A Ballad for My Mother

We celebrated my mother's 90th birthday with a party at our church a couple of weeks ago. After each of her seven children had participated in a program to honor her, she thanked everyone and led us in singing this song that she wrote about her own mother. So this week I'd like to share her song as our Poem to Start the Week. I think it's a good song. I would like to record it one of these days. A Ballad for My Motherwritten by Ruth Baird Shaw in 1983  to honor her mother, Ieula Ann Dick Baird. Author's Note: My mother lived to be nearly 89 years old and she had a philosophy of life as a Christian, not to worry about things that "could not be helped" and to take each day as a new beginning. . .  Verse 1 My mother grew old. . . had lines etched in her face    Worked hard all her life. . . with uncommon grace    She lived by the Bible. . . And I'd visit awhile    She taught me her secret. . . of life with a smile She said. .  .   Chorus      Today is the first day    Of the rest of your life.    Don't borrow trouble    With yesterday's strife.    Take time. . . smell the flowers    That's what makes life worth while    Then pick up each new day    And love and a smile!  Verse 2  Widowed while young. . . Mama worked in the mill    Washed on a scrub-board. . . Brought wood up a hill    She sang as she labored. . . to stay out of debt    And taught me this lesson. . . I'll never forget (Chorus)  Verse 3 One day I said, Mama,. . . Your life has been hard    You've buried two babies. . . Out in the church yard    You've known all the heartache of struggling for bread,    She smiled through her tears and these words she said: (Chorus)  Verse 4 Her old fashioned tea cakes. . . We ate the last crumb    Her old fashioned flowers. . . She had a green thumb.    She lived by the Bible. . . each day and each mile    She taught me her secret. . . of life with a smile!        (Chorus)