I woke up this morning to the soothing sound of rain falling gently outside my window. My polyester sheets cool and smooth all around me as I snuggle into them telling myself "five more minutes, then I'll get up". The thump-thump of mother walking down the hallway to my room, the rattle of the doorknob and the ker-chunk as she opens the door. I bury my face deep into my pillow, "Leah, we leave in 20 minutes for piano...better get up.... are you awake?". I grunted to show I was at least partially awake, enough to hear and understand what she said. I turned over and looked out my window to the rain covered outside, the sky grey with harmless rainclouds overhead. I rolled over and out of bed.

After getting ready in about 15 minutes I walked out the door with purse, piano bag, camera and morning juice in hand. I plop into the drivers seat and run the wipers, the rain smears on the windshield. After we get out of town I see the morning sun as it attempts to peek through the clouds.

"As I drove to piano lessons, a couple hundreds miles away my penpal and blogpal was addressing an envelope to me and hurrying through the rain out to the mail box, hoping that she had given it adequate postage..." :P

The rain continues to patter for the entire ride. Half-way there we turn onto a detour which takes us on this GORGEOUS dirt road. The cornfields on either side of the road just turning a shade of brown, the grass in the ditches lush and green, the dirt road in shades of brown to black over the entire road. Due to the amount of travel on the road, washboards have formed and they shake your car vigorously.


Into the house and onto the couch where I read "Don't waste your life" by John Piper. I sat and tried to soak it in as much as possible. His words like air into a deflating balloon. I devoured it with much joy. After piano lessons we got back into the car and headed back home. As we arrive onto the detour I was awestruck again by the beauty of this little road that I have come to love. I pulled over onto the side of the road and took a good deal of pictures in an attempt to capture the solemness of the road. Off we go again until we arrive home.

After doing my Bible study for the day and 5 pages in math I then go into the kitchen to make Mac and Cheese for Ethan and myself. Just a box mix with absolutely NO similarities to mom's, but it's food right? After boiling the water and putting in the noodles I sat and turned on my computer. The soft humming of the computer as it starts, the pfooshing of the noodles as they roll around in the boiling water, Uncommon Ritual playing softly in the background. It's a chilly 65 degrees outside but I am extremely thankful for it. Due to the chilliness I get to put on a long sleeved shirt and my baggy-second-hand-store-treasure carpenter pants and socks. Total warmness. I call Ethan up and we eat while we eat I sit and I write this, and as I sit here I think of God's endless supply of mercy. I think of how thankful I am that His supply is endless, otherwise I would have used it up long before now. I think of all that I would miss if I attended a public school, or if I was at work. I think of all that God has been teaching me over that last few days and the joy that comes with it. I sit and I contemplate life and I hope that I am not wasting it. As I finish up the last of the fake Mac and Cheese I pray for strength for the rest of the day and for the week. I pray for all of you as well, that you would take time each day to stop and think of all that God has done for you and for what He is doing in your life and what He will continue to do (Phil 1:5-6). I STRONGLY encourage you to read "Don't Waste Your Life" because I know it won't be a waste of your time.