Gotta Get It Right

No one can be wrong with man and right with God…

Profound statement and so true! Man is God’s greatest and most complex creation. We are the sparkle of His eye. But…God does not like it when His kids don’t get along. In fact so much so He commands we love one another and in so doing we fulfill the law of Christ.

By no means am I saying I have arrived! In fact at times it is just the opposite!!! As I grow in this area I become keenly aware those difficult personalities placed in our path are to either distract us or define us.

The Distraction…is satan’s way of removing our focus from God and placing it on people. Our focus becomes selfish and we focus on the negative traits of people rather than honing in on their beautiful attributes God has blessed them with. When we become focused on the negative our attention is drawn away from the Lord and viola…satan’s mission is accomplished.

The Definition…God does not allow failure and He expects us to rise above the temptation of being mean and hurtful to others. It is when we focus on the positive and beautiful attributes of others we are able to see God more clearly and we are drawn into His presence.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11

O Lord, I know that You are aware and care about each person I will face today. Please let others see Jesus in me and allow me to extend Your love as commanded.

Love Lee♥

The Gift That Keeps Giving

Dec27

Wow, it is hard to believe it came and went so quickly…All the anticipation, planning, and work then it is over just like that!

Typically for a day or two after a big family event there is a little sense of sadness the event is over. This Christmas was not the exception…However, it was less than in years past because Christmas is not officially over for me.

One of the gifts I gave continues to require quite a bit of work!

Our youngest daughter Brandi has been asking about childhood pictures. I had to admit to her I had been a very poor manager of the family photos. Well, no more! I decided to get busy and work on getting our old photos scanned and stored electronically. Then once scanned, I will move the photos over to the portable drive I gave her for Christmas. Once all the old photos are loaded, she will only need to bring her portable drive over every so often to receive our most recent photos.

What a trip down memory lane this has been…It is amazing all that has happened in our lives over 33 years of marriage. With each photo comes the flood of emotions evoked by the memories surrounding the image of the person, place or event.

I am so blessed to have such awesome family and friends. Each time we come together we make such incredible memories…Photos help me keep the memories vibrant and alive. While I am not a photographer and half the time can not figure out how to use my camera, I do enjoy taking lots of pictures with the goal of passing forward our memories of family to the next generation.

So, the next time you see camera flashes, don’t say “Oh No, Not More Pictures” Instead say…

“Click me…Click me…Document My Existance…I want to be a part of the memory”.

A Few Memories of the Kids and Grandkids

One final thought…Photos are not enjoyed by all unless they are shared…

Love Lee ♥

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Dec25

Happy Birthday to you…♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Happy Birthday Dear Jesus!!!…..♪♫•¨•.¸¸♥¸¸.•¨•♫♪ Happy Birthday to you!!! May Everything I Say And Everything I Do Bring Glory and Honor Only To You!!! I love you my Savior and Lord ♥

My Savior and Lord…What exactly does that mean?

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Romans 3:22-26

It all began with His birth…“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

How cool is it that on Jesus’ Birthday we receive the gift… The Gift Of Eternal Life!!!

He never said it would be easy but he did say, “if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us” 2 Timothy 2:12

I claim to know Him, Love Him, and Serve Him…Have you opened your heart to receive the most important Gift EVER Given…JESUS?

He stands at your heart’s door and says…”Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21

He also says…That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

Open your heart and invite Jesus in…Receive God’s Gift Today!

Merry Christmas!!!

Love Lee ♥

Silent Mornings

Dec24

Being a morning girl, I am up at the crack of dawn each day. With a fresh cup of steaming hot coffee, I sit in my favorite chair and listen to the soft music playing, my precious birds chirping, and the soft snore of Maggie Mae who is sleeping next to my chair.

This time of day has always been special to me as it carries the hope of new and exciting things to come…A fresh slate…A new beginning…An book waiting to be written.

