.  Be willing to change as God directs.

It is ok to have different opinions about things as long as you agree on the important basics. 

Jay and I have gotten better over time in just accepting that there are some things we will never agree on.  But it is important to disagree respectfully.

On one occasion we had a heated argument over something.  We both said unkind things to the other.  In the stewing phase, where we had retreated to our corners, I realized I had been rather nasty (well … ok very nasty … I have an arsenal of verbal arrows).

I went to Jay, told him I was sorry and asked his forgiveness.  He answered, “That’s ok.  Your position was worth defending.”

He never agreed with me.  But he offered me something beyond concession.  He offered me dignity and respect.  And of course, I forgave him for his contributions to the argument.

What we agree on is more important than what we disagree on.  Our biggest agreement is our commitment to God.

The longest lasting, most successful marriages we know are God centered.  Both participants submit to God individually and together as a couple.

The secret to a long lasting marriage?  

He (God) is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17

God has been with us through our greatest joys, deepest sorrows, greatest challenges and most intense arguments.

Arguments?  Unkind words exchanged.  Slammed doors.  Getting in the car and going for a long ride alone.  Once, popped balloons. (Yes, I did it! After all, they were my balloons.🥺There is a story there!)

All growing pains.  But never violence.  And in 49 years, we have never spent a day or night apart because of anger.  We don’t quit … because we want to be together.  Arguments are like passing thunder storms.  

Even when the thunder is so loud it shakes the house or the lightening so intense it blurs out everything else, we know it will pass.  We still look for the rainbow.  It reinforces what we promised each other.

And “I’m sorry.  Please forgive me” are very important ways to begin repairing fences.  Being willing to forgive and forget is also important.

Never lose the loving passion in your marriage.  How you express love and affection can change over time.  But never lose touch, literally.   Recognize the physical connection you have shared from the beginning is still there.

Besides the physical touch, tell your spouse what you appreciate about them.  Tell them you love them.  It is easy to think your being present speaks for itself, but it is not enough.  There is still a magic that fills the air when we hear we are loved.

Besides physical passion,  find a cause to be passionate about together.  Jay and I are very different in many ways.  But we have been blessed in how God put those differences together and created things far beyond what we imagined.

We team taught nursing together for eight years.  We had a You Tube channel after that and then we expanded into our current passion, which is writing and publishing Christian books.

One of the most wonderful joys of sharing a long time marriage is having a history together.  With each year our archive expands and we can enjoy memories together.  

It also comes in handy when one of us can’t remember a name or a detail from long ago and no one else but our spouse can fill in the blanks.  Sometimes Jay remembers part and I remember part and we enjoy putting the memory puzzle together.

The gold of a long time marriage has been revealed in the crucible of extreme suffering.  Both of us have had very serious medical problems that made it questionable whether we would survive to continue this long marriage.

When trials come, you know who to look for.  Love tells you where your True North is.  When I had serious neck surgery for spinal cord compression, the recovery was intense, painful and long.  There were many days I could hardly speak except to call for God and Jay.  Both of them were always there.

When Jay had a heart attack some years ago, he told the emergency responders in the ambulance to run an EKG strip and give it to me.  He later told me it was his way of saying, “ My heart still beats for you.”  Best Valentine I ever got.

Our story is a love story … and it is still being written by God.   Stay tuned for the next chapters.  We are enjoying every precious moment God gives us.  It is a daily treasure!💞

Our ongoing goals

Love is patient, 

Love is kind. 

It does not envy, 

it does not boast, 

it is not proud. 

It does not dishonor others, 

it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with The Truth.

It always protects, 

always trusts, 

always hopes, 

always perseveres.

Love never fails!

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Our latest book, Destination Heaven, Welcome HOME! is available in ebook on Kindle now!  Print copies coming soon followed by the audio version.

This has been the most exciting book I have written yet.  I had so many questions for God.

I have always been His “why child,” so He is used to my endless questions.  He answered many of them and I am happy to share.

Some questions, He did not answer.  He said I will just have to wait to find out.  As has been said, “You just have to be there!”

Here is a sample of some topics covered.  There are more besides these, but this will give you a peek into this adventure.

Where is Heaven?

