Thursday 11 March 2010

I wish you enough . . .



"I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.


I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye."

I came across this little wish verse the other day and thought it to be so very beautiful. I'm not sure where it comes from or who wrote it, but the words in it are very apt and applicable to our lives.



How can I begin to express the gratitude I feel for each one of you and your most welcome prayers, happy thoughts and kind words for Todd and myself?? They have touched the very core of me. It is so very hard to feel down when so very many people are rooting for us. You are blessing our lives in a very beautiful way. We feel encircled and carried on the wings of love.

This is a very scary time for me. I try not to let on to Todd how I am feeling at times, and to be very upbeat for him, and in truth . . . most of the time I truly am feeling positive about it all . . . and then there are the moments when fear grips my very soul and I am so worried about what the future might hold. My mind starts filling with questions . . . like what if I can't find a job, or . . . what if we can't pay the rent . . . or . . . well, I am sure you get the picture.



Those are the times when I need to get on my knees and I do get on my knees . . . for when you are seeking the reassurances of the Father and Son . . . there is a wonderful power that comes and lifts you above anything that the earth might beat you with. I am so very grateful for His tender mercies.

I'm afraid that I have been a very bad blog reader these past few weeks. My head has been all over the place and I have found it hard to settle down and concentrate and read for any more than a few minutes at a time. I am going to try to get to all your pages today if I can.



I also didn't get the dolls posted yesterday as planned. I decided to make some accessories for them, so I have been busy sewing up little felt cupcakes and Scottie dogs. All will hopefully be revealed before the end of today. (fingers crossed) One of them is already spoken for, and one is for my giveaway that I hosted and will be flying it's way over to Great Granny Grandma very soon. (Could you send me your mailing address again? I seem to have lost it!!)

Also anyone that wants my new mailing address, could you let me know and I will send it to you.

These past few days I have found that moving is a great excuse to clear out all the rubbish and to get rid of things that you have no need for. We've been using the criteria that if we don't need it and don't love it, we are getting rid. The local charity shops are having a field day. There is very little storage space in the new house so we really need to pare down. (One thing they're not getting though . . . is my cookbooks!!)

I made us a tasty and warming soup for our tea yesterday. Oh my but it was good and very filling. We will soon be into spring and soup days will be coming to an end, so lets enjoy them while we still can!



*Leek and Bean Soup*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This soup is a complete meal in a bowl. It's really a rich and flavourful leek and potato soup with the addition of some beans and toasty little cheese croutons on top. Lip smacking good and very quick to get ready and on to the table!

1 TBS olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 large leeks, washed, trimmed and chopped
1 large potato (or two medium) peeled and diced into small dice
3 cups vegetable stock
4 TBS finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
410g tin of borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 small baguette, cut into 8 slices
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Once it is hot, add the garlic and leeks and cook them over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until they are soft but not coloured.

Add the potato and the vegetable stock. Stir, and then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and allow to simmer covered, for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are quite tender. Remove from the heat and puree with either a stick blender (My preferred method) or in an regular blender or food processor. (Do take care if using this method and only puree a small quanitity at a time. All that heat tends to make the lid blow off the blender. I always cover mine with a tea towel and hold it on for dear life)

Return the pureed mixture to the pan, and add the beans along with half of the parsley. Gently allow to heat through.

In the meantime, set the grill (broiler) to high. Place the slices of bread on the grill rack and grill on one side for about 30 seconds or so until toasted. Turn them over and grill the second side. Once golden brown on both sides, sprinkle each slice with an equal amount of the cheddar cheese, using about half of it and grill for about a minute longer, or until the cheese is just melted. Stir any remaining cheddar into the hot soup.

Ladle the hot soup into four heated bowls. Float two cheesey croutons on top of each and sprinkle the the remaining parsley to serve.



There are some really scrummy Chocolate Chip Shortbreads over on The English Kitchen today!

PS - Today I WISH YOU ENOUGH!!

13 comments:

  1. Hello Marie,
    Of COURSE you are loved! I was so worried about you when I first read that you had lost your job, it was on my mind all day. I feel privileged to have been able to visit you and Todd in your beautiful cottage so I knew how you must be feeling. I'm sure it won't take you long to make your new house a home, it'll be fun I'm sure!
    Please e-mail me your new address, I want to be able to keep in touch with you both! ~~~Love, Pat xxx

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  2. Good Morning Marie,first let me say it is only natural you have the worries alongside the joys who wouldn't have.I feel for you I realy do.What a pity you couldn't have had a sale of the things you are getting rid of, either online or at your church or somewhere.Every penny helps in todays world and especially when one is unemployed.Congratulations to the blogger who won the Dolly I must have missed that posting.The soup is very tempting to say the least, as it's still very frosty and cold here today,I am going to give that a try.You are most welcome to all my thoughts and prayers always,how could we not stand by such a dear friend.I would very much like your new address if you don't mind me having it thankyou.I will send an E.Mail to request it also,as I know how busy you must be.Know you are always in my prayers and I am sure things can only get better.Worrying doesn't make things come right.So try not to:- as we don't want you to get ill over this.Take Care God Bless To You Both. Kath xx

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  3. My dear Marie,
    How I miss you! I wish I can give you a big hug right now.

