Coffee and Tea with Me

Smile I rushed out the door into the world. Anything could happen. I may get in a car accident. I may trip and break my leg. They might not have everything I need at the store. They might not have toilet paper! I may get corona virus! I was going outside of my bubble into the scary world. I was going to the grocery store. It is not my favorite thing to do anyway but I used to enjoy it more because there were other humans there to talk to and to smile at. Now I am not so sure. Now all I see is masked men and women and children. It is not a happy sight. I may see someone I know and not recognize them. Everyone just looks so impersonal. It seems like another world where you can not recognize any one. I miss going out in public and seeing people’s expressions and smiles. I miss talking even small talk in the grocery isles. I miss the joy of seeing someone I know and getting a chance to chat and catch up on our families, children, grandchildren, parents, friends, while we stand in fron...

We have been dependent on so many things. Even Home-schoolers are not used to being at home to do school. We’ re often depende nt on co-ops to teach our children. We drive them around and get others to teach them instead of teaching them at home. C o-ops come in all shapes and sizes. They are a great option and a blessing. They provide friends, tutors for subjects we don’t feel as confident in . T hey give us a sense of community. We are also dependent on various other groups such as sports, dance, mock trial, b ible studies etc. None of these are bad things in and of themselves, but maybe we have looked to these too much and became so crazy busy that we did not have time to rest and be quiet before the Lord . And now f or many of us if not most, in our town, state, country and around the world, we are suddenly sheltering at home because of the covid19 pandemic that has hit the world. W e find ourselves alone at home with our children and spouse for an indefinite amount of...

                                                              Micah and Lydia Has it been 30 years already?!  Dec. 22, 1989 our son Micah was born. 15 years later before Micah turned 15 we waited for another baby to be born, before Micah could have his bone marrow transplant. I asked Micah if he would like to have a baby brother or sister for his birthday and he said he would like that very much. Well the Lord gave him a sister, Lydia Faith Leake, born on Micah's birthday. What a gift she has been. I  had given Micah the nickname of My Sunshine, so it seemed fitting to call Lydia my sunshine as well. She was a blessing to Micah and many others in the hospital that first year of her life while Micah was having a bone marrow transplant and then when he relapsed and went in for more chemo she was always with us. Mic...

When you are unhappy and you know it, you may not be able to clap your hands. Your heart many be heavy and sad but even in the midst of the pain we can praise Jesus anyway, because He knows the end of the story and He wins. God is the one who gives and takes away. He is the One who holds our tears, every single one. No pain is wasted. Look to Christ. He will get your through. Even in your tears and your sorrow. Praise Him in the Storm. He really is the only One who can carry your through the darkest hours. One of my favorite scriptures is, “ Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 In 2001 on Thanksgiving day, a month before his 12 th birthday, our son Micah fell out of a tree and broke his femur, tore his spleen,...

Poem from Mark to Laura 1985 A Flower from the Father All my life I’ve thanked God for flowers I’m thanking Him now for you You’re a flower from God to me Sweeter, gentler, more beautiful And never has even the loveliest flower Sung with sweet voice the praises of God Or spoken kind words to me Never listened with caring heart Never walked with me or laughed with me Never held my hand Never received Christ as Savoir Or loved me with His love As much as I’ve been blessed by flowers They don’t compare with the blessing of you And O how lovely our Lord Whose beauty, love and care It is I see in you Who directs my heart To praise and adore Him From Whom this blessing flows Thank you Father for Laura A flower of your love

God is not finished Jan 30, 2019 Before Micah's Bone Marrow transplant We are home after transplant! Thanksgiving 2005 God is not finished I love this picture of our family on Thanksgiving 2005, the last Thanksgiving with all of our children right before Micah died on Dec. 17, 2005. It has been a long time since all of our family was together. We have added two daughter-in -laws, two son-in-laws, two granddaughters ( one yet to be born) and a grandson. I look forward to receiving more as the Lord continues to add to our family. But I am not going to lie. It hasn't been all easy since Micah died. The years of suffering and death had it's toll on each one of us in different ways. Our own individual sins and failings have had an affect on us too. We are still trying to work things out in our souls and spirits. When we realize life does...