Hard Times up and down the Road, His yoke is easy and His burden is light

Psalms 121:2

My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth.

As many of you know, my youngest is very sick.  She has been in the hospital for one week today, and in the PICU since Thursday.  She spent her birthday in the PICU and Christmas as well.  She has been making small gains and we give all glory to God.  God has Blessed us with people covering us with Prayer, and covering those helping our sweet Alina in Prayer as well.  I can't begin to thank each and everyone of you enough for your faithful prayers.  The numbers of people praying could possibly be in the thousands.  The reason I would guess this is because of the hundreds that I'm sure off, that are sharing to other faithful praying people.  I have to say thank you, thank you , thank you!!!!!

At this time I have to point above.  I've had several folks come up to me and tell me how we (Stephanie and I) are inspirational, or that we are the strongest people they know or something along those lines.  I have to tell you all, you have been mislead.  I am weak.  I am so incredibly weak. I am glad that many folks have been inspired by our faith but it's not us.  "Our Strength is from the Lord, maker of Heaven and Earth".  If I relied on my strength, I would have fallen way short and given up by now.  The strength you all see is a reflection of His strength, not mine.  What others are seeing as strength is my desperate and humble grasping at Him.  During times of my life where I have let myself down, Jesus has always been there holding me up....even when I could hold myself up.

I do appreciate everyone that has commented about my Faith or about my Strength but I have to point to the one true God that strengthens me.  Do let this be inspiring to you. Do let this help you grab on to Jesus and not let go.  Do let this help you in building that personal relationship with Him.

I really do hate that my baby girl is so sick and has so many challenges, but I also praise God for each sweet smile, each small step, each person we have met, and for each of you that have come to give us your prayerful support and encouraging words.  Thank you for caring about us so much that you will take concerns to the King on our behalf.  Please continue to pray even after this spell. We need all the prayers we can get and they are appreciated.

Matthew 11:21-30

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

25At that time Jesus declared, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;  26yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.  27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

August is a tough one

I hope this writing finds you all well.  I hope you have continued working to better your relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ.

August is a tough month in my family now.  I haven't talked with my sister in a few weeks but I know August has been tough on her, because it has been tough on me too.  Tomorrow we end the week of celebration for my dad's birthday.  No we haven't partied all week but we have remembered.  August holds both my mom and dad's birthdays and their wedding anniversary.  My mom was on the 16th and so was their anniversary.  My dad was sometime between the 22 and the 27...actually a pretty good story there!  Ask me about it sometime.  

Remembering my Mom and Dad on their Birthdays and Anniversary is just a hard fact of life.  The memories are sweet but the waiting to see them again is what is so so bitter.  So many times I've wanted to call either my mom or my dad to tell them about something the kids did or said.  So many times I've wanted to call and run an idea passed one of them.  So many times I've just wanted to cry because I miss them.  More than once I've had to excuse myself when I've been reminded of them.  I've just had to walk off and be out of sight to regain my composure.  

I mostly wish my kids had more time with mamaw and papaw.  I wish they had more time to know them.  I don't want their memories to fade.  I want my youngest to have memories too.  I want to hear "peaches and strawberries, so sweet so sweet so sweet" from my dad as he holds my kids and my nieces new baby.  

I'm going to keep it short and sweet tonight.  Continue to pray for us and each other.  Thank you all for supporting and loving on my family.  

Unfailing Love taught by a Disciple of Jesus Christ pt 2 ( 2 days later)

I started writing my blog entry two days ago but I was completely overwhelmed with memories and different thoughts, so I wanted to start again but without changing the other one.  I hope you read both of these and enjoy them.  This is a tribute to the man that I strive to become.

Thursday February 4 2016, My Daddy went home to be with Jesus.  My dad wasn't an ordinary man, he was a man of God.  I'm not claiming he could walk on water but he could point you to the one that did.  My dad learned from his dad, and he passed those ways to my sister and I (I just hope I can become half the man he was).  We will never know exactly how many people my dad impacted throughout his life but from the number of people who have contacted me in the last 24 hours it is significant.  My dad wasn't a major contributor to any charity in particular.  He did help fund numerous ministries at church but his donations had to team up with other folks donations, and they did.  As I said, my dad wasn't perfect but he was a praying man.  I've often heard that "God will not give you more than you can handle, with His help", and my dad would ask Him for His help.  My dad didn't move mountains with great flare or leap tall buildings with a single bound ( although he was our Hero), he was just kind and friendly.  He cared about people. He was burdened by the direction society is heading but he continued to care about people.  My Dad loved our church.  Not because of any preacher in particular, but because God is present there.  He loved our church because those before him loved our church.  He loved our church because of the history of ministry our church has and continues to have.  And you know what? Our church has loved him back.

My dad was my coach in Baseball and Football ( or at least an assistant).  I remember him hauling my butt all over the place either to ballgames, practice, karate, scouts, youth groups, and the list goes on and on.  Some of the best memories were in the bed of the red Chevy truck.  I know many a young man that rode in the back of that truck with me.  Back then, it was a viable means of transporting a group of kids from Cornelius to just about anywhere we needed to go.  I remember driving to the airport for Pop Warner Football weigh ins, from Cornelius school!  I remember going to cut wood. I remember a few times we'd go out to Wallace's Dairy and spend the day cutting wood.  We'd make a few trips on those days and get tons of wood for the winter.

