All Things Nice . . .

 

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Real spring has come, not shifty windy rain,

But violets growing down a quiet lane.

Not sudden gusts of cold from off the sea,

But quivering wings in every budding tree.

Real spring with days like jewels set apart,

And all its age-old hunger in your heart,

An aching need for sun against your face,

And all the old sweet freedom of the race.

Real spring with wide brown furrows wet and bare,

A new young greenness showing everywhere,

New lambs and colts in pastures warm and clean

Old orchard trees and daisies in between.

A mother-hen at shining dusk of day,

Finds a warm corner up against the hay,

And makes of her own body safe and crude,

A kindly shelter for her tiny brood.

Wide fields of wheat whose petals one by one,

Push small green fingers up to find the sun,

Whose roots lie deep below the furrowed plain,

Seeking their substance from the sun and rain.

Real spring, with all the fragrant lovely earth,

Pulsing with gracious life and joy and birth,

A quickening in the hidden heart of things,

Across the starry dark, the beat of wings.

Edna Jacques, Real Spring

Beside Still Water, 1939

I know we are almost into summer now, in just a few weeks, but I wanted to share this poem before the Spring was truly ended. Around us, the summer seems to be in full fledge, but the temperature this morning was only 5*C/41*F  when got up, so it was a bit chill in here. Not enough to put any heat on as I know it will warm up during the day and then be quite comfy, although not quite as warm as yesterday. Strong wings are expected at mid-day.  The sun is shining and the birds are singing.  All is well  . . .  all is well  . . . 

 

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Every time you remember, forgive again.

Forgiveness is not a one time thing,

you will choose it repeatedly, over and over again.

Even if the offense and sin happened years ago.

So it's good to be reminded that every time you remember,

Choose to forgive again. For your freedom, joy and peace.

Don't allow bitterness and pride to be planted

and grow in your heart. Surrender it quickly to the Lord.

~Jonalyn San Diego

I have always said that forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves.  It can be very difficult to forget however.  When people really hurt us, the memory of that hurt is bound to surface every now and then. We are only human after all  . . .  but to forgive is Divine.  So, I believe that it is important that we need to forgive again,  and hand it back to the Lord every time the memory of the past hurts surface. And sometimes that is, yes  . . .  forgiving yourself.  The past is something which none of us can undo.  It simply was.  I firmly believe that when people know better they do better. Some people take longer than others to know better. Some people might never know better in this life time.  Just let it go.  Forgive, forgive, forgive  . . .  Your mental health will be exponentially better for having done so. Life is far too short to hang onto hurts and failures.  Be free. Joy comes in letting go of those things which do not help us grow but which hold us back.

 

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Sometimes in life it can feel like we just can't catch a break. That old two steps forward, one step back . . .  but even that is still one step forward.  Remember, your turn is coming, your time is coming, your happiness is coming. You can rejoice in the happiness and success of others and know that you already have  much to be grateful for.  Remember the blessings in your own life without allowing the blessings in others to darken your own light.  Your journey just looks a little bit different, and as different as it may be, that doesn't mean you are not any less worthy of recognition.  You have moments that are worth celebrating, moments which often get overlooked in the shadows of the accomplishments of others.

There have been many times in my life when I have thought to myself, this life is not what I wanted it to be, planned for it to be, hoped for it to be. Why can't I be this, do that, have that, etc.  Am I not deserving of the same kind of love as anyone else?  That kind of thinking is  self-defeating. It can get exhausting saving all of your smiles for other people.  We need to remember . . .  daily, just how far we have come and to be proud of who we are,  in the here  . . . and the now.  We need to be able to take pride in our journey,  in our growth, in the one step forward.  Everything coming to you?  Its worth waiting for.  How to find joy in the journey?  Celebrate everything along the way.  Always remember, comparison is the thief of joy.

 

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Oh what a chore yesterday was as Cindy and I went through and disposed of all of the out of date food stuffs in dad's cupboards. We filled three large compost bags. He ended up with only two cans of soup, a jar of mustard and a tin of sardines.  The rest of what was in there was severely out of date, a great deal of it more than 10 years out of date.   And with everything we were throwing out, he was sitting there asking us, "What is that?"  And we would have to tell him what it was and justify the getting rid.  Some of it was too liquid to just throw and needed to be flushed down the toilet.  It is not a lot of fun when chili that is 15 years out of date splashes back on your face when you try to dump it into the toilet of a man that you know is never completely flushed.  Because he flushes while he is still peeing.  (Men!)

But you try not to think about it, about the germs . . .  the ick.  You take some clean water and you rinse your face off and you remember that you love him and that is what this is, a labor of love.

It almost seemed as if he wanted to punish himself for every single thing that we were throwing away. Hence the questions . . .  I had to remind him several times that we are all guilty of buying stuff that gets shoved to the back of the cupboard and forgotten and then needs to be thrown out eventually.  It is a very common thing.  Who has not been lured into the promise of a bargain or a good deal and succumbed to it . . .  purchasing that "special" that we never even went to the store to buy, because it is too good an offer to pass by???  We are all only human after all.

Yes, it is a waste, but it is what it is . . . and we all do it from time to time.

There is one can there that we did not dare to open up. It was bulging at least an inch and a half out from the top and the bottom. How it had not already exploded we do not know, but neither one of us wanted to take the chance of opening it and wearing it.   It will go out in the next black bag, intact and can blow up at the dump.  I know  . . .  wicked  . . .  life is filled with wicked things and there are far worse things than dispose of an intact tin of peaches ready to explode. . . 

 

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I really need to get back into my embroidery.  Every time I see a photograph of something like this, my heart longs to ply my needles and threads.  But what  . . .  perhaps the edges of all of my white pillow cases?  Some flour sack tea towels that are languishing in my linen cupboard?  The buttonhole edge of a favorite sweater?  There are so many things in my home that I could embellish with beauty via my needles and threads. So many  . . . it would be a shame not to.

Even if it is only ever myself who gets the joy and pleasure of creating it and seeing it finished. Joy in the journey. Its a good thing.

 

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Now there's a nice idea and I find myself thinking  . . .  why didn't I think of that and then I remember  . . .  I already did, kind of  . . . 

All of my Jenny Linsky books.  Holding up the red carriage clock I bought at a yard sale for $10 a couple of years ago  now.  Looks good to me! Joy in every corner.

Note to self, don't forget to advance the calendar page for today!

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

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *.˛.The beautiful spring came,

and when Nature resumes her loveliness,

the human soul is apt to revive also.

~Harriet Ann Jacobs° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

Oh my goodness. In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Oreo Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls.  So deliciously decadent.  Quick and easy to make as well.  Your family will love these.  I promise you! Very nice!

I hope you have a nice, nice, nice, day and a beautiful weekend also.  Whatever you get up to be safe.  Find joy in the journey and don't forget!

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And I do too!