A Precious Package

Dec1

Last year the Christmas tree I had used for years bit the dust. It had been a great tree for many years bringing lots of smiles to our family. My precious friend read I would be throwing it out after using it for over 20 years. She immediately contacted me though Facebook to notify me I would be receiving a new tree after Christmas. Sure enough the week after Christmas my dear friend Rose Riggs appears on my door step with a huge box. My new Christmas tree had arrived!!!

This year I could hardly wait to put my tree up to see what it looked like. I was amazed at how easy the tree went up!!! Fold, fluff, and plug in…how easy is that? Trees sure have come a long way since the purchase of my last one! As is a tradition in our home the tree was decorated with stuffed animals, baby dolls, and ornaments made either made or gifted to me by family and friends.

As soon as the tree was up, pictures were posted on Facebook. Rose commented on how beautiful it was and would like to bring he brand new baby boy William to have his picture made in front of the tree. I was so touched she wanted to shoot pictures in front of my tree!

Last night William came to visit his Aunt Lee Lee…His mommy brings him in tucked into his carrier. Needless to say my babies had never seen a carrier with a tiny human in it… The were intrigued to say the least but it only took a couple of minute for them to bond.

William is such a good baby! He allowed us to pose him in front of the tree and even seemed to enjoy being propped up against Maggie Mae. Last night I was reminded…Little ones are what make Christmas memories so very special. I so love my precious friend William and know God has big plans for this little one!

Rose, Thank you for sharing your precious package with me this Christmas!

Love Lee ♥

“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:37

The Room With a View

Nov30

Being a true Southern Gal, I’ve always dreamed of having a huge colonial home with the enormous white columns out front, the rear of the home overlooking a river, and huge oak trees in the yard. All, viewed through a wall of solid windows across the back of the house while sitting in my favorite overstuffed chair.

My current home is large and does have white columns but they are far from enormous. And, while I do have huge oak trees in my yard, our home is not situated on a river. I never met the person that designed the house plans for this 1960’s ranch style home but I know it had to be a man!

There are many windows in our home but there is only one where I can sit and look out the window…The location is quiet, cozy, and secluded. While seated, it is through this small window I can see the tops of the oaks in the yard, the beautiful skies and the shrubs with purple flowers. The purple flowers that attract some of the most beautiful butterflies I have ever seen. On occasion I have the pleasure of watching the squirels playing chase in the trees. It is from this room I have some of my most intimate conversations with God and even spend time in His word. It is a place where I hear God Whisper and where I can whisper back and He hears me.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6

I don’t have a closet large enough to sit in but I do have my room with a view. While you may not have a view you have this room you can go to also the room where you can talk with God…

It is the Bathroom!

You can improve your prayer life if you will make it a point to talk with your Heavenly Father each time you enter the bathroom.

So, have you been to the bathroom today?

Love Lee ♥

God Whispers

Nov29

I love the saying “Make time for the quiet moments for God whispers and the world is loud” so much so I have it framed and hanging in my kitchen as a reminder.

Have you ever thought to yourself or verbalized, “If God would just tell me what to do…”? One thing I know is God is the same yesterday, today and forever! His character does not change; He is a kind and loving God who will guide and direct your path. And yes, He will even speak to you!

But, “how does He speak?” you ask. Well, there are several ways in which God speaks.

Through His word: Do you want to hear God’s voice? Then read the Bible. Find a good daily reading plan, and stick to it.“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16).
Through Prayer: Most conversations are a two-way street. Do you just stand in front of someone and wait for them to talk to you? NO…you typically introduce yourself, or initiate the conversation. It is no different when you want to talk with God. Not only does he listen but he also answers. So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer. (Ezra 8:23)
Through the council of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is the way we hear God’s voice!“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17).

Think about it when you are carrying on multiple conversations at once or you are talking to someone while listening to another conversation are you communicating effectively…I think NOT!

God is near and wants to communicate with you but like any other intimate conversation you must shut out your surroundings and focus on the person speaking and engage in one conversation at a time.

Listen to that still small voice that sits in the middle of your gut. The one that says “you ought to do this” or “you ought not do that”. I call it your sense of oughtness. When you have that sense about you, there is no confusion about what you ought to do because “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” (I Corinthians 14:33)

Is there something you feel you ought to do…

Find a quiet moment and allow God to speak!