I remember fishing on Lake Davidson in a fiberglass boat that we'd put in at General Time (in Davidson).  I also remember him letting me drive the boat, and the "wiggle" I gave the tiller.....that was the last time I got to drive it!  Who would have thought that a little "wiggle" at full throttle would scare both of us?  I remember fishing from the bank down near General Time too.  The men of the family would all go and do an all night fishing trip.  Those were great memories.

I remember my dad worked the garden religiously.  He often talked about planting in the right sign and all that, but I'm not sure if he actually did because the signs of the moon and the actual opportunity to plant don't always line up.  There were a bunch of groceries raised by that man in our garden.  I hope working the garden is something my nieces and I can continue doing.

My dad was in the Lions Club, he was on the Fire Dept., he was involved in church, and numerous other things.  One thing he and my mom were involved in was Western Style Square Dancing.....and they hauled me all over the place for those dances.  We would go to National Conventions with a group of folks that were like addition parents or grandparents to me.  We really had some fun.  My dad later got into Square Dance Calling.  He LOVED it!  He had regular clubs he called for, Cornelius Cut-ups, The Mecklenburg Wildlife Club, and the last one before he gave it up was the Boots and Slippers. (Just what I can remember and may not be a complete list)
My dad loved all the people from Square Dancing, and they loved him and my mom back.  My Dad and Mom were inducted into the NC Square Dance Callers Hall of Fame, and also the Metrolina Callers Hall of Fame. My dad was honored to call so many Square Dancers and Callers his friends.
Daddy was even talking just a few days ago about how one Big Named caller just really made him feel good a while back.  My dad dropped in on a dance this man was calling and he treated my dad like a close personal friend ( this was my mom's favorite Caller, other than my dad of course).  My dad told him that the best song he had ever heard him do was a song called "Beautiful Noise".  The Caller told my dad, "MAN! that's back there a ways" or something close to that.  The Caller closed out his dance that night by singing that song and really making my dad feel appreciated and respected.  Yes They loved him back!

Some of the toughest and possibly meanest men I know, Loved my Daddy.  He shot them straight and respected them, and was kind to them, and yes he picked with them too.  He loved on them, and they loved him back.  I've had these folks ask about my dad for years.  They may not have seen him in a while but they would see me and genuinely inquire about him.

My Dad almost won a write in campaign for mayor that he didn't even know he was involved in!  My Grandma and Aunt almost got him elected!  He found out about it and left work around lunch time to stop them.....He was still one of the top vote getters and didn't even let them finish the write in campaign!  For some reason 902 votes sticks in my mind which was significant due to the size of our town back then.

My dad stood for what was right.  He didn't back down from what was wrong.  He Loved even when he stood against something.  The thing is, it all boils back down to Jesus.  Regardless of whether or not he agreed with you, he loved you.  Sometimes it might be tough love, but it was still Love.


Thank you God for Blessing my family, and numerous others with my Dad.  Thank you for the impact that he left behind that will lead others to you.  A simple man, Salt of the Earth, a lover of Your Creation.  Thank You! It is a Blessing to know this kind of man and be given the opportunity to follow him as he has followed You.  If I cannot be like him Lord, please pass it to my children and their children for generations.  Lord please help us to love as did he did.  Help us, like this imperfect man, show Your perfect love.

I hope you've enjoyed reading this and the previous blogs.  I hope you've cried your eyes out and have relived some old memories, that although you've cried, you've also laughed and smiled deep in your soul.  My dad was and will be my Hero.  I'm just one person that will miss him until we meet again in Heaven.

Please keep us in your prayers, and thank you all for loving us and loving my daddy

Lee

Unfailing Love Taught by a Disciple of Jesus Christ

February 4 2016  almost a year (Feb.7 2015) since my mom went home to be with the Lord, my dad has made his path into Glory.  

One of my earliest memories was a fishing trip with my dad and my grandpa (mom's dad).  I can remember the pin striped overalls I was wearing, but more importantly I remember bits and pieces of falling into the water and being pulled from the water by the straps on those overalls.  I may have been all of 3 years old.  From the start, my dad has been my hero.  There were times I stepped in the exact same steps as my daddy just because I knew he was great....before I ever even knew how great he really was.  

He was the youngest child of Harvey and Fannie Sossamon.  They were never financially wealthy, but they were rich.  I look at my dad the way I've heard others talk about my grandpa Harvey.  I've heard "If anyone was to ever be with Jesus in Heaven, then it would be Harvey Sossamon", well my dad lived that same kind of life.  I remember several nights, probably more than not, where my dad would have a truck load of people to take home from either the Football field or Baseball field because their parents just didn't show up.  

I have so many thoughts in my mind right now that I want to share that they are all running together.  My Dad is the example of how we should live in Christ.  Was he perfect, No he was a man, but he did his best. He served in the Army and was the only time in his life he didn't live in Cornelius.  He fought Cancer, Heart Failure, suffered a broken heart when he buried a teenage daughter, and suffered another broken heart last year when my mom left this earth. Well Daddy, you're not suffering anymore and you have your brothers, sisters, mom, dad, grandparents, daughter, wife, and your Lord all with in view.  Your only hell in now over and you've stepped in to eternity with our Lord.  I am Blessed to have had a daddy like you.  You taught us so much and I just hope I can continue teaching my children as you taught us.  

I have so many things to say but they are all jumbled right now.  If you know my dad then you know a man that loved Jesus.  If you don't know Jesus, I hope you'll think about the Hope that was in my dad and seek Him for yourself.  The light you saw in my dad......was a direct reflection of Jesus.