Couldn’t Make Ourselves Leave

Oct17

Sitting out under “our” Palm Tree yesterday, Richard said, “I don’t think I am ready to go home. I think I could stay here forever”. Usually that’s my line!

We love staying at Quintana Beach County Park where there is never a dull moment. Campers and Ships coming and going, different kinds of birds flying in and out, crabs scurrying around underfoot. It is a place where children laugh, frisbie, soccer, football, volleyball, and horseshoes are played.

One of most interesting past times is watching human behaviors as they set up camp. Wives yelling directions to their husbands as they back in their campers, men playing with their little babies in the street, women washing dishes in their bathing suits, and little ones exploring with freedom…

We like many others find great pleasure removing ourselves from the hustle and bustle of daily life and just sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

Even our dogs find this to be home away from home…

This morning we stepped out of the RV to take the dogs for a walk and the first thing we saw was the largest ship we had seen to date. This one had pulled in during the night in stealth mode. Security is everywhere and lots of activity involved with her arrival.

I think we will stay another week because…Life is good on the beach!!!

Love Lee ♥

Cheyenne Got It Started

Oct16

Traditions are so important to pass on to the next generation but one tradition in our family was started by my Granddaughter.

We love getting away when we can and the timing was perfect to take a trip in the RV to Lake Texana for my Birthday. One afternoon while we were sitting out under the trees having coffee, the phone rang. It was our precious Cheyenne and she said, “Hi Meme; where are you?” I told her Papa and I were camping at Lake Texana. Then she asked, “But what about your Birthday? It’s your Birthday and we have to have a party.” I told her Meme’s don’t have Birthday parties we go camping. She responded, “No Meme EVERYONE has to have a Birthday party and we have to have a party for you!”

She was so insistent and would not take no for an answer so I promised her when I returned home we would have a party and celebrate my Birthday. That seemed to pacify her for the time being. But on Sunday as we were traveling home the phone rang again. It was Chey, “Meme are you coming home for your party?” I assured her again we would have a party.

The pressure was on…I was headed home and my Granddaughter was meeting me at my house to celebrate my Birthday. What on earth could I do quickly? Then it came to me…We will just have a little tea party.

When I arrived home, I pulled out a flowered table-cloth and put it on the table, grabbed some cute dishes I had tucked away in the buffet and filled them with nuts, Cheetos, and M&Ms, made some peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches, brewed a pot of tea and we were ready to party! The guest list was short…just Cheyenne, Richard and I but we had loads of fun!

That was my very first Birthday Tea and every year since Cheyenne asks, “Hey Meme, what day are we having your Tea Party this year?”

Today we are celebrating the 5th Annual Birthday Tea…”La Tea Dah”. Though guest list has grown considerably and the menu has gotten much tastier with each passing year I will never forget my first Tea Party with my Granddaughter and how a new tradition got started.

Thank You Cheyenne!

Love Meme ♥

Because I Said So…

Oct13

I am sure as you were growing up you heard your Mom say…”Because I said so”. It is such a popular saying they even made a movie with that title. That is what a parent says when they said it, meant it, and do not want to discuss it…

In much the same way our Heavenly Father says it, means it, and does not want to discuss it. One of those subjects is Love. He told us to “Love one Another and So fulfil the law of Christ. Never but never is there an exception!

Jesus reiterated his Father’s instructions when He said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34. This is one time “Please and Thank You” was not used…He commanded it! Now, I don’t know about you but when my parents told me to do something, I did as I was told because I loved them so much and desperately wanted to please them. Hmmm I ask, “Are we obedient in following His command?”

How to Love Others

Have you ever thought about how to extend love to others; those you know as well as those you don’t? Well, it is quite easy if you see others through the eyes of their Father. God so adores us and He loves us despite our behaviors. Think about the person you love most in this world. Now, I ask why do you love them? It is because you know them. There is a bond there because there are commonalities in your lives. So, to learn to love those you don’t know Take the time to get to know them.

Learn their likes and dislikes
Accept their uniqueness
Listen to their hearts when they speak
Welcome them into your circle of friends
Ask about their passions
Allow them to talk freely

How to Express Love

Dr. Gary Chapman does an excellent job of teaching us how to love in his book “The Five Love Languages”. By learning a person’s love language you can more easily obey His command. Below is a summary of “The Five Love Languages”

Words of Affirmation

Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

Quality Time

In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

Receiving Gifts

Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.

Acts of Service

Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

Physical Touch

This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

By learning characteristics of each of the above Five Love Languages you will be able to discern other’s Love Language and in turn how best to demonstrate love towards them. I challenge you to open your heart, make people your priority, and learn to love…To learn your Love Language take the The Love Language Test.

