Lady Traveler heads to California!

Lake Murray, SC 2016

I have good news and bad news.

Bad news:  my iMac computer went kaput!

Lost everything.  Ugh!

But I choose not to dwell on it. I'm writing on Rob's nice laptop

So I shall survive.

California, here I come!
Right back where I started from!

Good news:  I passed my written driver's license grade F test yesterday.

That means that I have a temporary license to drive a truck.

Or better yet, our forty-foot RV, Moon River.

Rob is so proud of me.

I'm proud of me.

Now I'm ready to hit the road to California next week!

There is beautiful country to see.

I'm hoping to show plenty of photos to you.

I don't consider myself a bonafide travel writer.

I can't keep my mind on one specific topic.

I just write what I'm feeling at the moment.

Famous authors tell the young aspiring writers,

Write what you know.

That's what I do.

Sweet thoughts after my knee replacement surgery
from family and friends.  Love you all!

I want to encourage those of you who are going through

challenging times with your health.

After going through my knee replacement surgery,

I feel more pain for those who are going through an illness.

My knee is still swollen and painful,

but nothing to compare with family and friends

who are fighting cancer

and other so-called non-curable diseases.

My prayers are with you.

I'm not one to write about politics and religion.

They are both so misunderstood.

I don't talk about politics and religion

unless asked

because no one really cares.

Most people on both sides are so unbent on

their beliefs that it is a waste of my time.

But I will always take time to talk to

the person who has lost their way

and who is looking for truth.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus

He's my favorite topic

because He has changed my life.

Still is.

He makes life worth living.

He is simple.

Straightforward.

And fun.

I wish you oceans of truth from the truthful one...Jesus.

www.sharonleaf.com

To Lady Traveler's Friends...YOU are my VALENTINE!

Rose aka Rosie ... loves you!

A friend loveth at all times

Proverbs 17:17a

My husband is my Valentine.

I am blessed to have him in my life.

But I have friends who do not have a 

special someone.

So I say to you:

don't fret, mope, or pull the drapes closed

and yank the blanket over your head.

Instead, reach out to someone

who doesn't have a

Valentine either,

buy a box of chocolates,

pour a glass of wine

(or strong coffee),

and toast to

FRIENDSHIP!

As many of you know, January was a
challenging and bittersweet month for me.

I lost my mom-in-law,

my Carolina cousin,

and my true friend.

We will all be together again in heaven.

Now, having said that, there are no words to describe the 

loss that I have felt.

But through this time of sorrow,

my family has been a comfort

and I thank God for them.

I have also been blessed to be surrounded by 

fantastic friends.

(you know who you are).

After Rob's Mom's funeral, we flew to California.

I was able to say 'good-bye' to

my true friend, Debbie Kreitzer,

I thanked the Lord for the

special but short intimate moments I was able to share with her.

Paris with my Valentine 2014

Two days after returning home from our trip to SoCal,
I was sitting at my farm table, sipping a cup of coffee when
a friend called to give me his frequent-flyer miles so
I could  fly back to California for
Debbie's Celebration Ceremony!

Six days later I was back on a jet plane.

My grade-school friend, Teri,
(alias Prissy in my book, Lady and the Sea)

opened her home to me

(that overlooks the blue Pacific, I might add!)

and volunteered to be my Driving Miss Daisy for the week as well.
I slept upstairs on a queen-size blow-up mattress in
Teri's Holly Hobby Craft Room

where her creative gifts surrounded me.
(her grandson had priority in the downstairs guest room--can't compete with the grandkids!)
There wasn't much room to walk around, but ...
at least I could dress without leaving the mattress.
And there was even a full-length mirror hanging behind the door, but ...
no room to stand in front of it.
Oh, the joys of traveling.

Another friend (I love you Joni!) drove me to 

Debbie's celebration ceremony and picnic

where I spent hours with many of 

my FFL (friends-for-life).
I truly experienced a million shades of love.

The frosting on the cake was my 

69th birthday dinner with three FFL on the
San Clemente pier.

I lost three special people in January.

No one can take their place.

But through this, I realized that

I am still surrounded by family and friends

who are my precious jewels.

My 'frequent-flyer' week was my Birthday gift from Jesus.

I felt His presence every step (and aeroplane) of the way.

He is my real Valentine.

Is He yours?

If He is, then you won't be alone this

Valentine's Day!

The Lord before whom I have walked,

will send His angel with you to make your journey successful.

Genesis 24:40 NASB

Lady Traveler, the painting

"Lady Traveler"

We had just moved from Southern California to South Carolina in the summer of 2006. 

Rob had to fly back to California to finish up details in Huntington Beach.  

Tired of unpacking, and weary from my latest case of writer's block on my novel, 

Lady and the Sea, 

I decided to take a few hours off to explore and stroll the local mall.  

