When I got up this morning and saw that it had been raining, these lyrics popped into my head- “Hangin’ around,Nothing to do but frown,Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” This old song was originally recorded by The Carpenters, one of my favorite groups when I was growing up. As a moody pre-teen and teen, this song often expressed how I was feeling every Monday as I got ready for school. It’s funny how my brain can pair a song with so many vivid memories of teenage angst, but I can’t really remember much of what happened yesterday!
Author: Laurel
Welcome! I am a wife, proud mama of two adult daughters, writer, teacher, and a follower of Jesus who finds joy in mentoring and encouraging others to live passionate lives full of hope and purpose. A graduate of Idaho State University, I currently teach music at a private elementary school. I also lead a bible study group for moms of all ages, in all seasons of life.
Come join me in simply embracing this amazing gift called life!
Lately it seems that I have spent most of my time waiting. Waiting at stoplights. Waiting in lines. Waiting for something to start. Waiting for something to end. Waiting for cold syptoms to subside and for my body to completely heal. Waiting for answers to prayer. Waiting for a miracle regarding a circumstance in my life. Waiting to hear what God has for me. It’s hard to be patient while waiting. I find myself trying to figure out ways to speed up the process, only to realize that all of my striving is in vain and I’m back where I
In honor and celebration of today’s date and the number nine, the following is my list of “Top 9 Simple Pleasures I Enjoy.” 9. Biting into a fresh, crisp, ripe slice of apple…preferably one dipped in caramel. 8. Falling into the cool, crisp sheets of a freshly-made bed. 7. Sitting on my patio in the cool of the evening. 6. Harvesting veggies from my very own backyard garden. 5. Reading a really great book- you know, the kind of story that you never want to end! 4. Drinking the perfect cup of coffee. 3. Snuggling with my dog Baxter while
Almost from the time a baby is born, family members will often try to determine which characteristics of the child should be attributed to what side of the family. “She has her mother’s eyes.” “He has his father’s smile.” “She’s stubborn, just like Great Aunt Lulu.” Over the years I have been told that I am a pretty even mix of my parents. Sometimes this is a compliment, other times it is a great source of frustration! There have been many mornings I have looked in the mirror and saw my mother’s face looking back at me. Creepy! Lately I
I didn’t intend to have a complicated life. Honest. In fact, I thought that my life would be easier since I had been “downsized” from my job. Yet I found myself with an overcrowded calendar, a home bursting at the seams with “stuff,” and an incredibly cranky family. Not to mention an incredibly cranky me! That old saying, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!” is so true. How did it all get so crazy? Piano lessons, sports team practices and games, homework, church activities, music performances, parent-teacher organization meetings, my husband’s overloaded schedule…on and on and on. Added to