But, first things first…I grab my laptop and go to Blue Letter Bible online for my morning Bible study. I love this application as it allows me to research, read, and navigate more easily. I love my time with the Lord in the morning! Reading His word keeps me in close relationship with Him!

But [it is] good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works. Psalms 73:28

It is when I draw near to Him, I am better able to recognize His sovereign hand on my life and trust He has everything under control. It is when I draw near to Him, I become keenly aware of His incredible love for me.

As I sit here this Christmas Eve morning surrounded by the comforts of home, I can’t help but reflect on

Those struggling emotionally with the holiday season
Those on foreign soil defending my right to be able to sit in the comfort of my home
Children missing their mommy or daddy because they are from broken homes
Moms or dads missing their children because of divorce
Those missing a family member who is no longer living
The homeless, cold, and hungry

Dear Daddy God,

I ask you in the precious name of Jesus to place your loving arms around each of these. Please meet them where they are; wrap your loving arms around them and hold their tender hearts in your hands. Keep them safe and warm. Shower them with your presence and make your presence known to them. Please give them comfort and a peace that passes understanding while making provisions for their needs. I thank you Father for the blessings you have poured out over my life. I love you and am so thankful you love me. THANK YOU FATHER!

Love Lee ❤

Christmas with Brandi, Robi, and Grandkids 2010

Dec23

Celebrating Christmas with our youngest daughter and her family is the highlight of the holiday season for us. This year due to congested schedules we decided to celebrate early. So, I had to kick into turbo…no waiting till the last-minute to wrap the gifts and prepare a meal.

The menu was easy to decide on because everyone loves Papa’s smoked ribs. Sides were a salad, baked potatoes and homemade hot and buttery beer bread. Ummm Ummm delicious! Dessert was Christmas candies, cookies, cupcakes and brownies.

Immediately following dinner Cheyenne, our granddaughter asked if she could help clear the table. I knew her goal was to get to those gifts tucked away under the tree. So, you can imagine her delight when I told her the dishes could wait.

We migrated to the living room where everyone was a buzz about the “Big Gift” in the corner. Because other gifts were associated with the “Big Gift” it had to be opened first…As you can imagine everyone was excited to hear that because they all had been trying to guess what it was for over a week…Needless to say it only took a few seconds to rip the wrapper off…They were elated but not to the degree of my delight!

I DID IT!!! For the first time ever I stumped Brandi…Every year right before she would open her “Big Gift” from me she would guess what it was but not this year!!! She had no clue and was sooo surprised!

Once the “Big Gift” was opened everyone migrated to “their spot”. All the gifts were handed out and in keeping with tradition the kids wanted to go one at a time opening their gifts so everyone could see what the other was getting. I love this as I remember growing up it was a free for all and Christmas gifts were unwrapped in 10 minutes or less…

Not with these kids… it took about an hour to open gifts making Christmas last a long time! The comments, laughter and hugs in between gifts was priceless!!!

The gifts I received were precious!!! The first I opened was a beautiful coffee mug from Cheyenne. The quote on the cup reads “Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come. Song of Songs 2:12a. Chey knows I love coffee and I love drinking it from special cups. I have a new “Special Cup” now! Next, a gift from Michael. It was a beautiful necklace. The front is the shape of a key hole and it is surrounded by bling. The back reads “Share the Love”. It is absolutely beautiful. Then I was handed an envelope which read “To Mom and Dad”….A gift card to Outback! Yeah!!! One of our most favorite places to eat!!! Next, foot care products with an inflatable foot bath…Love it!!! Then I was handed a large bag. In it was the purse I wanted. Brandi pulled it off she managed to buy the purse I wanted when shopping a couple of weeks ago. And she bought it while I was with her!!!

