Laurie's Everyday Notions

My hands are small I know but....... these hands can be lifted up to heaven as I sing praise, join together in applause for a job well done, rub the back of a child with comforting whispers to still the crying,  hold hands, dig in the dirt to plant food which will nourish, work to provide an income, a meal, a clean house for my family, grasp tight onto the shoulders in a hug to comfort a friend, wipe away tears wrap tight to show love wipe away dirt, signs of a good day of playing outside, from the face of a toddler  clean boo boo's gathered and folded together in prayer create art write words which will comfort, inspire or bring affirmation These hands which were created to work, may have a little dirt under the nails and may not be perfectly manicured, are what I have to offer. My hands and my heart....God use them. These hands, though small, in God's hands can do mighty things. Use me, oh God!  "We are God's hands......" ...

After reading the post title did you start singing this song? Although, after watching this video, I did have to look up Scott Baio to see if first he was still alive and if so, was he as adorable as he was in the early 80's; this post isn't about the TV sitcom "Happy Days". No, this post is about finding just one thing in your day that made you happy. One small happy moment for one hundred days and posted to whichever social media you choose.  My daughter told me about #100happydays just over a month ago and we decided to take the plunge. A couple of years ago I taken Ann Voskamp's challenge to find 1000 gifts and my practice of counting blessings has dwindled a bit. Time to step it up! There are blessings all around us but we must open our eyes to see them.  Since I don't have instagram - I don't have one of those fancy picture-taking-web connecting phones  -  so I decided to post my 100 happy days to my Facebook page . Counting blessin...

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness  was   on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Genesis 1:1-2 He took nothing and formed something. The earth, with it's deserts and mountains, with it's valleys and streams, with it's magnificent oceans and beautiful rain forests......all of it create d. Created from nothing. Created by a mighty and powerful Creator. If He could create such beauty, just think what He is capable of creating in me. I am nothing but He created me. He created me for something much better, much bigger than nothing. I grasp on to this, holding tight, on days when I am drowning in the seemingly  mundane tasks of everyday life.  I cling tight to the hope that He is using me even in the simple tasks of folding laundry and preparing meals, sweeping the floor and dusting the furniture. He strengthens me ea...

The other day I stumbled across a recipe at Gwen's Nest for a Thin Mint Chocolate Milkshake . This recipe sounded like just the thing to curb my craving for sweet and was "plan-approved". Except I was out of cottage cheese (I know. Weird. But cottage cheese makes shakes extra creamy delicious. I'm not lying.), I didn't have any peppermint extract or a dark chocolate bar. Time to experiment! I used peppermint essential oil instead (word of warning: when using essential oil you only need a couple of drops!!) and subbed my Special Dark Cocoa for the chocolate bar. I had to double the recipe after I found out that I had made my shake a bit too "minty". This extra would come in later for my mint chocolate ice cream! MINT CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE 1 c. Almond Milk (unsweetened) 6 ice cubes 1 scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder 1 T. Special Dark Cocoa powder Peppermint Essential Oil (to taste) 1/8 t. glucomannan 1/4 t. liquid stevia + 1T. truvia Blend it...

 My new favorite lunch? Chicken Salad! In the past I had a couple of bad habits that I've been trying to break: 1. Feeding the daycare kids crap. Although for the most part I've always been pretty good about making "healthier" choices for the kids (we avoid fruit juices and canned fruits, never have sugared cereal, etc), I was still falling back on kid-friendly (there's nothing friendly about processed foods), inexpensive and easy meals such as hot dogs, mac&cheese and frozen pizza (who doesn't love Pizza Friday?). I don't remember the last time I served the kids any of those three (except today we're having nitrate-free turkey dogs!). 2. My lunch was usually quick, if I "ate" at all. Usually I'd gobbled down a slice of pizza (or other "naughty" foods) while serving the kids and clean the kitchen. When I eat while I'm "on my feet" I have the tendency to overeat. One slice of pizza turns to three slices. I...

I grew up in small town in Iowa, just two doors down from an amazing woman. She wasn't glamorous nor did she have a job with a fancy title that required a fancy degree. She was just Madeleine; housewife, mother and Jesus-follower. I know that she loved Jesus because of the way that she loved others. Madeleine was the one who led me to Christ that summer so long ago at Vacation Bible School. She was the adult that I could have gone to if I had something that I "couldn't discuss" with my mother. I don't think I ever did but it sure was comforting knowing that there was someone that I could trust with anything. She was somebody that I could count on.  Today Madeleine is having a mastectomy. After suffering for the past years from a debilitating disease (Parkinson's) she now has breast cancer. Tears flow down my face as I think of this sweet, caring, selfless woman and the suffering that she has endured over the past years. Thoughts of "it's NOT F...

Last week I did a little craft project with the daycare kiddos. I did the first cross painting to model for the children how to create this water painted cross. As I showed them the importance of using just the right amount of water - not too much and not too little, we talked about Easter. I opened with the question, "Why do we celebrate Easter? What is it all about?" Responses varied but most had to do with the Easter bunny. Instead of getting discouraged I instead agreed with them (hold on here), "Yes, part of our celebration includes the Easter bunny. We sometimes add things to holidays to make them fun. At Christmas we have Santa and at Easter we have a bunny but......Why do we celebrate Christmas? Whose birth do we celebrate?" They all cheerfully exclaimed, "JESUS!" "Yes, Christmas is really about the birth of Jesus! Does anyone know who Easter is really about?" One boy hesitantly said, "Jesus?" "YES! It...