When I was a youngster, I went to church, Sunday school and summer youth camps on a regular basis. My sisters and I sang in the choir; in fact, one of my sisters still attends the church we were raised in.  However, my Christian beliefs and my personal walk with Christ didn’t start until I was a young woman in my mid-twenties.

My career in Radio was an integral part of my Christian Walk.  While working in Radio, I had the pleasure of working at two different Christian Radio stations and a Christian Television station.

My love of writing began at a very young age and that love has continued to grow.  One of my poems has been published as well as a recipe I “created”.  While in radio, I wrote commercial copy or continuity, public service announcements and news stories.  More recently, a Blog.  My blog, Cat’s Country Place, can  be found at  http://CatWest.blogspot.com  This is a homespun, Country-Style, warm and fuzzy Blog that I have so enjoyed publishing.  Cat’s Country Place was born on Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

The Lord blessed me with 5 children.  They in turn have brought forth many grand children. Psalms 127:3 says that children are a heritage from the Lord!  So very true..

While in the broadcast industry I met and/or interviewed musicians, artists, pastors, preachers and teachers.  Each one has a special place in my heart, all have a place in God’s design, a few left indelible impressions on me.

Over the years, I’ve been privileged to ‘lead’ several different small groups. In Colorado, we called them HUGs .. because everyone needs a hug!  (Home Uplift Group).  Neat, huh!  To this day, I love the small (at home) groups. Here in Virginia, I’ve been in leadership for two different small groups and at this time, I’m involved in one.  Small Groups Rock!!!

Bible studies in the home are a mainstay on my “Christian Walk Menu”.  Currently, I am involved in two different bible studies, plus a Christian Writing Group – RCCW.  It’s so awesome to see and hear how God works His miracles and wonders to perform.

If I’ve learned nothing else,  I have learned that beyond a shadow of a doubt, God loves me! He loves me because He created me.  He won’t love me less if I mess up and He won’t love me more if I do a “good deed”.  Thankfully, God is constant:

I (Cathy D was my on-air moniker) started out in radio many years ago by marrying a radio station.  Yes, there was a man involved; he actually owned a 1000 watt AM day-timer in a small town in eastern New Mexico.

From there, I went to a country 5000 watt FM station in central Missouri where I enjoyed playing Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA at least 2 to 3 times a night by “special request” for the fly boys at Whiteman AFB, then home of the “stealth fighter”.  I got to meet a lot of country stars as we were the gateway to Branson. Add to that St. Louis Cardinals Baseball AND Kansas City Royals Baseball! This DJ was in tall cotton!

Next: Cathy D is off to West, by-the-grace-of-God, Virginia to a fantastic 50,000 watt FM station that programmed Southern Gospel music and Christian ministries’ programs.  I learned a lot in that market and was enriched to be surrounded by so much Goodness. 

I was actually born in Lewis County in West Virginia. The family farm land is now mostly underwater; the Corps of Engineers built the Stonewall Jackson Dam and Lake on this fertile land.

Now-widowed and living in the city of my childhood, Albuquerque, NM, I joined an AM station that aired Christian music and programs. These wonderful people also owned a Christian TV Station in the state capitol, Santa Fe.  Therefore, I frequently traveled the 100+ miles round trip to co-host with the (now) late “Blackie” Gonzalez. 

Then, the big break came for me: off to a large market; the mile high city of Denver, Colorado to work a dream format, the oldies (50’s and 60’s) seasoned with a little Big Band Swing. The dream included formal swing dances and sock hops, hosted dinners at Japanese Restaurants and a 50’s style soda shop. Unfortunately, the dream format was thrown out in less than 2 years for a satellite-fed ALL SPORTS format – what was ownership thinking???

Back in the good old days, we did all-day remote broadcasts for our advertisers. These originated at various locations such as the first all-self-serve gas station in town or an all day event at the truck stop with Santa Claus coming in on an 18-wheeler and pictures of the kids with Santa.

Cathy D was on the air:

the day President Ronald Reagan was shot . .

the day Elvis Presley died . .

the day we lost Christa McAuliffe in the Challenger . .

the day THE LOVELY LADY, Princess Diana, married Prince Charles . .

 the day my oldest daughter turned 14 and joined the air staff with her night-time show, Crystal Time . .  

AND .. the day the Berlin Wall Came Down

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