Coffee and Tea with Me

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 ...

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 h...

This Christmas morning while reading my Bible and praying I got a fresh sense of God’s presence, a refreshing in my spirit and a reminder of my salvation when I received new life in Christ. I was born again in the spring of 1980. My eyes were suddenly open and I saw Jesus! The brightness of His Glory filled my vision! He was more beautiful and more to be desired than anything I had ever pursued or desired. I wanted Christ in my life, in me and a beautiful thing happened in my heart. I once was dead to my sins and I became alive in Christ! Christ became my greatest treasure. All other things I ever pursued or desired were nothing compared to Christ. God gave me a new heart. I was a new woman with new eyes that saw God’s word as living and active. Christ was alive in me! I had been spiritually blind but now I see. Christmas is not just about the baby in the manger. It starts in the beginning with God. For Jesus was with God in the beginning. “In the beginning was the Word, a...

The following excerpts from the book, A Gentle Thunder, by Max Lucado really touched me: “[This is what Jesus said about death:] “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house; I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am.” (John 14:1-4) What kind of statement is that? Trust me with your death. When you face the tomb, don’t be troubled—trust me! You get the impression that to God the grave is a no-brainer. He speaks as casually as the mechanic who says to a worried client, “Sure, the engine needs an overhaul, but don’t worry. I can do it.” For us it’s an ordeal. For him it’s no big deal. . . For God, death is no tragedy. In God’s economy, the termination of the body is the beginning of life . . . By calling us home, God is doing what any father would do...