The PERFECT example of love…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

Love Lee ♥

Say Thank You

Oct11

Saying “Thank You” is so important especially when you are living in a thankless world. Do you receive those kind words, subtle niceties, or random acts of kindness with an attitude of gratitude or do you take them for granted?

It’s All About Manners

We loved it when Richard’s grandmother, Gramma came to visit. She enjoyed playing games and one she played with our girls was “Please and Thank You” . It was a twist on “Go Fish”. When asking for a card you must say “Please” or you lose your turn. Then if you received the card you requested by saying “Please” but forgot to say “Thank You” you had to hand them back not only the card that was just handed to you but also the ones in your hand that matched that card. A great way to teach children manners. But, what about the kids or for that matter adults who did not have a Gramma to play “Please and Thank You” with? Is it too late to develop an attitude of gratitude? I say it is never too late!

Recognize the Gift

It is important to recognize we must say, “Thank You” not only for those things we ask for but for those things which are given to us as a gift. But first we must recognize the gift and it is not always easy!

Several years ago, I was at work one day and my dear friend and neighbor came over to my house and mowed my yard. I was so surprised to find a perfectly manicured yard when I returned home. Immediately I knew who had done it. I walked over to her house and thanked her profusely for mowing for me…She stopped me right in the middle of my “Thank You” and said, “The gift was not a yard mowing. It was a gift of time. I wanted you take the time it would have taken you to mow your yard and apply it to the time you spend with Richard which is what you enjoy the most.” Suddenly the gift became even more valuable in my eyes.

A gift can come in many forms; a smile, a nod, a note or email, flowers…etc. The list could go on forever and that is why it is not always easy to recognize exactly what the gift might be. So, I challenge you to look for the hidden meanings as well as the obvious!

Acknowledge the Gift

Now that you have recognized a gift how did you acknowledge it? There are many ways to say “Thank You” …

For the casual gifts such as a smile, kind word, or deed a casual “Thank You” will work. Casual meaning an email, phone call, an e-card or even a Facebook post. But for those special gifts a formal “Thank You” is in order. Gifts given for a special occasion such as graduation, wedding, birth of a baby, or birthday warrant a more formal “Thank You” such as a “Thank You” card. When sending a “Thank You” it is important to remember…

Avoid pre-printed “Thank You” cards but instead send one that is blank with an added personal hand written note.
Timing is everything so send the card within a week of the event or receipt of the gift.
Content should be short with reference to the gift that was given.

America Has Lost Its Manners…We can begin now to teach the next generation how to be thankful…

Perhaps you could start by playing a game of “Please and Thank You”

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

Love Lee ♥

What an Incredible Day!!!

Oct10

I have thought about this day for years and have thought about what I could do to celebrate being a half a century old…But I never imagined it would be like this!!!

I woke this morning to a beautiful sunrise at Quintana Beach. Gentle breeze blowing and the smell of salt water in the air. Absolutely Beautiful!!!

Because Richard had made plans to go to my mother’s house today he wanted to go to the 8:00 church service this morning. I dressed for comfort since we were going to mom’s immediately after church. We had an awesome church service followed by great Sunday School. Then we were headed to my mom’s…I thought!

When we got in the car Richard said before we go to your mom’s I want to take you somewhere really special; somewhere I have never taken you. My gift to you…but I want it to be a surprise so I want you to put this blind fold on. Hmmm…I figured if he wanted to surprise me then I would go along with it. When we started out I tried to keep up with the turns so I would have an idea of where we were. After several turns I got completely turned around and then decided to sit back and enjoy the ride! Starts and stops; twists and turns…it felt like it was taking forever!

Finally, the car came to a stop and Richard said, “Before you take off the blindfold, you know I love you right?” I answered, “Yes”. Then he said, “and you know I would never do anything to hurt you right?”; I said “Yes”. Then he paused for a bit and said “Babe, I love you. You can take off the blindfold now”. When I took off the blindfold I was sitting in the parking lot of Quintana Breeze and standing in front of our car was my family and friend waving at me.

What a surprise!!! The very people I love most in the world had all gone in together and planned the most awesome Surprise Party. I could not have imagined it to be more perfect. Come to find out they have been planning the party since July! They had a family meeting (without me) and delegated the work out and when it all came together it was unbelievable!!!

They had planned the ultimate Tea Party. The Mad Hatter even came! My Brother Daniel has such a flare for theatrics and he out did himself on his outfit. The ladies were dressed so elegant. Because I thought I was going to my mom’s I was dressed in Capries and blouse. But, not for long. Richard had given them my dress, hat and shoes…Had my own dressing room and all…They had thought of EVERYTHING! They had even invited some of my most treasured friends.