    I'm not also good in blog hopping this week. Been very busy these days. I know you are busy too. i appreciate your visit today. I'm glad I have time to visit you because it's always refreshing to be found in your lovely site. I love all the good stuff here, your thoughts, your food, your pictures and your quotes.
    I will be remembering you in my prayer times as you do all necessary things as you move to your new home. The joy of the Lord is your strength. He is your Jehovah Jireh, your Provider. His favor rests upon His beloved Marie.

    Love and prayer,
    Ruth xxx

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  4. I woke up this morning thinking of you Marie. I am obviously carrying you around in my thoughts. Of course this is a worrying time for you both. Who wouldn't panic about such a big change to their lives without a lot of warning?
    It isn't a situation any of us would want.
    You are both so brave as I am sure Todd is being just as positive as you are outwardly.
    Such loving thoughtfulness and togetherness can't go unrewarded.
    There is one blessing already in that you have already lived in Chester and know all the ins and outs. It isn't going to be a strange environment for you.
    That's a good beginning...
    I too would like to have your new address. I will send you an e-mail so that you can answer it at your leisure.
    God bless you both.
    Much love
    Jeanie xxxxx

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  5. There are times for all of us when change is hard to accept, but no matter what life continues on and so must we. The last move I made wore me out completely and I hope I never have to do it again, but I probably will as I cannot see myself living in this house in my old age. Keep on taking it one day at a time.

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  6. My lovely Marie of course we love you a lot, I love you and Todd too. You are not alone. And God you know love you as a sewwt little girl and He cares you, Im sure.
    My dearest friends trust in God He cares you.
    You know I lived difficult times and others things, diffcult and hard but is amazing I feel the love's God, really feel, He is close . I know.
    Send you huggsss and kisses and to Todd of course!!!

    blessings, gloria

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  7. Dear Marie...I wish you more LOVE and then some! :o) May the love keep you going during these exciting but nervous days. I think you are handling all of this with such courage and grace--it is truly inspiring! And it is only natural to feel up-beat and together, and then nervous and frightened the next. You & Todd have been faced with quite and upheaval in recent weeks. I know it will be tough to leave your pretty cottage. And what fond memory we have of meeting you there! I do hope we will be able to go and see you in Chester! :O) Do please email me your new address when you can, and also any new phone number/mobile number should you know that yet too. Thinking about you...And sending ((LOVE & BIG HUGS)) OXOX

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  8. You ARE surrounded by those who love you, Marie--even though you can't see some of us...hmmm...
    sounds rather like the love our Father in Heaven has for us, doesn't it?

    You will find a job--someone will consider him/herself very lucky to snap you up! You just wait and see!

    This soup looks so warming and delicious--love it! And I would love to have your new address, please! I have a new email address--been wanting to change it forever!

    avintagechic2@yahoo.com

    Hope you're enjoying a beautiful almost-spring day, and not working TOO very hard! Much love to you, dear friend!

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  9. Thank goodness you have your faith to take you to the right place. Have a good day. I like the recipes, glad you are holding into your cook books! We all have more than enough don't we?! Come say hi :D

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  10. Of COURSE you'll get a job! You know, after years and years of thinking I couldn't stop work because we needed the money, it was only when I HAD to stop that I found it was much easier than I thought. Not easy, you know, but easi-ER. "Don't worry" is easy for me to say but you will anyway, so would I, so be my guest! But share it with Todd if you can because a problem shared is a problem halved and you'll probably find he has exactly the same fesrs as you.

    love always, Angie, xx

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  11. I am new to your blog--just wondering how far you are moving. Was checking out some of your blogs and they look really interesting. I see you had to leave your residence and find a new job!! Hope I remember to come back and see how you are doing!

    nannykim from http://spindlecottage.blogspot.com

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  12. Dearest Marie,
    As everyone has said it is only natural to have the worries pop into your head at times but we know how string your love of the Lord is and we know that when we feel at our worst he is there to carry us along...All is well and all will be well,
    Much Love Sybil x

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  13. marie, don't worry about commenting on my blog. you are seriously too busy! i love each and every word you write, but don't overdo it during a busy time in your life, ok? :) thanks for sharing those beautiful quotes, especially the one about the flowers and the garden. thats a very lovely one!

    hope you have a great weekend! love ya!

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Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!