And Then We All Had Tea

“Be Patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days.” D&C 24:8

“There are some years in our lives that we would not want to live again. But even these years will pass away, and the lessons learned will be a future blessing.” ~Marjorie Pay Hinckley

"That Marjorie Pay Hinckley was a very smart woman. I have a little book she wrote, entitled “Small and Simple Things.” It is filled with little bits of her wit and wisdom, and her words never fail to inspire and uplift me. For those of you who don’t know, she was the late wife of the leader of our church and she passed away several years ago now. They had been married for over 60 years, and I’m sure he misses her more than words can say, but then again, we all do. She was such a wonderfully witty and charming woman. They were the perfect match! (President Hinckley has since passed himself, and they are now together and enjoying each other's company again in the hereafter)

When I read her words this morning, I thought to myself, she is so right! I’ve had times like those. Days, months . . . and even years when I thought I’d never see the light at the end of the tunnel . . . when there seemed to be no hope of a brighter future, and I could see no way out. Somehow though, I was always able to get through them and find my way, even when I thought I couldn’t. Looking back, I can clearly see that those have been the times that I have learned my greatest lessons and made the most progress, as difficult and as painful as they might have been at the time. I have been able to turn them around in my mind and bring a little spark of joy out of each one of them, a lesson learned . . . and some progress made.



Another thing is very clear to me as I think back . . . during those difficult times, I was never alone. I have always had my faith and the love of my Heavenly Father to help uphold me and keep my head above the water that so clearly would threaten to drown me. As I walked through those dark tunnels, he was always holding my hand and guiding me along the way, giving me the strength and the endurance to carry on.

That is a sweet knowledge that I carry with me . . . the knowledge that I am never alone, no matter what, and that He is always with me, even on my darkest of days. I just know that whatever life may throw at me, I will be able to cope, for it is through Him that I draw my strength and my hope . . . perhaps that is the great secret of getting through life . . . being able to trust in Him. I cannot speak for you though, I only know what has worked, and what continues to work for me."

(This is a re-post from my Muses, that I originally penned last July)

Although I have toyed with the idea of becoming a vegetarian from time to time, there is one thing I could never give up, not just yet anyways . . . and that is a delicious beef steak, cooked medium rare . . .



*Beef Steak with Stilton Mushroom Sauce*
Serves 4

This to me has to be the perfect way to cook a steak. Tender, juicy and accompanied with a delicious sauce full of the flavours of mushrooms and tangy stilton cheese. Yummy!

4 (6 ounces) Strip Loin Steaks (You may use other steaks, as long as they are suitable for grilling)
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
5 TBS butter
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry red wine
½ cup sour cream
3 ounces Stilton or other bleu cheese, crumbled

Rub the steaks with the chopped tarragon and the black pepper. Take a large skillet and heat it over medium high heat. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the skillet until it is foaming. Add the steaks and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side or to the desired degree of doneness. ( 2 minutes each side for medium rare) Remove the steaks to a warm plate and keep warm while youmake the sauce.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until they are tender. Add the wine, reduce the heat and let itcook for another 1 to 2 minutes to deglaze the pan. Stir in the sour cream and ¼ cup of the cheese. Cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Season to taste with some salt and pepper.

To serve, drizzle the sauce over the steaks and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. You can garnish with sprigs of tarragon if you wish.