A Birthday Tribute to the Love of my Life

from grad 1987, to wedding
1989, to summer 2007

grad day June 1987 with
my dream man as my escort

Roger's birthday May 11/87
all dressed up to go on a very
special date to Ariel's Cove.
So young, me 17, Roger 23,
& soooooo in love :-)

(originally written on May 11/11 on Roger's birthday)
I am in love today!  YAY!  I am in love with a wonderful man who has a birthday today!  :-) And today I am reminded of our first birthday celebration of his on May 11, 1987.  We had only been dating for a couple of months. I had gotten a new dress just for him, I had done my hair all beautiful, I had made reservations at an expensive restaurant (Ariel's Cove in the Bessborough Hotel). These two small town folk  had never been to a real ritzy restaurant before.  :-)  What fun it was!  I had my friend Leona take our picture cause I knew it was gonna be a memory builder.  We were two young people, deeply in love after dating for only a couple of months. We knew, he knew, I kinda knew :-) that we were meant for each other. He was more convinced than I was at this point that I was the woman for him, that we were going to be married and enjoy a long life together.  He did give me a promise ring just a few days later on my birthday on the 15th, which I joyfully excepted!  :-)

wedding day Sept 24/87
with my prince charming,
my dream man whom
I had prayed for. :-)

our wedding day Sept 24 1989

yes, we are writing a book of love

having fun one summer -
such great memories!!

But I did love him and my heart was already lost  to him at this point. I was most definitely head over
heals in love with this handsome, dark haired man.  You know, I had prayed every night of my teenage years, "God, I want to get married, have a hubby and kids...but I want a tall dark haired handsome man who loves you, God."

Roger & I standing at the Sea of
Galilee in Israel Nov 2008 

our trip to Yellowstone National Park
in summer of 1992, I was pregnant
with Brandon

It's truly amazing how precisely God answered that prayer. When we first met though, we were both not living for the Lord. I was a very rebellious teenager drinking, partying and hadn't been living at home with my parents during my high school years. Roger was walking down the road of alcoholism, drinking and partying a TON too. But deep in my heart, I knew that somehow that was all gonna change. Neither of us really wanted this life for long.

Roger in 1990 with our
new puppy Fudge  :-)

1988 taking a break after
a hike out by Waskesiu

I do need to say though that not all relationships end up the way ours did. Even though I'd grown up knowing about God and knowing better than to be with a boy who drank and partied, not all circumstances always turn out good.. I know a woman who became a Christian just before she married a man who did not believe in God and even after years of marriage, he has never turned to God - their marriage has been very rocky and their kids suffer because of it. He wants absolutely nothing to do with God and the church, and has often given her much grief because of her desire to be part of a church family and live for God. So I don't want my personal story to give anyone permission to do the same because it's never a guarantee.  Sometimes a man's heart changes for God but other times it doesn't.

love rules my family -
great memories

It's only by the Grace of God that things turned out the way they have. I don't know why our marriage has turned out so good and another marriage hasn't. Only God knows the complete picture and all I can do is be is truly grateful and live the rest of my days for Him regardless of what happens.  God saw our lives at the very beginning, right up until now, and right up until the end of our lives....He sees the whole, completed picture.

Fudge full grown  :-)
1994 I think

before Brandon was
born, Roger wanting
to build a little
treehouse in 1992

Roger did make a commitment to God a few months before we got married and we started going to church together and took pre-marriage classes with the pastor at the church. Earlier that year, I had already rededicated my life to God. I phoned my mom and told her "Mom, God truly answered ALL of my prayers. God did give me a tall, dark, handsome man who loves Him. Roger gave his life to Christ and we truly do want to make better decisions together." I cried on the phone with my mom so many years ago. But, our relationship would still be a journey and at times a struggle, to leave the alcohol alone and to stay away from the partying. But God is so gracious and He looked after us so much!!  He definitely had his hand on us through the years.  It's been amazing where God has brought us from and where He is bringing us to! Such incredible memories we have looking back over the years!

Lisa on the ferry watching the sunset
between Vancouver & Victoria while
on our honeymoon Sept 1989

Roger on the ferry between
Vancouver and Victoria
while on our
honeymoon Sept 1989

Today, as I think of my handsome husband, he is still the man that I fell in love with so deeply as a young teenage girl....and oh so much more!  When I think back to so many years ago, never would I have ever imagined that  we would be where we are at today!!




I am amazed by what God has done, my love!  Had it not been for the love of God, the love we have for God and the love we have for each other...oh my, we would not be here today! I am so deeply grateful!

our young family photo taken for the
church directory in 1996

I wrote Roger a love letter today.  :-)  Yes, every now and then we do write each other love letters!  It's a great thing to do and something that will strengthen any marriage. I don't write him nearly often enough...we did write each other a whole lot more right after we attended Marriage Encounter in May 2005. That's where our love, our marriage and our relationship with each other really took an amazing turn for the greater and the deeper. After that we wrote love letters to each other A LOT!!  :-) oooooow eeeeee!  mmmmmm.  But we don't write nearly as often now. Our love is still great...life just keeps happening, especially with driving teenagers all over the place. But I will share my letter with you, so here it is:

so many memories with our
lake home, our Warman
home together with our
family.....oh how precious!