To all involved in making my 50th Birthday so special…The beautiful tea cups and tea pots were the most perfect gifts!!! I love them every single one. I will remember this day forever!!!

Thank you so much!

Love Lee ♥

Plan For A Successful Day

Oct9

I truly believe no one wakes up and says to themselves, “I wonder how I can screw up this day”. I am of the belief everyone wants to have a great day and contribute value to the society in which they live.

Perhaps when things go a wry it is not because we planned to fail but rather we failed to plan…Plan for Success that is.

There is a natural progression when planning for success. While you may have heard the term ‘an overnight success” it seldom happens in life. Over night successes always happens to someone else. So, for those of us who were not born with a silver spoon in our mouths or have ever been handed one in life, we must develop a plan and stick to it!

The Goal

So I ask, what defines success for you; is it money, fame, career, or simply a productive day? Before you can achieve success it must be defined. You need to know where you want to end up. Think about it…how can one run a race without knowing where the finish line’s at? The finish line is where the prize (goal) is at. It is also important to recognize that in a race there is more than one runner and while not all will finish first; they all have the desire to be first. So, think about it the starter gun goes of and the runners are off…What needs to happen next is for you to run that race as if your life depends on it and don’t look back!!!

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1Corinthians 9:24.

The Plan

Well, you have a goal but what’s the plan? How are you gonna get to the goal? I am sure you’ve heard about the best way to eat an elephant…one bite at a time of course. And, that is how you will reach your goal. Think about it you are going to run the race…a 10 mile marathon. Do you wake up one morning and say, “Hey, I think I will run a 10 mile marathon today”? No, you start a training routine; you start small and add a little each day. So I ask, after reading this article do you think you are going to set all your goals now and when you wake up tomorrow you will achieve them all??? No, you have to plan for success. Break the big goal down into small short-term achievable goals making sure they are measurable. I am going to do (the goal) by (date/time).

The Celebration

Yeah…you bit off part of that elephant, its gone, and you are looking at the next bite. Wait…before you take another bite you need to celebrate your success. By celebrating your successes you are rejuvenated to move forward. How you celebrate is entirely up to you. Only you know what pushes your buttons. It does not need to cost anything, take a lot of time, or involve others. Perhaps it is as simple as a bubble bath, a walk on the beach, or a bowl of popcorn and a movie. Don’t count on others to give you recognition for you successes…You need to celebrate YOU!!!

Start Simple…Add Sub-goals Daily…Celebrate Sucesses…and you can have A Successful Day!

Love Lee ♥

Establishing a Routine

Oct7

Establishing a routine is not the same as being in a rut…Routine is conducive to peace and harmony in the home.

Image via Wikipedia

When my girls were small, I was a stay at home mom. My success at motherhood was defined by the level of peace and harmony in our home. I wanted home to be a haven for my husband and children. This became the focus of my life and the core of my being. I wanted everything to be perfect. But, while trying to create the perfect home, perfect meals, perfect family…I became a perfect mess. I became increasingly tired and resented all the work it took to create the perfect world I so desperately longed for.

I now recognize life was not so perfect but my precious daughters did appreciate the stability which the routines in our home provided for them. I realized this when I made the decision to go to nursing school just before my girls entered Jr. High. I had early clinical in Galveston one day and will never forget the phone call I received from my youngest daughter. She called and asked, “Mom, what do I eat for breakfast?” I recommended a bowl of cereal and she replied, “We have never had cereal for breakfast…you always cook”. It was then I realized in my efforts to create the perfect home, I had forgotten to encourage participation. You see, had I allowed the kids to participate with breakfast preparations rather than just serve them a meal, my daughter would have been able to use those skills to prepare her own breakfast rather than eat out of a cereal box. Did it kill her to eat cereal? Absolutely not but had she had the skills to prepare her own breakfast she would have at least had a choice. By establishing routines in the home and incorporating the family in those routines, our days will flow with greater ease.

I can hear you now…”I can’t get my kids to participate”. Well, been there done that and I do not have the perfect answer but I do have some suggestions based on my life lessons…

Lighten up: Make things fun rather than a chore.
Accept less than perfect: So the bed is made and it looks crooked…let it go
Provide praise: Let them know when they do something right rather than remind them of all they did and do wrong.
Make the consequences fit the offense: Minor and major offenses should not have the same consequence or outcome will not be as effective
apologize when you screw up: Allow your child to see you handle mess ups and more importantly how you reconcile your ooopses in life
Love freely: Never ever miss a chance to tell your family how much you love them and how important they are to you.

