Harvest Lane Cottage

GOOD MORNING! GOOD AFTERNOON! GOOD EVENING! GOOD NIGHT! This is a GOOD day! Embrace it! Bless the LORD with praise! Trust in Him! Do what God has for you to do today. Don't focus on the news. There will always be something to worry about. Wash and pray, and go on your way. God bless you all! Enjoy life in EVERY season. Every season comes to pass. This, too, shall pass! Hugs to you all, Laura Shared at: Classical Homemaking

The Revelation : I don't have to know what to write to be a writer. I have to be willing to be used by God... willing to write what He gives me to write... willing to exchange the fear, the worry, the anxiety that someone might not like what I write, the memories of red and green ink all over my papers that I worked so hard at writing in college, the rejection of my youth, my natural focus on me me me. I have to be willing to give, willing to be a channel for God's blessing to flow through. My source of what to write is God himself and what His Holy Spirit reveals to me. In His Word, in His Presence. All life flows from Him.

Oh what a refreshing afternoon I had! I visited my dear friend Joyce of Morris Patch of Heaven Homestead. We've been friends for years and have raised our kids together. Our visit was punctuated with her wonderful young children bringing adorable baby animals right into the house for viewing and enjoying. New life is always such a joy. Bottle lambs bring back memories. I met Joyce through a homeschool group that met in a little house, at the other end of my block, that was owned by a local church. We enjoyed many years of mom meetings, homeschool field trips, pray and plays, park days and activities together. For a few years, we also had the pleasure of being church members together and participating in home groups that our children were welcome to attend. Ah, good memories. Friends on a long ago field trip. Laura left, JuLinda center, Joyce right While we were together this afternoon, the first since the distancing order, I felt refreshed by talking with my dear frien...

Hello ladies, Here are a few things I've done lately to save money. But first.... Thank you JoeyLea for the gift you sent me this week! It was so very thoughtful. ~smile~ Thank you Gail for the gift you sent me this week! I will open it on the 12th for my birthday. ~smile~ Now onto the thrifty things. I've been reworking my wardrobe a bit for my part-time work. I'm trying new combinations and making a few adjustments to things I own. I haven't bought any new clothes, but I may need to. A stay-at-home mom's wardrobe can get a bit dowdy if she doesn't shop for three years. I haven't really shopped since I found the lump. No energy then no money. ~smile~ I put a little shampoo in a squeeze bottle and filled it water. It makes my shampoo last so much longer with better suds. Teddy bear mush with Farina (Cream of Wheat) for a couple of breakfasts. We add brown sugar and milk. I made more masks using only what I have on hand. I've been ...

6 Things to Love About Blogging Harvest Lane Cottage I've been feeling a bit reflective lately. Some thoughts about blogging: I love the creative freedom to write without the approval of a few elite p ublishers.  Making new friends surely would top the list as well.  The ability to reach readers around the world still  bloggles  boggles my mind.  I can encourage others through sharing my own trials, struggles, blessings, and thrifty ideas. I can share the hope that I find in JESUS even when life seems too hard. Encouraging others builds me up as well. Writing my  thrifty week   posts   and     bucket lists  really help me keep  doing . Truthfully, there are so many things I love about it, it's hard to choose! Sharing my faith and encouragement with others is my passion. ஐღLauraღஐ  ...doing what I can  with what I've got where I am  on a short shoestring budget! ~~~~~ You m...

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you. I thought I'd talk with you a bit about a problem that may be making life hard for you right now.  I think we've all done it. We have robbed Peter to pay Paul. We've bought something on credit thinking we would pay it at the end of the month or some such thing. Maybe we bought a car on credit or ran up a bill at this place or that. We've all run up bills of different kinds in past. Some of us might be doing it right now. I've run up some medical bills recently. Thank you Jesus, we've been able to pay them. ~smile~ Some of us have run up balances all over the place. Been there done that. Then guilt and fear mount as we look at the bills coming in. Sometimes there's not enough money to pay them all.  Then the self-hate and self-loathing kick in. Stop!  Do not hate yourself for anything. Do not allow the devil a foothold. It's done. If it was because of something foolish you did, or because of si...