Seeing Heaven from Earth

Our Resurrected Bodies

Have our Dearly Departed really departed?  Can we talk to them?

Good Grief.  Holding on and letting go.

What will we do in Heaven?

Reunions in Heaven

Will evil people be in Heaven?

Heaven’s Rules

Are you Perfect Enough for Heaven?

God’s Plan.  When will you go to Heaven?

Time To Go 

Passing The Torch

We do not do big publicity campaigns for our books.  We believe if God wanted to use us to send His Message to just one person, it would be worth our efforts.

If that person is you, we are blessed to have connected.  And if God prompts you to share with others about the availability of the books, that’s great too!

And, of course, you can give the books as Christmas gifts and let someone know that Christmas is just a small preview of Heaven!

https://a.co/d/09J9EPat

I  grew up in the Deep South in a time when racial discrimination was all around me.  

I was blessed to be raised by two parents who treated everyone equally.  They saw everyone simply as a child of God.  We were all related.

I did not personally experience discrimination until I  lived in Germany in the early 70s.  Some people pointed at me, made obscene gestures and yelled out “stupid American woman.”

I was truly baffled by it.  I had done nothing to them.  They did not know me.  But they judged me by the group with whom I was associated.  They hated me because I was American and I was a  military wife.

A German friend later tried to explain it to me.  She said, “You have to understand.  The Americans killed their grandparents and they grew up learning to hate Americans.”

“But, “ I protested, “The war ended a long time ago.  I had nothing to do with killing anyone.”

She said simply, “They were raised to hate.”

September 11, 2001, was a day that no one would want to repeat.  What happened was horrific.  We are being encouraged to remember and not forget.  

However, we should be very careful about what we choose to remember.

The young nurse I referenced in my last post ended up moving with her family to another location.  Even as American citizens, they had to live in fear.

We should not use September 11th to open old wounds and reactivate fear and hatred.  We should not use it to judge and stereotype people.  We should not use it to raise our children to hate.

We should remember those who lost their lives.  We should pray for their family and friends who carry the scars of grief even over twenty years later.

We should remember those who were enemies that day.  We should also pray for their  families and friends, who grieve.  Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.

We should remember that violence never happens overnight.  Even at this moment, potentially future terrorists are being born into hate.  We should pray that satan never gets a grip on them … that they will experience The Love of God and only reflect that Love back into the world.

We should remember the courage of those who rose to the occasion on September 11, 2001.  They put their own lives at risk to save others.  Some exited this earthly life trying to protect others.

We should remember the way Todd Beamer prepared for battle.  He prayed and reached out through the phone, imploring a total stranger to speak The Word of God with him.  And it could be heard in the background that others were joining them, claiming The Promises of God.

We should remember that those who resemble the enemy in physical appearance, race or creed are not the enemy.  We should never become terrorists ourselves by labeling, stereotyping, or judging.

We should remember that The Light still shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. 

We should remember we have been born into this time to be Light bearers.  When you tell others about September 11th, tell them about the courage, faith and love that sprang up from the ashes.

Yes .. remember September 11 … and plant seeds of Hope for the future.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it!

John 1:5

We each remember where we were on September 11, 2001.  

Ironically the numbers 911 used to summon emergency help came to life that day.

I was the Nurse Manager of a busy medical surgical unit at the VA Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky.  I was in my office when a nurse ran in and said, “Come quick.”

I jumped, thinking a patient had crashed.  But she followed with, “Look at the tv in the break room.”  I heard the horrifying news as many others had — by tv.

Hardly had I had enough time to process what was happening when I was called to the phone.  My boss told me to operationalize the disaster plan.

The disaster plan was something we had rehearsed on a regular basis, but staff almost went to sleep during the mandatory reviews.  After all, we never thought we would actually have to use it.

The other chilling reminder we got that day was that the VA was a backup to the military.  

Since it was unclear what had happened or what was about to happen, we were told to prepare for any extra patients that might arrive … either fresh casualties or more stable patients moved from other parts of the country to decompress areas that needed room to treat mass casualties.

There were no cell phones then.  We had to stay off the phones, so all communication channels could remain open.  

Therefore, we were in a lockdown where we could not communicate with our families.  Everyone quietly went about doing their assigned tasks, while periodically checking the tv and awaiting the next updates from my supervisor.