I loved the gifts and all the thought that went into finding the perfect one for me and speaking of perfect gifts, it was a little scroll of paper tied in a pretty ribbon and addressed to both Richard and me. When I unrolled it, it read “Merry Christmas! Mission Offering Donation made in the name of Richard and Lee Ann Smith” and the amount. Now this gift brought tears to my eyes. Anyone who knows me, knows sharing the love of Jesus is my passion and Missions is the most perfect venue to do just that.

I love every moment I get to spend with my kids and grandkids! I love their hugs, smiles, thoughts, and comments! I love watching them interact with each other as it is obvious they love each other very much! I love seeing the glow on my daughter’s face as she adores her husband and children! And I love seeing my son-in-law so happy!

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A Happy and Healthy Family Was My Most Favorite Gift!!!

Savor your moments with your family as they are your most treasured gift!!!

Love Lee ♥

The Smith’s Christmas Newsletter 2010

Dec22

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

From Richard and Lee Ann…2010

Each Year we start the Annual Newsletter with “Wow, we can’t believe another year has gone by” and 2010 is not without exception. It has gone by so quickly which enforces the old saying “Time flies when you’re having fun.”

It has been a tradition of ours to mail out a newsletter annually with our Christmas cards. I am so excited to be able to share electronically this year.

While we have had lots of fun we have also worked very hard over this past year. At the beginning of the year Richard worked as a technical writer and educator providing training at a refinery in Saudi Arabia. In October, he made the decision to go back into production so he is now working for BASF and is happier than I have seen him in years! I continue to work for Angleton Danbury Medical Center as the Director of the Revenue Management Department and find my job very fulfilling and am continually challenged by the ever-changing Medicare rules and regulations as well as the changes in commercial contracts.

Our jobs afford us the ability to play. We love to take frequent trips on our Harley motorcycle. This year we have taken several rides which were well over 500 miles each. It is amazing the unobstructed view I have from the back of the bike. When I hear “ride” I pack my fanny pack with the essentials like iPod, Cell Phone, Camera, Lipstick, and chewing gum and we are off…in pursuit of making a memory.

We also like to retreat in our motor home to local parks for uninterrupted R&R. We spent Valentines Day at Brackenridge RV Park in Edna, TX. Then, the entire month of August at Quintana Beach County Park in Freeport, TX my favorite…

Our family has celebrated several events together this year. The most important being the baptism of our granddaughter, Cheyenne. Her baptism was even more special because Richard had the privilege of baptizing her.

Then on Memorial Day Weekend, “The Annual Smith Family Reunion”…as always it was a huge success and we made lots of wonderful memories!

On 10/10/10 I celebrated my 50^th birthday and my family did a phenomenal job of surprising me with the fanciest Tea Party ever!

Every gathering with our family is a special occasion and we have occasion to gather often.

May Our Father Pour Out His Richest Blessings on You & Yours This Holiday Season!

Love,

Richard and Lee

Pregnant With Possibility

Dec20

There will be worries. There will be struggles. But tomorrow is filled with possibility. I am inching toward eternity, and this is a journey I want to savor, not suffer through.

When Mary received the news she was carrying the Christ Child, she embraced the present for the future. She embraced the glares, glances, whispers, and disapproving looks of society all because she was pregnant with our possibilities…

The possibilities we have in today and tomorrow is because Mary said “Be it unto me”.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Matthew 6:34

Because you have Jesus, you too are pregnant with possibility! Life is full of possibilities with Him. He is our hope, future, protector, healer, sustainer, strength, and joy. He wants us to live up to our full potential. To take life by the horns and enjoy the ride…

Have the courage to live fully today and await tomorrow with great hope; to be Pregnant with Possibility

Love Lee ♥

I Still Do…Happy Anniversary Richard ♥

Dec18

I remember standing at the back of the church thinking…”THIS IS IT…THE MOMENT I HAVE WAITED FOR ALL MY LIFE”.

December 18, 1977 I said “I Do” to the man of my dreams. It has been amazing how those two words have impacted every aspect of my life since! I adore you and am so proud to be Mrs. Richard Dallas Smith; honored, cherished, esteemed, and adored by you for 33 past years.