Love Lee ♥

Sunday Afternoon Fun

Nov28

What a wonderful day…It began worshiping at First Baptist Church in Brazoria. Wonderful music and an awesome sermon Brother Greg Smith! Nothing pleases me more than to be in the presence of God; captured by His love.

After church we had a great time at lunch with friends Rayfard, Evelyn, and Martha at La Casona in Lake Jackson. Lots of laughter and fun. I am sure those sitting around us got a kick out of us trying to figure out how to utilize the technology we had purchased! Richard and Rayfard were even texting each other at the table. We discussed Apps like Maps, Yelp, Facebook, and Bible + One. Great food and friends always lead to a great time!

We can always count on a little mischief when Rayfard and Richard get together…The “Twinkies”

Once we got home, Richard decided he needs to get the bike out and take it for a spin…So, we were off! As is customary the first stop is always Buc-ees in Angleton for fuel and coffee. Once fueled up we headed out toward Bay City and made a big loop back to Jones Creek. We had a couple of close calls with rain…ended up just a few sprinkles but it was worth it because I love the smell of rain.

And as usual I had my camera…Yeah pictures!!! Here are a few taken along the way…Enjoy!

Love Lee ♥

Thanksgiving 2010

Nov27

I so love getting together with family and friends and this Thanksgiving was no exception! I am so blessed to have such a warm and loving family. We live, love, and laugh a lot!

The day started off very peaceful. I enjoyed my quiet time with the Lord; reading my Bible and praying. Then, it was time to get the turkey in the oven. Martha and I teamed up and got the dressing started. The meal was planned to start at 1pm and things were going as planned.

The first to arrive was my precious granddaughter Cheyenne. She was carrying a plate of homemade treats she had made all by herself. She chose a recipe from her cookbook, and purchased all the ingredients with her own money. She did such a wonderful job…I am so proud of her!

Second to walk through the door was Cheryl, Ken, and Shawn with awesome treats in hand and was wearing some of the most beautiful smiles. Shawn has gotten so big I have to look up at him now.

As I continued to putter around in the kitchen, family and friends continued to stream through the door and I quickly lost track of who came when. I could tell when another person would arrive when I heard the volume rise and squeals of excitement could be heard throughout the house.

Soon after my dear friends the Cannans arrived, Alisha made her way to the kitchen, washed her hands, and began helping me de-bone the turkey. A concern Alisha had voiced to her mother about Thanksgiving was the turkey. She was worried it might be dry. Thank goodness I soaked the turkey in a brine for over 24 hours…Her concerns were quickly put to rest when she took her first bite.

As everyone began to arrive, the buffet table began to fill up. My family has always been good to pitch in and bring sides and desserts. One thing for sure is God had blessed each member of our family with the ability to cook. The food was phenomenal and as always there was more than enough for everyone to eat.

As is our custom once everyone arrived we circled around the table and each person voiced what they were thankful for. There is seldom a dry eye in the room when we are through and this Thanksgiving was not different. One of the most tender moments was watching my sister and her husband embrace after the blessing. I was blessed to be a witness to it. God is so good and has richly blessed my sister and her husband.

Soon after the meal was over Susan ran to the store and picked up a couple of newspapers end the hunt was on. Everyone was in pursuit of an item they were going to purchase on “Black Friday”. Who would have believed the newspaper would provide the whole family with hours of entertainment.

Oh, and speaking of entertainment…We had piano playing, ballet, and hand slapping games, and of course FOOTBALL…Activities of different sorts in every room. Priceless times!!!

There were some who were not with us this Thanksgiving and they were missed terribly. Both Richard and Smokey had to work, Lindsey spent the holiday with her dad, Rayfard and Evelyn were celebrating a family member’s birthday, Debbie and Greg were in Arkansas with their grandkids…Our oldest daughter Tori lives out-of-town and was not able to come home but called to wish everyone “A Happy Thanksgiving”. To each of you…”You Were Missed”

What fun memories we made, what great food we ate, and what incredible thanks we gave to our Father in heaven for blessing us!

We are family…

Love Lee ♥

Don’t Envy Her…

Nov27

While standing in line at a checkout counter in a department store, I am reminded of times when people would have their shopping carts overflowing with merchandise and I would think to myself, “Wow, I wish I had that kind of money”…”Some people have all the luck”… or even “it is just not fair”.

Black Friday has come and gone and I am reminded of those who are less fortunate and are not able to express their affections by giving gifts. While Christmas is not just about gifts it is important to remember Gifts is one of The Five Love Languages as is Words of Affirmation, Acts of Kindness, Touch, or Quality Time.

