leeleemusic

Hello Friends,

    We flew into Jackson, WY this week and the mountains are still piled high with a deep blanket of snow. The cool felt refreshing after the heat of the desert in my beloved Arizona.

    A different music scene than the one in AZ awaits me. I am a vocalist with the Jazz Foundation of Jackson Hole that I’ve been part of for about 15 years. I am one of about four vocalists. I am also part of the iconic Jackson Hole Hootenanny that during the summer plays at Dornans Chuckwagon at the base of the…

Hello Friends,

 Do you live in the same state you grew up in? I am a Native Arizonan. Because of that, I exempt myself from the title, “Snow Bird.” However, we are actual residents of Wyoming, spending 6 1/2 months there and 5 1/2 months in Arizona.

  It has taken me about two decades to fully adjust to this lifestyle. Don’t get me wrong - I love the variety and the “always spring” feeling. The down-sides are leaving friends, family, churches and performance opportunities. Over the course of twenty years…

Hello Friends,

On our trip to Israel, we visited the Jerusalem Museum in Modern Jerusalem where we saw a very large model of the Old Jerusalem and where we visited the exhibit of the historic Dead Sea Scrolls. We walked down the Palm Sunday Path imagining shouts of “Hosanna!” as Jesus entered the city on Palm Sunday, and visited the olive-tree filled Garden of Gethsemane where we reflected as Jesus did the night he was betrayed with a kiss.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. 
Shalom (peace be with you)…

Hello Friends,

  From my friends point of view, as someone who reads military history, he says that Masada was the greatest siege in history. The full force of the Roman empire at its peak, against a tiny band of people including women and children. The Romans took two years to build an enormous, giant ramp to the top of this mountain to crush this tiny country that dared rebel – a chilling vision of what tyranny is. There was a mass suicide and destruction of Herod’s works, because when the Romans got on…

Hello Friends,

Here is some interesting historical info about Masada, sent at the request of a Jewish friend:

  David hid from King Saul in this area. David surely knew of its huge size and steep cliffs. During his hiding, David wrote, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer" (Ps. 18:2). In this Psalm, he used the Hebrew word that literally means "masada", providing a fitting picture of the unshakeable protection and strength of God.

  After the Roman legions destroyed the Second Temple, Masada…

Hello Friends,

  On our trip to The Holy Land we journeyed south through Jordan toward the Dead Sea and rode the tram up to the top of the cliffs to the World UNESCO site called Masada: a fortress and humongous castle built by Herod The Great. It was a remarkable and well-preserved site that showed how they collected and conserved water in the desert environment in cisterns, looked out over encampments and heated elaborate bath houses which the royalty spent hours in.

  We visited the Oasis in Ein Gedi where…

Hello Friends,

  To me, Easter is about New Beginnings. Galgatha, where Jesus was crucified and died; and the Tomb where he was laid. Three days later, on Easter, the stone was found to be rolled away and he was no longer there: he transcended even death. On this special day, I wish for you the gifts of hope, faith, and the belief in New Beginnings.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. 
Shalom (peace be with you), LeeLee

Hello Friends,

These are ancient olive trees in The Garden of Gethsemane dated to the time of Jesus.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. 
Shalom (peace be with you), LeeLee

Hello Friends,

  On our trip to Israel, we finished the day at the Jordan River where several people were baptized by Pastor Mike. Rick and I were formerly baptized by Pastor Mike in Jackson, WY where we live for six and a half months of the year. We were baptized on the property of River Crossing Church in Jackson where there is a little creek and where Pastor Mike performed the ceremony about 15 years ago in his waders because even in August the water is chilly.

  At each site we visited Pastor Mike would…

Hello Friends,

  On our trip to The Holy Land we sailed on a boat in The Sea of Galilee where Jesus called some of his disciples to become “fishers of men,” and was reported by Mathew to have walked on the water. We saw a preserved fishing boat of that time and had a special fish dining experience for lunch at a wonderful restaurant called David’s.

  We saw Kibutses as we drove in the bus where young men (serve 3 years) and women (serve 2 years) raise bananas, mangos, and other crops as they serve in the…