I have arrived at heaven and home
And what do I behold?
The radiance of my Saviour's face
And arms to welcome home.
I hear the song of heaven's choir Around the sea of glass. No ripple there, no, not a care For fears and tears are past.
This is my home, my heavenly home Of joy and peace and love Where ceaseless praise to Him I'll raise Through endless years above.
First of four verses written by - Jean Milne in 2008 _______________________________________
Since September 1969, Jeanwas involved in the editing of this HORIZONS magazine. For nearly 46 years, she faithfully typed, proof-read and assisted in the editing of this publication.But on March 16, 2015 in Cuba, the Lord suddenly called her home.
In March of 2015, Jean and I made a visit to Cuba, it was our second time there. We visited five assemblies. We went seeking to help, encourage and strengthen them in the things of the Lord. It was a wonderful, happy experience. Our son Jonathan Ashley and two of our grandsons Austin and Carter were with us for the first two weeks. Jean and I stayed on for another week.
The Lord however, had a different plan for my dearest Jean. On March 16 at 10:20am, just hours before getting on the flight home from Cuba, the Lord took her on a different flight to be with Himself in heaven. The Lord saw fit to bring Jean, my soul mate and dear wife of forty-nine and a half years, home to heaven, rather than for me to bring her home to Vancouver. I met Jean for the first time in a missionary meeting in February 1965 and we parted on a missionary visit to Cuba in March 2015.I was richly blessed to have known her and loved her during all the years the Lord gave us together.
It was on March 17, 1966 that Jean and I moved to Vancouver from Northern Ireland, just six months after we were married. Three years later we were both involved with other brethren in the very first publication of HORIZONS missionary magazine. Since the beginning, Jean worked on every single issue published, including the last one to be sent out: Issue 165 - FALL / WINTER 2014.
She was a very busy lady, but she was diligent and devoted to the Lord. At times when I was discouraged because letters had not arrived, deadlines to publish another issue had slipped by and I was ready to give up, she would always remind me that we were not doing this service for men, we were doing it for the Lord!
Jean was a spiritual lady. She was a lady of prayer. She kept a notebook of things she asked the Lord about and so many times they were answered. She loved the Lord and began each day at the dining room table reading her Bible, which was well noted and underlined. She would often share verses and thoughts with me. Scriptures that the Lord had directed her to and often applied so well to what we were going through at the time.
She was a lady of music. She had a passion for music! She was an accomplished musician and song writer. She taught and encouraged others with music. She wrote poems and matched lyrics to tunes for our sons and grandchildren. Jean carefully selected hymns and prepared the revision to "The Gospel Hymn Book" in 2000 increasing the number from 256 to 407 published by the Western Gospel Publishing Foundation. She worked with our son J. Ashley Milne on four volumes of CD's of the first verse and chorus of hymns for the Gospel Hymn Book.
Jean was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend to so many. She touched a lot of people lives and this was evident and expressed by the hundreds of cards, calls, e-mails and close to eight hundred friends and family who attended her memorial service on 28 March. I have only given you a small word picture which describes Jean's personality and Christian character. Jean sparkled with a golden glow. One of her friends said, "She hugged you with her smile." She was always genuinely interested and thinking of others. Jean loved colour and always dressed like a lady.
As a family we will miss her. Her many friends will miss her. I miss her terribly. We are comforted in knowing that:God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble Psalm 46:1.
Spring 2015
Written by T. S. Ashley Milne - Canada