So receiving gifts is very important to those whose love language is Gifts; even when we don’t have the finances to make purchases. But should the desire to make those purchases push us to the point of being envious of what someone else has? I think not…

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30

So rather than be envyous…You should get creative by thinking outside the box for that one of a kind gift that will forever remain a memory in the heart and mind of the person receiving the gift. The gift you put yourself into for that special someone.

When Richard and I were first married we had very little if any extra money. Any extra we did have, we used it to ensure our girls had a good Christmas. I however also felt it was necessary to give gifts to all the family members so I had to get really creative.

Necessity, who is the mother of invention. Plato

With that in mind, I remember the year I took a tuna fish can, washed it, painted it with a decorative motif , filled it with pillow stuffing, then covered it with a cross stitch design held in place by a pretty ribbon, and placed dress pins in it. That year…a pin cushion was all I had to give.

While Richard was attending seminary we were especially stretched financially. I remember gathering all the fabric remnants left over from the outfits I had made for the girls when they were little and used them to make a quilt for Brandi. It was the talk of the campus and each day the neighbor boys would come by to check on its progress. A lot of wonderful conversations took place during the making of that quilt. To this day she has that quilt displayed in her home.

As I have gotten older, I no longer feel an obligation to gift family and friends; now it is a choice. If I see something which reminds me of someone I will gift them with it or if we know of someone in need we pray about how we can help meet that need.

For years now our Christmas gift to our family and friends has been to open up our home; providing a place for everyone to come together to make memories that will last a lifetime.

For the 32 years Richard and I have been married we have never exchanged a Christmas gift. We couldn’t afford gifts when we were first married and today we choose not to gift each other because gifts are not our love language. He gives me a hug (touch is my love language) and I tell him what a wonderful man and husband he is (words of affirmation is his love language) and we are set!

So, this Christmas I encourage you to think about the following:

Jesus is the Reason for the Season
Purchased Gifts are not Always the Best Gifts
Know your loved one’s Love Language
Memories will last a lifetime so make some great ones

And, when you see people’s shopping carts full…

Protect your bones…Don’t Not Envy Them

Love Lee ♥

To God Be The Glory

Nov25

Preparations for a day of food, family and fun are well underway. Thanksgiving Day with all its excitement is here! As I sit sipping my morning coffee in my favorite chair, I find myself pondering all I am thankful for in my life.

I am thankful for:

My mom for giving birth to me and loving me even when I am not loveable.
My Grandparents for loving me rotten (Our Nanny Miller)
My Sisters and Brother for looking up to me as their big sister
My precious husband for wrapping his loving arms around me and saying I do…and still does
My daughters Tori and Brandi who I adore and cherish with all my heart
My Grandchildren Cheyenne, Mike, and Brandon who rock my world
My precious friends for loving me in spite of my warts
All who are willing put aside their own lives to fight for our freedom

Above all other, I am so incredibly thankful for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…without them my being would be void of life!

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. Psalms 95:2 which is what Andrae Crouch has done in the song “To God Be The Glory”

To God Be The Glory

How Can I Say Thanks
for The Things You Have Done For Me
things So Undeserved
yet You Give To Prove Your Love For Me
the Voices Of A Million Angels
cannot Express My Gratitude
all That I Am Or Ever Hope To Be
I Owe It All To Thee

(Chorus)
to God Be The Glory
to God Be The Glory
to God Be The Glory
for The Things He Has Done
with His Blood, He Has Saved Me
by His Power, He Has Raised Me.
to God Be The Glory
for The Things He Has Done

(Bridge)
just Let Me Live My Life
and Let It Be Pleasing, Lord To Thee
and Should I Gain Any Praise,
let It Go To Calvary.

with His Blood, He Has Saved Me
by His Power, He Has Raised Me.
to God Be The Glory
for The Things He Has Done.

While you are thankful…Have you given Him the Glory?

Love Lee ♥

Our Nanny Miller

Nov24

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time to reflect on the people and things we have to be thankful for. But for me, Thanksgiving is about traditions and getting to do the things I witnessed my grandmother do for all those years.

I will never forget all the wonderful Thanksgiving meals my Nanny Miller prepared for our family. She planned for weeks getting her work list organized. She planned the menu and had all the steps to down to a “T”. She was amazing!!! The family would walk in the door and everything was ready to eat and she would greet each of us with a great big hug and a kiss. No one realized the amount of time she spent on a meal because she made it look effortless…

BUT…IT WAS NOT!!!

