10 Things I Remember About Summer as a Kid

Music from the Heart: What A Wonderful World by Kenny G & Louis Armstrong

As the lazy hazy days of summer are making their rounds once again, I admittedly find myself at work some days wishing I was anywhere else. After pondering this a little more deeply, I have decided that my daydreaming has less to do with my job (I love where I work and what I do) and more to do with a nostalgic longing for a simpler time.

With that in mind, here is another edition of my "10 Things" lists:

Ten Things I Remember About Summer as a Kid

1. The thrill of having unstructured time to do whatever we wanted.

2. Riding my bike to the library and spending half the afternoon there, reading, dreaming, and enjoying the smell.

3. Swimming lessons, culminated at the end of the second year by jumping off the high-dive in order to pass the class.

4. Spending time at my grandmother's house, without Mom and Dad, and how special & grown-up that made me feel.

5. The unforgettable sound of night critters like crickets & katydids, which seemed to be everywhere.

6. Kool-aid and bologna sandwiches.

7. Slip n' Slide and whatever other ways we could get wet with the garden hose.

8. Drinking from the garden hose without even a thought about getting sick - but letting the water cool off first, of course.

9. Playing outside from morning until dark and coming in at night wearing the smell of summer.

10. The absolute freedom of not having a care in the world.

Ten Things I'm Thankful For

Tonight's Music from the Heart: Rachael Lampa - Blessed

With Thanksgiving being a week away, our thoughts are turned, naturally, to all the things that the holiday has come mean in our fast-paced modern culture; things like The Dinner (planning, shopping, cooking), travel, decorating, a few days off of work and school, and of course - Black Friday.

Well, indulge me, if you will, as I rebel against the modern interpretation of Thanksgiving and construct a short list of just some of the things for which I am truly thankful, and encourage you to do the same.

Here they are, just a few of the things I am thankful for:

(1) The priceless gift of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, making it possible for me to embrace a rich and personal relationship with the Creator of all.

(2) My husband, David, the man who pursued and captured my heart and now shares my life and is the object of my love and affection.

(3) A safe, warm house to come home to in a world that is cold in more ways than one.

(4) Every moment with the people I love.

(5) Memories that live on long after the people in them have passed through or passed on.

(6) Laughter.

(7) Music.

(8) Friends who know me well and love me anyway.

(9) Babies.

(10) Parents and grandparents who taught me to give generously, receive graciously, hug often, laugh heartily, and love deeply.

What are ten things for
which you are truly thankful?

Ten More Things I Love About Autumn

Since I love this season so much, I thought I'd indulge myself with an additional 10 Things list to celebrate the season. The photo at left is that of a little guy who stands proudly in front of our house. Thank you in advance for bearing with me on this little journey through my love for Autumn.

1. The crisp blue of an October sky
2. S'mores (duh - I can't believe I forgot this on my first list!)
3. The sound of rustling leaves
4. Wishing both parents Happy Birthday (Dad on October5 and Mom on October31)
5. Adopting my fall "look" (hair color, wardrobe, and of course, shoes and boots)
6. Making "cool weather" dinners like homemade soup or chili and cornbread
7. Perusing cookbooks and recipe magazines for new slow cooker recipes
8. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner and inviting over friends who don't have family close by
9. Pumpkin Spice latte at Sweet Bay
10. Sipping hot tea from a favorite mug before bed (made more enticing by a molasses cookie or piece of gingerbread!)

Thank You, Lord, for the ability to see, hear,
taste, smell, and feel the passing of each season.
Thank You for Your presence in so many of the
things and people we walk by everyday with
little or nothing more than a passing glance.
Open our eyes to see Your hand and our ears
to hear Your voice. Tune our hearts to Yours
as we take the time to stop, look, listen ...
and be thankful. Amen.

10 Things I Love About Autumn

It's early October, and these are the first days of my absolute favorite season of the year - Autumn. I'm not sure exactly when I decided that Autumn was superior in my mind to every other season, but it was probably somewhere between ice-covered power lines and a peeling sunburn. Regardless of when or why, I love this time of year more than any other, so I thought I'd compile another 10 Things list in honor of the cool and cozy days ahead. Here are ten of my favorite things about Autumn.

(1) Fall candle scents like Pumpkin Pie Spice & Mulled Cider.
(2) The breathtaking eyeful of color when the leaves turn after the first cold snap.
(3) The smell that a wood-burning fireplace causes to linger throughout the neighborhood.
(4) Camping in the Ozarks.
(5) Decorating the house (inside and out) with pumpkins, fall flowers, colored leaves, & pine cones.
(6) The anticipation of visiting family and friends for the coming holidays.
(7) Hayrides.
(8) Having an excuse to listen to Christmas music in preparation for rehearsals for holiday festivities.
(9) The crisp coolness in the air that inspires the trade of capris and sandles for sweaters and boots.
(10) Curling up for a nap under a cozy blanket and near an open window.

Seasons change. To the cynic, they are a reminder that time continues marching on at its own pace, whether we like it or not, and all we can do is hold on for dear life. But to the thankful heart, seasons inspire hope - that tomorrow is a new day filled with promise and wonder. They also remind us to savor every moment, nurture every relationship, welcome each new day.

Teach me, Lord, to embrace every passing season

as a precious gift, thankful for lessons learned,

laughter shared and moments cherished.

Teach me to live every moment to its fullest potential.

Amen.

Summer

The sizzle of summer heat is not exactly on my top ten list of favorite things - I'm an autumn gal to the core. But in the interest of maintaining a positive outlook on the inevitable, I thought I would make a list of ten things I do like about summer. Without further ado ...

1. The smell of a fresh, juicy peach
2. The soothing hum of a fan in the window at night
3. Fresh berries - eaten alone, over angel food cake, or in smoothies or cobblers
4. Watching lightning bugs in the yard from the front porch (our dog Sheba likes to chase them)
5. Anything David cooks on the grill
6. Getting together with friends for barbecue and watching fireworks on the Fourth of July
7. Indulging in Hawaiian shaved ice (favorite flavor - black cherry/vanilla cream)
8. Iced tea - and lots of it
9. Playing barber as I give both David and Sheba their summer haircuts (different clippers, of course!)

And last, but certainly not least, my absolute favorite thing about summer is ...

10. The anticipation of the cooler temps and the pending arrival of my favorite season, autumn!

Hmmmm ...

Today I am passing along a few philosophical questions posed by friends on facebook and adding a few of my own. These can be categorized as the things that make you go, "Hmmm." Of course, whether the "Hmmm" refers to the actual question posed or to the thought processes of the poser remains to be determined. Enjoy.

1. What does ice cream sound like?

2. Why is the third hand on a watch called a second hand?

3. Why do they call them apartments when they are all so close together?

4. If bread is square, why is sandwich meat round?

5. Why is vanilla ice cream white when vanilla extract is brown?

6. If money doesn't grow on trees, why do banks have branches?

7. Why do we put suits in a garment bag and garments in a suitcase?

8. Did Noah have woodpeckers on the ark? If so, where did he keep them?

9. Why does lemon dishwashing liquid contain real lemons, but lemon juice contains artificial flavoring?

10. Who was the first person to say, "I think I'll squeeze those dangly things under the cow and drink what comes out?"

That's all for now.

Rachael