Love the making of a Memory

My Beautiful MoM...

My mom and I

Awesome Christian Lady

On my wedding day..

My love will never die...

As most of you know today will be five years since the passing of my mom...I miss her every single day..The love I have for her will never die..She will live in my heart for as long as I live..This love I now share for her is called a memory..I always thought I would have more time.I thought I would have more phone conversations that took place every morning and ended in I love Yous..More Thanksgiving's,more Christmases together,more Birthdays just more time to love her here on this earth..My mom was a Awesome lady..No, she was not perfect,but then none of us are but her way of life was spent loving and caring for others..She was always busy helping others and giving was not something she did it was her way of life..She loved and gave her all to my dad and with no doubt  she loved her children, family and friends but most of all you knew where she stood with her relationship with her GOD..She is the one I turned to when I needed a shoulder to cry on.And here lately,that would have been a lot, because of now I'm going to take the month of August out of my calendar year..lol..Not a good month for me..She was the one I would call first to celebrate good news and the one I would call for advice..So you see my mom played a very   important part in my life.Even though she has left to go into the other room..I will take everything she has taught me and pass it down to my children and grandchildren so that her love will never die..because with out love there are no memories..I know that love never dies, that our loved ones are with us always, and that the memory of my mother will live in my heart forever. I also know that life is short and we never know when we’ll have our last opportunity to say the things we want to say, until the moment is gone.So, if you want to say, “I love you”, go say it now. If you need to say, “I’m sorry” or “I forgive you”, go say it now. Go do the things you want to do with those that you love- now. Don’t think that you’re too busy or that you can do it tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come.I love you mom and forever will............Till we meet again.....Your first born" Martha"

SWEET BABY GIRL.....HOMEWARD BOUND..

My Sweet Baby Girl...

“Coming home”…what phrase could sound sweeter?My baby girl is coming home for the week-end... Friday to be exact..I could not be any happier.. .My only fear is that my expectations of how this first vacation/ visit will far exceed the reality. Dreams of long talks, laughs,shopping, just hanging out together will probably end up with her hanging out with her friends, spending hours on her laptop, and sleeping LOT'S of sleeping! Doesn't matter that I will probably see more of her dirty laundry than her. No matter what happens, I am thrilled she will be home My Baby Is Coming Home! I Am So Excited!! She has already put in a order for a Chicken casserole. She is coming home for her first real visit since she headed off to college. I haven't seen her for about two weeks and for some strange reason that seems like an eternity I can't wait to hug her and kiss that sweet face. I am thrilled she will be home and I am counting down the hours.

They have my Heart.............

My little man...

My Little Miss Prissy..

My little Betty Lou....

Hugs and Kisses.....

Walking in papa's shoes... 

I am (in no particular order) a wife, a mom, a mimi and by that I realized I am living on borrowed time... sitting here thinking a word came to mind...RELISH-Relish the Moments and make them count....I relish the moments that I have with my grandchildren. Little moments, Regular moments,Precious moments. The moments when they play together Relishing the fun..Park and Zoo days.. Bedtime Stories and Bedtime Prayers ..Special Talks.. And the Can I fix your hair times??and the countless “I Love You's”.. The Special Hugs and kisses meant only for you ..This little piggy went to the market..Funny face Wide mouth frog..Peek a Boo ..Here's the church and here's the steeple.. Whistling and the non ending desire to be pushed in a swing.. The little hand prints on the glass doors..And those never ending sometimes funny questions and the funny faces they give when you give them sometimes a funny answer....and the very first time they call out your name(mimi)Oh and that will melt your heart...And the crazy nicknames we give them..And most of all just the little things they do for no reason at all..Relishing their childhood. They capture our hearts so quickly and hold on for ever.. I don't know how many more summers we will have of these adventures, so I am trying to savor everyone. We relish moments that become precious memories..I'm grateful for the time I do have. It never feels like enough..but it is. It's enough. What we're given from God is always enough...as long as we make it count..for every moment which passes by should be relished,for they will never return..Therefore I will forever relish the moments and make each one count........."The days are long but the years are short."   ~Mom’s wisdom~They have my HEART forever............