As I got older my Nanny began to teach me her recipes for turkey and dressing, pies, and other goodies. She taught me how to plan the meal, when to cook what, and most importantly the importance of keeping a good attitude no matter what.

Being her first grandchild and the oldest of four children Nanny encouraged me to take on our family gatherings. I was about 25 years old when Nanny sat me down and asked, “Lee, how would you feel about having Thanksgiving at your house this year?”. She then said the words that made me ok with taking on the family gatherings. She said, “I will help you”. And, she did…She gave me suggestions and gentle guidance on how to’s. For a while she continued to cook and bring in her dishes. It was awesome when she arrived the entire family would squeal with pleasure…One would say, “Yeah Nanny’s here…I can’t wait for a piece of her pecan pie” while another would say “Yeah Nanny’s here…I can’t wait to eat one of her rolls.”. Everyone had a like but without a doubt everyone’s favorite was her cornbread dressing!!!

From that Thanksgiving on our home has become the place for our family to gather for food, fun, and laughter. It is a privilege and I am so thankful my family is willing to come here so the traditions passed on by our Nanny Miller can be carried on.

Today as I bake the cornbread and place the turkey in the brine, I can’t help but think of my Nanny Miller and how terribly I miss her. But, her legacy lives on and she is still helping me. The advice she gave me all those years ago are still put into practice today and the minute the first person walks through the door all the hard work is suddenly worth it!!!

I Thank God for My Nanny Miller and all the grandmothers out there like her who are willing to teach the future generations about traditions and the importance of people in those traditions.

While I miss her terribly….There is no doubt in my mind Nanny Miller’s cornbread dressing is being featured at the banquet table in Heaven!

Love Lee ♥

Keeping Your Promises

Nov23

Who out there has said, “I will…” but knew deep down “You Wouldn’t? Often people commit to things or people without giving any thought to the implications or consequences. Then when the time arrives to follow through with the commitment they realize it was never their intention to carry out what was promised so the excuses begin to flow.

Parents do this frequently. They tell the child whatever it takes to pacify them at the time. Then when it is time to deliver what was promised the parent is no longer quite so eager to please.

Before making a commitment or promise to someone you might want to consider the following:

Do you intend to you keep your word and follow through?
Is the commitment something you can realistically carry out?
Did you write down the commitment you made?
Do you know why you are making the promise?
Do you know what you hope to gain from the promise and the consequences of failure?

Keeping promises demonstrates our “True Inner Self.” It shows whether or not we have corruptible or incorruptible morals inside of us. Integrity, Honor, Self-respect and Honesty means everything to man and to the Lord! A broken promise means a broken trust and relationship. Trust and respect as well as one’s honor is the basis of our relationship with our Lord. He expects us to keep promises to others as well!

…The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. Psalms 145:13. Your Heavenly Father is the greatest promise keeper ever. His word is chalked full of promises for His children. He provides the perfect example to us His kids teaching us the importance of keeping those promises. We should strive to follow His example.

So, what promises have you made?

It is never too late to deliver!!!

Love Lee ♥

I Just Can’t Control Myself

Nov22

You think you have no self-control Well, just let your neighbor ring the doorbell while you are in the middle of throwing a wall-eyed fit. What do you do? You plaster a great big smile on your face and in a sugary sweet voice you greet that neighbor as any Southern Belle would do. You invite them in and you carry on a conversation with them as if absolutely nothing had upset your apple cart 5 minutes prior.

Now, that’s self-control if I ever saw it!!!

Self control is a fruit of the spirit which is gifted to you the day you ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life. But, that gift is given as a seed. It must be cultivated, nurtured and matured. It is not a full-grown plant the day you receive it.

…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

What is it in your life that causes you to lose control of yourself? What pushes your buttons? Could it be…

The kids fighting
Your husband leaving his underwear on the floor
Dirty dishes in the sink
Toilet paper hung backward on the roll
The tooth pasted squeezed in the middle rather than rolled from the bottom
A huge piece of Chocolate Cake left out on the counter
A person which rubs you the wrong way

Whatever it is that sets you off, doesn’t have to. You have the seed of Self Control given to you by your heavenly Father. All you must do is exercise it in order for it to be strengthened. In time you will become stronger and much more proficient at using it. Much like one is strengthened by physical exercise.