Rather than re-cap our lives together in written word, I thought you might enjoy a few pictures.

After all…A picture is worth a thousand words!!!

I cherish the memories of our yesterdays and look forward to many tomorrows with you!!!

Richard Dallas Smith…I Still Do!

Love Lee ♥

Don’t Remind Us

Dec17

Recently while at church I was reminded of the realities of the aging process when I walked past a little old grey-headed man. He was using a walker to ambulate and was all hunched over. As I approached him he lifted his head and made eye contact with me. My heart began to weep. It was my precious friend who was always full of life and laughter. He would grab me and give me the biggest hug every time he saw me. Now, he didn’t even know me!

This year I celebrated my 50th Birthday and it was incredible yet it is hard to believe I am a half a century old.

I write this post today as an apology and a tribute to my senior friends and family. Also, I want to educate the younger generation.

Apology

I am sooo sorry for all my actions and comments about your age that may have made you feel worthless or unwanted. I apologize if I made you sad or hurt your feelings. I apologize for rushing you and not recognizing your aches, pains, and struggles. I love you and thank you for not giving up on me!

Tribute

To my precious senior family and friends, I would like to say how incredible thankful I am to have you in my life. You have walked before me going through life trials and pains only to share them with me in order to prevent me from making the same mistakes. You take time to visit with me. I am glad you tell me the same story over and over. I love to hear them! I love your hugs and smiles! I appreciate you for making me feel like the most important person in the world! Thank you for the gifts you give as they are sentimental and I can tell you have put a lot of thought into them. Thank you for not giving up! I love you and pray God will pour out His blessings over your life bringing you peace, comfort, and joy.

Education

It is important to remember that the ability to learn and adjust continues throughout life and is strongly influenced by interests, activities, and motivation. With years of rich experience and reflection, we can rise above our own circumstances. Old age, despite the physical limitations, can be a time of variety, creativity, and fulfillment.

So, please don’t:

Remind us we are old
Make references to our age when talking to others
Say, “You already told me that story”
Tell us “You wouldn’t understand”
Ignore us because of our age

Bottom line no matter what age a person is they bring value and meaning to the universe. They have something the younger generation does not…LIFE EXPERIENCE!

Please be gentle with the Senior Adults in your life…While they are not fragile they do have tender hearts! Your youth is a constant reminder to the Senior Adult of what life use to be.

Most importantly…how you treat a Senior Adult today is most likely how you will be treated when you are old.

Hug A Senior Adult Today and Let them Know They Are Loved…

Love Lee ♥

Keep On Keeping On

Dec16

Too much to do and not enough time to do it? Paul has no Peter to borrow from? People not working with ya? Life coming at you too fast? What to do when life gets overwhelming?

Keep on Keeping on!!!

Albert Einstein’s three rules of work which are especially true during the holidays…

1. Out of clutter, find simplicity

Christmas cards
- Place your cards next to your favorite chair so you can work on them while relaxing
- Compose a Newsletter highlight favorite events and milestones over the previous year. Insert into the Card
- Use address labels generated electronically
- Purchase standard size envelopes to avoid paying extra postage
Gifts wrap
- Use gift bags when possible.
- Purchase ribbon with wire in it for easier bows
- For easy gift labels use address labels
Food
- Invite family members to bring their favorite dishes
- Keep the menu simple
- Quality verses Quantity is a good practice
- Use no more than 5 ingredients (There are cookbooks to help with this)
- Decoration
House Work
- Focus on high traffic areas
- Place clutter in a storage tub to clear hard surfaces
- Ensure bathrooms are clean
- Clean up spills and soiled areas when they occur

2. From discord, find harmony

Give the Gift of Forgiveness
Practice kindness
Pray for those who are difficult to deal with
Make every effort to practice tolerance
Put others first
Include everyone no matter the circumstances…you will never get this day in time again.