From the recording Somewhere to Begin
Written as a 70th birthday gift to Paula’s mom, my mother-in-law, Pat Carson. Sometimes the heroes who keep us keeping on are those nearest and dearest, facing life’s struggles, picking up the pieces, moving on, loving life…
Lyrics
Renaissance Woman
Child of the fifties, eight out of ten
Four room farmhouse, little space to bend
Catholic girl, falling in love
With a Lutheran boy! Lighting from above!
Chorus: Renaissance woman, ahead of her time
Steppin’ out of boxes and over the line
Iowa farm, Colorado salon
Blessed are the ones—who keep us movin’ on
Mother of two, widow at twenty-four
Girls, your daddy won’t be with us anymore
Dark nights, gray days
The Lord moves in mysterious ways
Oh…Can I make it through this life?
Oh…Can I make it through?
Down at the grocery store, a wink and a grin
A smile across the counter, love comes again
Wedding bells ring, stepmother of three
Rolling fields, far as the eye can see
Farm wife, Four-H, Call the cattle, disc the ground
Make the meals, Wagon Wheel, Running the kids around
Belly dance, yoga stance, Brush the horse, comb the mane
Sunday church, Monday work, and do it all again Chorus
Kids are grown, Colorado here we come!
Sell the farm, pack the car, moving on!
Beauty school then working at the hair salon!
‘58 Chevy and we’re cruisin’ along!
Car shows, Cripple Creek, Bible Study once a week
Baby daughter gay, black and white is gray, Clouds on the Peak
Love of her life, she buries in the ground,
Sorrow has no sound, Colors blue and gray
Oh, can I make it through this day?
Oh, can I make it through?
Great-grandchildren bouncing on her knees. Traveling overseas,
Turn left, right whatever you please
Challenging the church, Loving God and the holy word
Be still…and know…a Voice Unheard
Oh, living, loving Life! Oh, living, loving Life! Chorus
© 2012 Sara Thomsen and Paula Pedersen