*2 MONTHS AGO TODAY*

It has been almost a month since my last blog and a lot has happened around here. It would take up too much space on here and I don't have the time or the memory to recall everything that has happened either... boy aren't I the brilliant one! LOL

2 months ago today I said good-bye to my father, Wilson Holloway. I have been missing him so much here lately and I am at a loss for words to explain the sadness that I feel knowing that I can't pick up the phone to call him, expecting him to answer, hear his voice and just simply ask him for advice on some mechanical issues that I am having with my car. I know that he isn't in pain anymore and that cancer no longer consumes his physical body since Jesus took him home to Heaven... and for that I wouldn't even want to bring him back, but I am his daughter, I am human and I miss him terribly. I think that sometimes we try to protect our hearts from pain... it still didn't seem real to me that dad is gone and I think that a part of me hadn't really come to terms with it or allowed myself to grieve, but with Thanksgiving just passed us and without being able to call dad or see him and another holiday which is my favorite-Christmas rapidly approaching I am just really struggling with grasping that he is no longer here. I do have friends here but I don't want to burden them as they are busy with their jobs, families and just life... so when I need a hug or just a friend to listen to me, I can cry out to Jesus... and He will hold me till the pain subsides. When my heart has is aching so bad with pain and I feel like I can't go on, the best I can do is ask Jesus to take the wheel!
P.S. Check out the new pictures on my site.

*LAY IT DOWN*

I recently sang a special song for our Wednesday night prayer meeting. I had no idea what the preacher was going to preach about but I really felt impressed to sing the song "LAY IT DOWN" and as I started practicing it, I knew more and more that I was suppose to sing it. There are so many times in my own personal life that I have just wanted to be in control instead of giving it to Jesus, the One who knows our hearts and needs even before we know that we are in need. Some of the words say, So I'm gonna lay it down- I'm gonna learn to trust You now, what more can I do, everything I am depends on You- and if the sun don't come back up- You know Your love will be enough- I'm gonna let it be, gonna let it go, gonna lay it down. I am asking God to remind me that when I want to be in control and not surrender my burdens on Him or just forget who I am in comparison to Who He is, what He has already done, and still can do for me, He will remind me that He is all about picking up whatever we are willing to lay down. I pray that you will give all of your concerns, cares and burdens to Jesus. ~Blessings

*PATIENCE*

...is one of the many things in the many areas of my life that I really need God's help with! He's still working on me, to make me what I ought to be. Just a line to a song I remember from childhood that is so true for me even as an adult.

Anyways the reason for my blog is just to say hello to all friends and family out there and to say that I was messing with my site and opps, I guess that I was so clueless that I was actually deleting some of my favorite pictures that I had posted here and now they are history and I have to start all over again. Oh well, that is what I am talking about when I say patience. I was reading my sister Bev's blog and I got the bright idea to change my template because I had wanted to for some time now, but when she said that she lost some of her things, I just took that as she made a simple error and pushed a wrong button or something of that sort... well I must of done the same thing. So PATIENT is just what I am going to have to be in order to restore some of my favorites that I used to have. So please be patient with me and I will get things back to life on here soon!

In closing I just wanted to mention that I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers for my family during our time of loss and grief. Thank- You and God Bless! ~Many Blessings

*PSALM 51:10-12*

Create in me a clean heart, Oh God And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Psalm 51:10-12 NKJV

I have had the privilege of attending the 2nd annual Missionary Conference at our Church this weekend. It started on Friday night and will continue through tomorrow morning. It has been quite interesting and yet fulfilling to see the work that God is doing in the lives of people who were or was once lost. Pastor Jeff challenged us to pray about what we can do for missions and to keep an open heart to God if He is calling us into missionary work of any kind. He and a few others from our church went to the Ukraine a few weeks ago. That is a place that has always intrigued me, but anyways he said that he believes everyone should at least once in their lifetime take a trip to another country. He also states that if you do, you will come back a changed person. I am sure you can imagine some of the reasons why but I won't post it right now. God wants us to step outside of our comfort zones and reach out to the lost and dying world. If we simply keep to ourselves because we don't want someone to see us socializing with the lost, then what will we have done to further advance the kingdom of heaven. I want Jesus to create in me a clean heart and renew the right kind of spirit in me so that when the opportunity arises they will see Christ-like holiness within me! Are you going to step outside your comfort zone in order to make a difference. Many Blessings, Leslie

*A BIT OF CATCHING UP*

I still can't believe that it has been a little over 2 weeks ago that I said goodbye to my father. I am still in disbelief that he is no longer with us. We are heading back to Florida in the morning for dad's funeral and memorial service and it just feels that since we are heading to Florida that when we get there, dad is one of the people that I should be seeing upon arriving. But as I sit here thinking about this, I am quickly reminded that dad has ended his suffering and journey here on earth and he is now with all others who have gone on before. I guess I didn't really say goodbye to dad, but more like- see you soon! I can't wait till the day when there will be no more night, no more pain, no more tears, never crying in vain, but praises to the Great I Am, and we will forever live in the light of the risen Lamb. Please keep my family in your prayers as we all meet to remember dad (Wilson F. Holloway) . We have family/friends coming from all over. There is going to be a memorial service at the church dad attended on Thursday the 25th and then the burial will with the Veterans in St. Petersburg on Friday the 26th. Some from Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Virgina and maybe a few more states. I pray that we all draw close together as a family and that we remember that Jesus is right beside us and He isn't going anywhere. Even when I am unaware and not worthy of His mercy, He is always faithful. I have found that Jesus is always faithful and I want my life to reflect Christ likeness (holiness) so that others will see and want the same Jesus that I have. Jesus is giving me peace over great grief and loss and I know that when my grief becomes to much for me to bear, He is always faithful to comfort me. Are we allowing Jesus to do the job that God sent Him to do? I love and miss you dad!

*RISING ABOVE GRIEF- REMEMBERING MY DAD, WILSON HOLLOWAY*

I begin this blog with a very heavy heart. This is by far the hardest post that I have ever done! Most of you may already know that my dear father's 7 year battle with cancer ended here on earth @ 7pm Saturday October 6, 2007. He is no longer fighting the disease of cancer that had overtaken his body. He entered into an everlasting journey and was given the perfect healing that comes from personally knowing Jesus and by determining to live his life for the One Who Created him! My heart is breaking with grief, but I wouldn't want him to come back to this life and suffer another minute. I know where my strength comes from and my family and I are relying upon Jesus for the strength it will take daily to get through. My family truly have been blessed by the words of encouragement, generous acts of kindness, and all the food given to each of us throughout this very sad loss! We can't say thank you enough for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers! Again I say thank- you! I can't promise, but I will try to keep you posted and keep my blog updated. Funeral arrangements have been set up for October 25-26, 2007. For further information please go to www.caringbridge.com and look up Wilson Holloway. God Bless you all! Leslie ~I love you and miss you dearly, Dad~
Oh I almost forgot...my father's story about his farmall tractors and how he made the cover page for Farm and Ranch Living Magazine's September Issue can also be checked out there as well as going to www.farmandranchliving.com (where he is on the cover for sept issue and a small write up on him is in the following issue, the issue with the cows on the front) or go to www.highlandstoday.com where he made bottom of the front page on October 6, 2007 (Highlands is their local newspaper the title to look for is A Farmer And His Farmall- Wilson Holloway)