We did not receive casualties or extra patients from the outside, but there was a casualty from the inside.

When I returned to my office, one of the nurses was waiting.  She was a wonderful nurse and a true team player, liked and respected by all.  

But that day, she was crying and shaking all over.  In the midst of carrying out her duties during this crisis, her life was threatened.  Later she would find out her husband and children’s lives had also been threatened.

Why?  Their skin tone, manner of dressing and slight accent revealed their heritage.  They were originally from the Middle East.  

In a matter of hours, they, who had nothing to do with the horrible crimes committed that day, became victims of what became a growing wave of hate.

Jesus understood.  He saw some of the same people He had seen waving on Palm Sunday calling for His Death on Friday.

I will share the rest of the story in my part two post.

Today marks six weeks since Jay got a new knee.  The change from pre-surgery to this milestone has been amazing to watch.  

Jay even asked ortho when he can go sky diving!  I am obviously going to have to hold his reins a little tighter! 😱🙄

In other news, we are coming down the home stretch in getting our third book in the Heaven trilogy ready for publication.

What can you expect in Destination Heaven?

In this, the final book of the trilogy, we look at how we prepare for our return to Heaven. We will pause to consider whether we have done all God sent us here to do.

And we will anticipate the upcoming joys awaiting us in Heaven.  

God has given us some irrefutable facts about Heaven.  We will look at scriptures that tell plainly who can go to Heaven and who cannot.  We will look at exciting previews of what we can expect in Heaven.

You will be invited to consider some ideas that may be different from what you always thought.  Ask God to reveal to you what He wants you to know now.  

You will be invited into imagining Heaven by reflecting on the clues God has given us.

Sometimes God does not give us the whole picture.  He gives us clues to buried treasures.  He gives us appetizers before the coming feast.  

However, whatever we think or imagine will never come up to what God has in store for us.

Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His Power that is at work within us, to Him be Glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!

Ephesians 3:20-21

Please pray that we can faithfully carry out our book assignment.  And get ready to join us on a true treasure hunt!

On July 16, 2025, I had a cervical laminectomy of all the bones in my neck.

On July 17, 2026, Jay had a total knee replacement.

We are hoping this is not the beginning of an annual bone cutting event!😱

Because of my surgery, we already had made many adjustments in our home.  We were also ready with a walker, which Jay ditched on the second day after surgery.

Jay has done amazingly well.  He had his three week post op visit today.  He is walking on even and uneven surfaces and up and down inclines.  He is doing his exercises under the direction of his trainer (me!😍), who he sometimes calls a drill sargent.  

And we are working on the third book in the Heaven  trilogy.  If you missed the first and second books, they are available through Amazon.

And the free audio books are on my blog site.  Select the book title at the top of the home page and enjoy.  

Thank you so much for your prayers and encouraging words, as we continue on this interesting journey called Life.

Jesus went to a wedding with His Mother.  The host was almost out of wine.  Mary did not tell her Son how to solve the problem.  She simply told Him what the situation was.

When the wine ran out, The Mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

John 2:3

At first, it appeared Jesus was resisting doing anything.  He said His Time had not yet come.

However, Mary knew the destiny of her Son.  And she knew it was time.

Mary knew many things about her Son.

Besides what she had seen with her own eyes, she had come to know Isaiah’s prophecy had been about her and Jesus.

Isaiah had said,

“For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His Shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

The angel had told Mary her Son was destined to be great.

He said,

“He will be great and will be called The Son of The Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His Kingdom will never end.”

Luke 1:32-33

But Mary also remembered what Simeon had said.

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His Mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”

Luke 2:34-35

Did Mary pause before relinquishing herself and her Son into the future to which God was calling them?  Did she wonder how much pain either of them could bear to carry out God’s Will?

Once again, Mary did not tell Jesus what to do or when to do it.  She turned her gaze to the servants.

And she said, “Do whatever He tells you.”

John 3:5

Jesus knew it was time.  The servants did what Jesus told them to do.  Water was changed, not just into wine, but into fine wine!

Now Mother Mary is speaking to us.  When we do what Jesus tells us, miracles are likely to happen.  Get ready to be amazed!