My Story

Well, my story:It's not as exciting or eventful as the three little pigs,who were chased by a wolf and had their houses blown down...or Cinderella, who was abused by a step mother...Or Hansel and Gretel,who were abandoned out in the woods...or Goldie Locks,who was caught breaking and entering...Or David,who committed adultery and murder....Nor was it like Saul,a leader to kill all Christians. No, it is just an ordinary story starting with two people who met over Krispy Kreme doughnuts and were married in a matter of months-starting out with putting Christ first in their lives. 

     I am the first born of Don and Carol Lesley.I was brought to church in my Mom's belly,never missing a Sunday.Even as far back as I can remember,I have been in church-and by no means did that give me a first class ticket to heaven.Even at the age of three,I stood up on a table in the nursery and when the nursery worker got me down, I cussed her out so I was told..So, yeah,even then I was sinning.As I got older, I knew how to play the part of a Christian,like many of us do.....today..

       My dad became a minister when I was very young,so I grew up knowing all the ropes-How to play a Christian-and I was really good at it.I know without a doubt I disappointed my parents and I know with a doubt I disappointed God many times..I knew that He existed and that He was to be my Savior,but did not have time for Him.I know I disappointed my dad and mom,but still I was all about me.I had no time for church stuff.

        My best friends were other preacher and deacon kids(and we all know how most of them are...).Enough said about that.God had a plan for my life even before I was born.After all I had been bathed in prayer for generations: My Mom and Dad,Grandparents and Great Grandparents...And for this I am grateful.

          I dated and married a long-haired,souped-up Chevell racing kind of guy.We were happy,but something was still missing for me.We were in church every time the doors were open,and I was playing the part again.Then,I came to the realization that I was not going to hell for anyone.I did not care how it looked that I was this preacher's daughter raised in church all my life.Hey,I had even taught Bible School and Sunday School.I wanted this God,this Jesus,this Savior that I talked and read about.I wanted Him real in my life.So,I accepted him as Lord.

          I guess it wasn't enough that He saved me,but God was a bit of a jokester,because shortly thereafter,He called Ronnie into the ministry.You have to be kidding me!!!

           Hey,I grew up as a preacher's kid...I know all about churches and church folk.Sometimes they are not the nicest bunch of people.They can be down right mean.With much prayer and a lot of long talks with my now preacher husband,we accepted the call of Christ in our lives and committed to follow Him wherever He leads us.

          Again, I think God needs a laugh every now and then because the first place he sent us was in Walhalla.I think that God was telling us that if we could go there and serve, then we could serve Him anywhere. I won't go into all of the good,the bad,and ugly of pastoring...there's no time to dwell on all that...

           I just know that God is real in my life.He has given me a wonderful and God-fearing husband and Christ centered children.Two of which are married and have Godly spouses. These two are also  embarking on the adventure of raising their own children in a Christian way,so the story goes on....

          My grandparents lived for Christ and made him the main focus in their life.My parents did the same. We were soon to follow and now our children and up coming grandchildren...

My parents on their wedding day.....

                                           

Love the smiles.......They say it all..

                                           

Ronnie and I on prom night........

           And yes, even though my story is not an exciting one, it is mine and I am so grateful that God has had his pen at work writing the pages of my life.I would not change a thing, for God is the author and I am the publisher. The wonderful thing about all of this is that I know the ending..the final chapter.I may not know how it will end,but I do know where it will end.There with my God,my Jesus,family.and friends..

                   So the story goes on...and I know it will have a happy ending...........“Hear O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you
today are to be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them
when you sit in your house, when you walk on the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You
shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”  [Deuteronomy 6:4

      

Little Big Mac....



My little BIG MAC.....

Sweet little man...

Taking on a new adventure It's called babysitting..O.k.it's not like I haven't done this before..But I was a little younger.But hey I'm a grandma(mimi) how hard could this be? I must say that today was a Great Day.I'm in love with little baby Micah..his sweet smile and his beautiful little face..Yep, this is going to be easy..............Babies are such a nice way to start people...