Ponderings on life . . .

 

I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.
~L M Montgomery

Moments come and go so very fast . . . it seems that we no sooner begin one day and it is ending . . . but moments, they are what make up the whole of our lives. Big moments . . . small moments . . . little bitty moments here and there. They turn into hours and then days . . . weeks and then months . . . then years, and before you know it, a whole life time.

When I stop to think about this, it sometimes scares me. Especially when I think back to how much of my life is stretching behind me now . . . and how very little of it is in front of me. I want to try to slow my life down . . . but that's now how it all works. Life is . . . what it is. It passes, and you can't slow it down. You can capture moments of it in photographs, and years later, as you look at the photographs, sweet moments can come back into your recall like the tender, sweet gifts that they are . . . but, the reality is that our lives are short and everything in them, quite irrevocable. 

 

No matter how hard we may try to lengthen our moments, our days, our months . . . our years. NO matter how hard we try to hang onto them and to time . . . truth is . . . we just can't, and . . . no matter how much we may try to shorten the uncomfortable times, or the difficult moments . . . we can't really do that either.

Life is what it is.

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you . . . before you depart. Let me not pass you by in a quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so; One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world . . . your return.
~Mary Jean Iron

 

 What we can do though . . . is to learn to live fully in the present. To learn to live the width and breadth of our lives. To be present here and now. Make the here and the now more meaningful. Live our lives with consciousness. So much can, and will be lost in the cobwebs of time forever . . . existing only in our memory banks, but if we strive to be fully present in the moments of our lives, both the frightening or difficult . . . and the joyful moments . . . it will all have been worth it. Our lives will have been lived.

Everything in our lives has a purpose, both the bad and the good. If we don't want to miss out on that purpose and all of the adventure along the way, then we must be conscious of our here's and our now's . . . always alert . . . with a seeking and open heart. When we learn to capture the moment's we are in . . . then we are living life in all of it's glorious fullness, and that can't be bad.

 

 Life is what it is . . . live it.

Do stuff.
Be clenched, curious.
Not waiting for inspiration's shove
or society's kiss on your forehead.
Pay attention.
It's all about paying attention.
Attention is vitality.
It connects you with others.
It makes you eager.
Stay eager.
~anon 

 

So this arrived yesterday. Its a waffle maker.  I have slowed down a lot on accepting things to write about on the food blog.  It all becomes a bit of a hassel in the long run, but I couldn't resist this. Its a waffle maker that is supposed to remove the mess from baking waffles.  

 

 No more waffle batter squeezing out the sides, etc.  We shall see.  Can't wait to get stuck into using it.  Not today however as the Missionaries are coming for their tea and I am doing a lasagne for them. 

  

I am almost done my latest blanket. The Orla Keily colours one that I was inspired to do by Amanda Hurrell of Eight by Six.  I basically just have the border left to do. Its such an easy make.  I just love it.  I think I will do another one when I am finished this one, just to use up some scraps and such. We will see how that goes! 

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.There is a wisdom of the head,

and there is a wisdom of the heart.

~Charles Dickens  •。★★ 。* 。 

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER 

Today's Reading - Alma 3:1-19

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? What can we learn, about marking *ourselves*, in these verses?  

Thoughts - The Amlicites marked themselves to separate from the Nephites and join with the Lamanites. And so this marking distinguished the disobedient from the disciples of Christ. For us we have been given standards relating to our physical dress & appearance from our Prophet. As we live by these standards we separate ourselves from the world, we stand out as disciples of Christ and we respect the gift of our body. But also I'm thinking about how I mark myself everyday with Jesus Christ's name. This which is about my heart, my words and my actions being like His. 

 

 Do you know what's interesting to me? It's that the Amalicites didn't go the whole hog. They marked their heads, like the Lamanites did. But didn't shave their heads, like the Lamanites did. Yet what they were doing marked themselves as different from the Lords people, it marked them as one who had come out in open rebellion against God. If we take the commandments, word of wisdom, the strength of you (th) etc as inspired - as the word of the Lord for His people. Surely I am marking myself as separate to His people if I am not careful in what I wear, watch, read, listen to, drink, do. This was something that was pointed out to me in my last year of study and it has really stuck with me. Am I marking myself as different from the Lords covenant people? 

 

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 141) - Alma 3:20-4:4 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? How can our afflictions cause us to wake up from a spiritual slumber?

In the kitchen today, a bit of bangers and mash, but not just any bangers and mash . . .  Honey & Soy Glazes Sausages with Root Vegetable Mash. I used Linda McCartney's veggie Sausages and they turned out really nice and that mash is to die for. 

Not a lot on today. Just enjoying the here and the now.  Happy day everyone! May it be filled with a bit of sunshine, a few smiles and a lot of love! Don't forget! 

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And I do too!