on our wall in 2011
live simply, love generously,
laugh often...we do have
lots of laughs!!  :-)

our sweet kids Nov 2002

"It's your birthday today love!  :-)  WOW! Look how far we've come. Our love for each other has never been stronger...I don't think. It's definitely reached different heights and emotions over the years but it's deep today, hey? I REALLY don't know what I'd do without your  love. God could not have given me anyone better than you my love. You are so perfect for me and you compliment me so well....to the ' T ' !  :-)  We have such beautiful kids you and I...just imagine, all three of them are a result of our love, a moment of heightened passion between two people who love each other so. I see parts of you in them that I love so much. What a gift God has given to us with them.

in our dating years
1988 Roger was best
man at his cousin
 Kevin's wedding

at Butchart Gardens
Vancouver Island on
our honeymoon Sept 89

I am reminded today of my first 'date' that I took you on at Ariel's Cove in the Bessborough Hotel. I carefully picked out a beautiful dress and took you out. My dream man! We were so young and knew so little, but yet we had experienced much up to that point. We were so newly in love. WOW! 1987 - 24 years ago! We've come a long way baby! :-) You are as perfect for me today, as you were back then. God knew what He was doing. I'm so glad He did because we sure didn't at times. He saved us from so much stupidity, He molded us and revamped us so uniquely, He brought us together so wonderfully. Through all the mistakes, joys, difficult times, funny times and sad times...God molded us so uniquely together. Oh how thankful I am today, how grateful I am for you Roger!

on our honeymoon in
Victoria Sept 1989

Back then, would you ever have imagined that we'd be where we are at today and that we'd have done what we've done and been where we've been??  WOW!  God is amazing!


I can't imagine the plans that He has coming up for us yet love. It's going to be so exciting to see them unfold. This year of course, in just over a month - our firstborn will graduate. :-)  Oh how my heart warms at what our boy has achieved in his life so far. WOW!

our great kids...so amazing what
God is doing and He has such
GREAT plans for their life!
stay strong in Him guys!

So love, I want you to read this before you go to work. :-) I love you so! I let Brandon choose your gift from us this year. He's so excited to give it to you later. He thinks you'll REALLY like it. Hope you do!


Have a great day honey! Can't wait for the next few years to unfold! Love you! :-) And remember to keep the vision baby...I know I got mine in full view! :-)"

hope     Dream    believe!
left top pic - Dream BIG -
take the plunge, you can do it!
mid top pic - we are ALL
carried by Jesus
top left pic - family pic at
FOCUS on the family
mid left pic - us/our marriage
started at the foot of the cross
mid right pic - we love the lake
& sunsets, family time
& building memories together
bottom left pic - teaching the kids
about Jesus through church,
youth & 5 Day clubs
bottom mid pics - keeping Jesus
& what he did on the cross
at the centre of our home
if it weren't for His love
we wouldn't be here today!
bottom right pic - mens & women's
ministries dear to our heart - oh
how we need to keep meeting
together & studying the Word

Some of you may think that this letter is a little intimate to share but, that's ok. I have no shame in the love I have for my husband. Yes there are things much more private than that but some things are definitely meant to be shared.

if it weren't for the LOVE of God,
Jesus dying on the cross, rising
again and giving us eternal life...
we would NOT be here! Our
marriage, our family, our kids...
our love for God will
forever hold us together!

You know my friends, being in love for years and years can be SO exciting!!  The grass in NOT greener on the other side you know. Love does not just happen though either. You both need to nurture and feed your love with each other day after day...otherwise it will die out. As I look back at photos of my parents and of their wedding day, they did look so much in love. Some say they should never have married...I don't believe that to be true. Yes there was lots of disfunction and hardship....but what marriage doesn't have some of that??  Everyone has stuff to work through and it can all be accomplished WITH God's strength and His Love...we cannot do it on our own! At times life is just not fair but with God, all things can work together for good.

if it weren't for the cross, we
wouldn't be here today. Our
marriage needs to stay close
to the cross. love love love

My parents loved each other deeply and relied heavily on each other until the very end. My mom had a one and only love, my dad, and I treasure that. She never dated lots of guys and she doted on my dad for years, and he did his best to take care of her. But yes, there were mistakes but so much is learned from mistakes. Their love grew deeper every year and they never gave up on each other, and they stuck it out!  That's where I want to see Roger & I...never giving up on each other no matter how tough the times may be, sticking it out, our love growing deeper every year, and only having eyes for each other.  Oooooh la la!  God answered my prayer so many years ago of who my heart desired to marry.....He is still answering that prayer. I am so grateful! That handsome man who was my Grade 12 grad escort is the same physical man today but a much more 'God improved' version.  God has done such a good work in him, and in myself...how can we ever ever stop living for Him!

Roger with the girls, Coke
& his camaro summer 2000

Life with God is
an amazing ride!!  :-)
California 2007

God has never given up on us and I know that He never will. We are together, we are in love, we are one in Christ....oh my love, we have soooo much to be thankful for! What incredible memories we share! Life has been good and God has been good to us!

I hope you have the best birthday ever just because of love!  HUGS!!