Now, you can establish routines incorporating the entire family. In doing so you will be providing some of the most important life lessons a child could receive.

Mornings:

When your children wake up do they know what to expect. Is your morning absolute chaos or is it even keel? By establishing a routine in the morning their lives become a little mor predictable. There are fewer unexpected and family time together is spent with the focus on family rather than the drama created by the unexpected. Break the big routine into doable pieces so the goal is no longer unattainable for them. Assign tasks that fit the child’s personality so they enjoy what they are doing. Often times prep performed the evening before can make a huge difference for your mornings. Prep could include: Loading backpacks, signing school work, baths, or laying out clothes for the next day

Evenings

Ahhhh the moment everyone has waited for all day…Coming Home! No one wants to come home to chaos. Home is our haven and for most our greatest amount of time at home is in the evenings after school or work. Life at home can not be all work. By finding balance between chores and play home becomes more enjoyable. Allow you children to work with you rather than assign them independent tasks. In doing so, closer relationships are formed. Organization is key. Think about how you want your evenings to go and plan for them. Get your work list prepared, plan fun activities, and always allow time for talks and prayers at bedtime.

Dinner Routine

To this day my girls fondly remember our times around the dinner table. This was a time we all sat down and interacted with pleasure and respect. Dinner time was when we talked about the events of the day, shared funny stories or just relaxed and took it all in. Dinner was not a time for us to discuss negative subjects or to discipline the children. Turn off the TV and Radio; make dinner about the family. Allow your children to set and clear the table, prepare the meal, and wash the dishes. The result is two fold…the chores are done and excellent family time.

Bottom line is life is pretty unpredictable so why not add some predictability back into your home by establishing some routines.

Love Lee ♥

Establishing a Family Routine – Très Important (crazyadventuresinparenting.com)
Effective Routines for Busy Moms (momblognetwork.com)

Can You Hear Their Cries

Oct7

This morning’s topic on Joni’s Table Top was “Human Trafficking“. Initially my thought was I am not going to watch this because it did not pertain to me but I literally could not change the channel. What I heard was horrific!

IT BROKE MY HEART !!!

Young teenagers are captured, caged, and used 30 to 40 times per day. The children born to these young teens are removed from their mothers and sold to child pedifilers. What a horrific life these young ladies have to endure!!!

CAN YOU HEAR THEIR CRIES???

Rather than turn a blind eye, please take the time to visit the links below and ask God to give you direction on what He would have you to do to help abolish human trafficking.

Love Lee ♥

Human Trafficking in America: Now Florida’s Biggest ‘Invisible’ Crime

Human Trafficking Crimes Common in the US

Modern Day Slavery: Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking Around the World

Taken Movie Review Liam Neesen Maggie Grace Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking: Putting an End to Modern Day Slavery

Human Trafficking is High Profit Business

Smith Family Reunion 2010

Oct6

The Smith Family Reunion was the vision of Richard’s brother Mike. He made the statement wouldn’t it be great if all the family could get together each year. So Richard and I volunteered our home and that is how it all began.

Menues planned√…House Cleaned√…Firewood for the Pit √…Yardwork done√… Pool Cleaned√…Sleeping Arrangements for All√…Towels, Floats, and Toys√…

Now they are on their way! Each year the last week of May, family and friends from all over the US begins to make their journey to Jones Creek, Texas. They usually begin to arrive on Wednesday and stay through Tuesday the following week. So it is a week of family, friends, and fun…coupled with food, swimming, and grotto chats!

So much fun for all and each year the number grows. Family members marry, babies are born, and new friends are made…Therefore, the more the merrier!

We are so honored to have the privilege of hosting this annual Smith event! The Family Reunion was a great idea! Thank You Mike!!!

Love Lee ♥

Home is Good For the Soul

Oct6

As the temperature begins to cool down and a crispness fills the air I get the urge to make those savory soups, bake breads, and make flavored coffees and hot teas. Then to enjoy it all out on the freshly swept patio, fragranced with my favorite candles, soft music playing in the background and birds sweetly singing overhead.

As I look out across the yard I notice large yellow and orange leaves gently dancing as it floats to the ground while my precious pups are chasing squirrels and squealing with excitement.

Oh how I love Autumn and how I sooo love being home!!! Home is when your spirit gets a chance to play and express itself. Home is where I can be me and do those things I enjoy. Home is my haven from the hustle and bustle of the world. Home is where I spend time with my loved ones. And, most importantly, home is where I spend quality time with my Heavenly Father!

I am sure you have heard the old saying…”Home is where the heart is”. So I ask…is your heart at home? If not you might want to invite it in…

Love Lee ♥