Do whatever He tells you.

John 3:5

Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His Power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!

Ephesians 3:20-21

Thank you for the prayers and many expressions of encouragement  with our recent “remodeling project.”  

I am happy to report Jay has a brand new knee.  So far he has not needed pain meds.  Much to my amazement, he was walking independently the day after surgery … and looking much better than he was before surgery!

We were blessed with an excellent doctor and good nurses.  We also have a friend who is our long time physical therapist.  He began home PT with Jay the day after surgery.

A special thank you goes to our daughter, Jennifer, who provided too many services to list, the most important one being present, patient and understanding of the quirks of her parents.

Thanks also to our son in law and grandson, who also helped us get settled at home.

I’m sure Jay would also like to thank our daughter and son in law for bringing him his favorite Texas Roadhouse meal twice over the weekend!

Now we are trying to reclaim some of the best parts of our pre-surgical life … like working on book three of The Heaven Trilogy.  Remember books one and two are available through Amazon.  And the audio versions are free on my blog site.

carolynpriesterjones.org

We had our dream house built in 1994.  It was perfect for who we were then.  But after many years, some parts of our dream house wore out.  They had to be repaired or replaced.

And some things, we just outgrew.  We changed and we wanted our living environment to reflect that change.  We dreamed new dreams and did fun remodeling projects.

The same is true of the body in which we live.  It suited us well in our younger days.  But as time went on, some parts wore out and needed to be repaired or replaced.

And sometimes, we decided to do something different with our bodies.  Lose weight.  Get a new hair style.  Dress differently.

The bodies we have now are quite different to the ones we once had.  We have made adjustments to fit our current living.

We have found the joy in life has come when we embrace the changes.  Sometimes we get to choose the change.  Sometimes it is chosen for us.  But always, God is in charge of the finished product.  

We have learned God can bring beautiful, wonderful things out of what we may have thought was not so good.

So we are anticipating good things ahead as we enter our new remodeling project this coming week.  Jay is having his knee remodeled with a brand new one!

Prayers please for everything to go smoothly with his surgery and rehab … and that I can keep up with him afterwards!

See I am doing a new thing.  Now it springs forth!

Isaiah 43:19

The celebrations of July 4th often elicit feelings of pride that emphasize what people have accomplished.  People get misty eyed as they sing, “proud to be an American.”  They ask that “God bless America.”  

God has blessed America, in spite of many missteps or actions that have not represented Him well.  

I am thankful to be an American.  

I am thankful to live in a beautiful country where I enjoy the many freedoms we have.  

But even as I give thanks, I remember those around the world who do not have those freedoms.  I remember those both inside and outside our borders, who are not free.  

I enjoy being wowed by fireworks celebrations.  

But even as I celebrate, I remember there are others around the world, who are hearing similar sounds and are being filled with terror, as they hear the heralds of what will kill and destroy.

I resist pledging allegiance to the flag, an inanimate object, even when it represents the republic.  But I am not a public rebel.  

So I participate in the pledge and I pray that we will truly become one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.

I remember those in our country who were not freed by the Declaration of Independence nor the pledge of allegiance.  Their freedoms came much later after hard battles at great cost.

When I stand and place my hand over my heart, I do so remembering that He Who created my heart also created the hearts of those who some would call our enemies.  

I remember Jesus’ command to pray for our enemies and do good to those who despitefully use us. 

I pledge allegiance to Jesus and resolve to continue working to fulfill His Mission that we all be one, as we were created to be.

I am constantly awed at the diverse beauty of this country.  I could easily vote to have “America The Beautiful” as our theme song.

Katherine Bates was a teacher at a Colorado college during the summer of 1893. 

Later she remembered:

“One day some of the other teachers and I decided to go on a trip to 14,000-foot Pikes Peak. We hired a prairie wagon. 

Near the top we had to leave the wagon and go the rest of the way on mules. I was very tired. But when I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there, with the sea-like expanse.”

She hastily wrote in her notebook the words that would become the lyrics of a a song of praise to God, Who created the beauty of America.  It was also her prayer.

Her prayer is now mine too.

“America! America!
God mend thine ev’ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law…

“America! America!
God shed his grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.”