That is when I came across a lovely painting in an art studio, titled 

Lady Traveler.

As I stood gazing at Lady Traveler, 

I felt inspired. I sighed.

"She is me." 

I had traveled the world.  I loved hats. And I was a lady.  

I knew if Lady Traveler were hanging somewhere in my new home, 

she would inspire me to complete my book.

So when Rob returned, I took him to the little art shop and showed him the painting. 

He smiled.  "That is you.  We must buy it."

Do you have a dream that needs a little inspiration?  

Are you finding yourself at a crossroads and asking yourself, 

shall I just drop the whole idea OR 

shall I continue pursuing my dream?

I hit the wall many times as I pursued writing Lady and the Sea.  

Was this book part of my destiny? Part of of my DNA?  

Was it a life-changing project?  Perhaps.

But how would I know until I completed this task-at-hand?  

Through hours of toiling at my computer, laptop, iPad, anything that I could write on, 

I continued on until ...

... September 2011 -- my D-day of publication!  

I was estatic!  I was thrilled!  

I stood next to Lady Traveler and clutched my first copy of Lady and the Sea.

We did it!

Then I launched my Lady into the world.  

And that's when my world slowly changed.  

Receiving emails, phone calls from as far away as Norway, Sweden, 

telling me how Lady had given them faith for forgotten dreams.  

Two women completed and published their books because of my words of encouragement.  

I can't even remember their exact words I spoke to them, but who cares?  

They know.  God knows.

I'm sharing this with you to say,  

Don't give up on your dream.

You have a special gift that can touch others.  

You may think it's small, but that gift is very BIG in the eyes of God.

Your dream may be to reach out to help others. 

To help people live a healthier life. 

To feed the poor.  To paint, or to start a blog or ... write a book!?! 

 My word to you is GO FOR IT!

  

Be a Dream Maker.  

Take baby steps, keep taking them, and before long, 

you'll find your dream unfolding before your very eyes.  

Your challenges and your passion will take you to the finish line!

  

Until next time, I want to leave you with two verses that 

encouraged me on days when I was discouraged and asked, 

"God, did you really call me to write my story?"

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.  

Psalm 26:7

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publish peace...that publish salvation; that sayeth to Zion, Thy God reigneth!  

Isaiah 52:7

Happy days while writing in Belize

My Lady, my dream

Lady Traveler's Farewell to Pastor Jesse Mason

The loss of a great man of God is felt throughout the world today.  As we look back over the years, we all have our own stories of times spent with this humble man, Jesse Mason.  I'll briefly share mine, as he is worthy of my time to tell a short tale.  A few random thoughts cross my mind as I sit on my screened patio listening to the birds singing a song of victory ... and I'm sure I hear angels joining in as they are welcoming Jesse home.

Sunday School Teacher.  Worship Leader.  Associate Pastor.  Senior Pastor.  Boss.  And always a missionary at heart.  That is how I know Jesse Mason.  

The early 70's.  Around 9:15 am every Sunday morning, Jesse would lead the way as we walked next door from Christian Chapel to the condos that were still under construction.  As we trekked through mud puddles from a storm from the night before, I smiled.  I felt as if we were following Jesse on one of his missionary trips.  In the freshly painted clubhouse he taught an adult Sunday school class.  So much knowledge of the Bible, I thought.  He'll be a pastor one day I'm sure.  

Years later, I left Christian Chapel for a few years, but returned in 1987. And guess what? Jesse was now the Senior Pastor. I was delighted to see two familiar faces at the first singles meeting, to which my girlfriend had dragged me.  Jesse and Clare greeted me with open arms and I felt as if I had come home.  The following week I met my future husband, Rob, and a year later after we married, he became Singles Pastor.  During that time I was honored to be Jesse's secretary.  I spent many hours sitting in his office taking notes and listening to wonderful stories of how he and Clare met as missionaries in Japan and served the Lord.  When I grow up, I'm want to be like them and travel the world for Jesus.  

Finally, Jesse gave Clare permission to re-decorate his office, so Clare and I had fun choosing blue wallpaper to match the long, dark blue leather sofa that she chose for her husband. "I know Jesse will love this," she sighed. (I often wonder what happened to that sofa where so many men and women sat and listened to Jesse pray, prophesy, or just talk about topics-at-hand).

Rob and I have traveled the world for Jesus, and in all of our adventures for God, we can honestly say that Jesse and Clare Mason are one of the two most humble, sweet, giving, loving people on earth.  Whether hosting them in our home, or house-sitting in theirs while they traveled to Africa, their sincerity, gratitude and honesty always shined through. 

Dear Pastor Jesse, you will be deeply missed.  Our conversations shall be sprinkled with good memories of you so that your legacy can live on for generations to come.  My words are dimming through tears, so I must close.  See you in heaven, boss. 

Love,  Sharon

www.sharonleaf.com