Coffee and Tea with Me

December 17, 2013 8 years ago today It was a day like any other The sun rises and sets on this father and mother The sky is blue and the rooster crows                                                         The air is crisp And no one knows That our boy, Micah goes To his Father above He knows To live in joy and peace above In heaven with the one called Love We miss him still and still we mourn He suffered 4 years of cancer in a storm He was strong through thin and thick Our hope deferred It made us sick We thought he’d live To tell his story here. But God took him home, Our son so dear. So through the pain And sorrow still We look to Christ And know He will Help us today To persevere Through pain of losing Our son so dear Our God is good He loves us more Than anyone That we adore He gave our son The greatest gift of all Eternal life, The cost to Him was tall Our God He

Rain, Rain, Rain! Day after day, A sweet summer rain continues to fall gently upon the earth. Go outside. Look up to heaven with outstretched arms and hands. Feel the rain fall upon your head! God is Reigning over you! His love, mercy and grace are falling upon you. Rejoice! Look up! Turn your face towards heaven. Reach up to God! Receive His blessing for you this day!

I just finished reading Genesis again after more times than I can count. Yet, I can hardly read about Joseph in the Bible (Gen 37-50) without weeping. It is such a beautiful, remarkable story of redemption! God turned a whole family around. Not only did He redeem Joseph but he changed Judah from being the one to sell Joseph into slavery, to pleading for Benjamin’s life and offering himself as a slave in Benjamin’s place. That is an amazing turn around and it gives me hope! So much trouble in one family turned around for good. God used what was meant for evil into good. (Gen. 45:3-5,7-8) God is our Redeemer and He is in the business of redeeming. We are all imperfect people who have imperfect parents, imperfect children, imperfect siblings, friends, co- workers, husbands and wives! In the midst of evil, all of our sorrow and pain and trials, God is living and active. He loves us! He is for us! He is powerful and good and He does good and righteous things! 2 Cor 4:17 and 18 tel

Even though it has been a couple of months since Elisabeth's 16th birthday, here are a couple of beautiful pictures of my sweet daughter and a picture of her traditional strawberry cake, which I got from her blog.  http://leakes.wordpress.com/2013/06/22/a-birthday/  I am so thankful for Elisabeth and her joy and laughter. She is so sweet and thoughtful. On her birthday she often gives her family gifts! This year she made homemade soap and wrapped each one special for each of us. She loves to write letters and cheer people up with encouraging notes. She is a blessing and I am so thankful for her. I love you Elisabeth!

Years ago when my daughter Priscilla Joy  was about 5 years old she came up to me and said,” Mommy, you know how some people are really sweet?” “Yes,” I said. “Well, I am spicy!” We got a good laugh out of that but thought about what an accurate description that was for her. Today is Priscilla’s 18 th birthday and she has been spicy ever since! I can not believe how fast time has gone. We have been so blessed with her life. I am so thankful for my spicy daughter Priscilla Joy,  who is filled with the Joy of the Lord which leaks out of her! She is a beautiful fragrance of Christ! I love you Priscilla! 2 Cor 2:14-17 14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.

I am so thankful that the Lord has called me to the ministry of motherhood. It is a great privilege and a joy to train up, disciple, serve and love my children for the glory of God. I am so blessed to be the mother of nine wonderful children. Each one is so very special and such a unique individual miracle of God and blessing to me. I praise the Lord for Jesse, Josiah,Gabriel, Hannah, Priscilla, Elisabeth, Bethany, Lydia and Micah! I love you all am I am glad that God made you and blessed me to be your mother. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God's works truly are marvelous! My soul knows that very well. Psalms 139 139:1 God's Perfect Knowledge of Man For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. O Lord, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue,But behold, O Lord, You k

January 9, 2013 It is amazing how time goes by so fast. It was 7 years ago December 17, 2012 that Micah died. I can hardly believe it. Some days it seems like it was yesterday. I am still missing Micah and I know I always will. Here is a poem I wrote shortly after he died. I had always wanted to rewrite it and edit it but now I just don’t have it in me to do that. So here it, still needing to be tweaked! Monday, January 2, 2006          MISSING MICAH ,        written by Laura Leake You know him by his face. Bright clear blue eyes Curly soft brown hair, with a spot of grey on his left side Smiling, always, even when in pain Making silly faces and joking I miss his face I wish I could touch his face, Kiss his cheek or forehead Rake my hands through his curly locks, comb his hair gently back. Talking kindly or being funny Making some kind of joke I miss his voice, his laugh and his singing. Sometimes his singing to the Lord sounded like real “cr