Monday 11 February 2019

Small and Wonderful Things . . .


  


"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard 

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.  


I am so thankful for all the letters/cards that I have received.  I am trying to respond in kind to each of them. I really appreciate them.  That someone would take the time out of their day to send me one means a lot.  It is a difficult time for all of us.   I will think I am doing okay and then bang all of a sudden it will hit me and I am blubbering all over the place.  There is no sense or rhyme or reason to it. Grief is a funny thing I guess and very mysterious.  In any case I want you to know your cards have brought me comfort and they do mean the world to me.  I think it was the day after mom's funeral, my brother face-timed me and he shared the cards they had received over there with me.  That meant a lot too . . .  for him to include me in that.   

I am not sure how this grief thing works.  We, each my brother, sister and I, had our own special relationship with our mother. And to each of us it feels as nobody can be feeling as bereft as we are, but the truth is, we all feel the same depth of pain and loss and grief.  Its very personal, and . . .  just very, very hard.  
  
 

This letter from my son Doug and his family were the highlight of my week.  I hope he knows how much it meant to me!  I was thrilled beyond measure! 



I know you might think this is morbid, and maybe it is. My sister went yesterday to leave some plastic flowers on our mother's grave, because well it is Winter.  She took a photograph to share with me.  This meant a lot to me. Because I wasn't able to be there in person for any of it, it was strangely comforting to see where her body lays.  I am hoping one day I can go and put some flowers on it myself.  That would be nice.   



Snow drops . . .  they're popping up all over the place.  Can Spring be very far off?  I don't think so.  These are the flowers of hope! 

 
  

My mom had a really old fashioned answering machine.  I think my brother helped her set it up, but I could be mistaken. I was talking to my dad yesterday and he says then when he calls my mother's house and nobody is there, the answer machine kicks in and he gets to hear her voice. Sometimes it makes him really sad.  I find myself wanting to call the house just to hear it.  In my head I can.  I pray that we will each of us always remember the sound of her voice. 




I got through the teaching of my lesson alright yesterday.  Teaching in Relief Society really takes me out of my comfort zone.  I don't believe I am a natural teacher, and this new way of teaching, that of orchestrating  and encouraging discussions really takes me out of my comfort zone.  I try to  compose meaningful questions to put to the sisters, questions that would inspire them to want to talk and voice opinions, etc. but it is really hard!  Always in the back of your mind is the thought that nobody will speak, and then  . . .  what do you do?  All of the lessons are based on talks given at our General Conferences.  I don't want to just seem like I am reading the talk to them.  They can read the talk themselves.  I want to be able to pick out some meaningful discourses or doctrines from the talks and then have us discuss them, and share our feelings about them. I suppose I must be doing okay.  Nobody has fired me at any rate! haha! 
  


I know this is a really old photograph.  That is my Aunt Freda on the left holding me, my mom and my Great Grandmother at the far right, standing on my Grandparents front porch prior to my mom and I leaving for the long journey to Germany.  What a trip that must have been for my brave sweet mother, flying on an airplane for the first time, etc. and across an ocean no less!  Today would have been my Great Grandmother's 148th Birthday.  Happy Birthday Grammy Best! I think in this photograph she would have been 83 or 84 in this photograph.  She died on Christmas Day the First Christmas that we were back from Germany at the age of 88. I only have glimpses of memories of her, but she was a huge part of my mother's growing up years so I know lots of stories of her shared with me from my mom.  She was a farmer's wife and a mid-wife and was a widow for some 20 odd years. 


The Engineer will be coming today to look at our stove.  I am so grateful that we pay for insurance on it.  This means that there will be no charge for the engineer and if he can't fix it, they will replace the cooker for free.  That is an extra special blessing, as we wouldn't have the money to buy a new one or pay for repairs.  Whew!  So happy we have kept up the insurance.  We pay for all our major appliances, the dishwasher (which they replaced last year), the washing machine and the stove.  All big ticket items.  

I am running out of time now.  I don't know how that happens!  In any case I have a life filled with a multitude of small and precious blessings.  Every day has a silver lining and something good about it. Even the seemingly bad days.  I am blessed beyond measure.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★
•。Sometimes when things
are falling apart, they may actually
be falling into place.
~Unknown  •。★★ 。* 。 
  

Turkey Mexi-Melts 

In The English Kitchen today  . . . Turkey Mexi-Melts.  Yummy!  Quick and easy as well. No fuss, no muss! 

I hope your week ahead is filled with small and wonderful things.  Don't forget along the way, 
 

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════
 

And I do too!

 


10 comments:

  1. Thinking of you..Take care..

    Glad your family is all supportive:)

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  2. Indeed all you express is common with grief...you are not alone!! I have tried all these years to mostly focus on where my loved ones are...and that they are whole and healthier than ever they were on this earth!! Sometimes I see them in my dreams too...all comforting. Thinking of you and wishing you comfort!!
    Elizabeth xoxo

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    1. I am waiting for that dream Elizabeth! I used to dream about my mom all the time, perhaps my subconscious thinks I am not ready yet. Love and hugs, xoxo

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  3. oh I truly love all your posts!
    you are a gift to my souL. And I can't even remember how I found you?!
    God knows :))

    Hey, here's a book I bet you'd love, "Stones for Bread" by Christa Parrish. WoW! Your b+w photograph of your grandma reminded me of how much I loved this book.
    Check it out x-x-x-x
    Love in the Winter—
    Teri
    Oregon

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    Replies
    1. Thanks very much Teri! I have e-mailed you. Love and hugs, xoxo

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  4. Marie just happened across this radio program today and thought of you...do not feel you need to display this on your blog however...but I found it comforting, though I am not in total agreement from a theological standpoint...yet, perhaps at least some of this is how it will be when we cross over...hope it helps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rMGURAe7qo
    Elizabeth with many hugs, xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for that Elizabeth! I am listening to it now! Love and hugs, xoxo

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  5. Hi Marie~

    I totally understand how difficult grief is...fine one minute, in a puddle the next, it still happens to me, all the time. It's just love spilling over...it's okay. I love that you are remembering all of those little things, those are the things that you will treasure, like the photo and the message machine. You will never forget your mom's voice, just close your eyes and remember the way she answered the phone, it's always there.

    Such a blessing to have insurance on your stove, I hope they find the problem.

    The quote is so true, sometimes we think that things are worse than ever, just to find out that there was a hidden blessing. Life is good!

    Love to you, Marie. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other! XOXO

    Hugs and Love,
    Barb

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    1. Barb, your friendship means the world to me. I know you have gone through this not so long ago yourself. ((((hugs)))) I keep you in my heart and prayers also. Love and hugs, xoxo

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