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 grateful for this little home of mine.  It was such a blessing and a real answer to pray to get it.  There is a huge dearth of rentals available in my area, especially rentals at a reasonable price.  When I think back to how God worked in my life for this place to be given to me, it was nothing short of a miracle. I had been told several months before that this place was mine and I would be able to move in on the 1st of May 2021, only to be told in April by the agent that he had been mistaken and that there was a very lengthy waiting list for these places.  I resigned myself to not being able to get this place and to start looking all over again.  I put it all into the Lord's hands.  The agent must have sensed the disappointment and distress in my voice because just a few hours later he called me back to say that they would make an exception and that I would be getting this place. This place was truly a gift from God.  I think it is good to remind myself of that from time to time.  Its not fancy, but its decent, it has a front porch/veranda, its just the right size for me to handle and my rent will never go up for as long as I am in here. What more could a person ask for!  The windows of heaven opened up and showered me with blessings when I got this place.

 

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Each time I go out in my car, I notice the leaves changing more and more. We are not quite at this stage yet, but the mountain is starting to take on the flush of autumn and I fully expect in another week it will be unmistakably filled with autumn colors. It is like magic.  At first you notice only a few leaves here and there and then suddenly it begins to change, seemingly overnight as  huge swathes of leaves start to turn.  I love autumn.  It is my favorite season of all.

 

"In a quiet corner of Germany, bags of food are discreetly hung for those in need—the poor, the hungry, and the vulnerable. There are no public displays or fanfare, no cameras or videos to capture the act. It’s simply an unspoken gesture of goodwill and service, done with humility and compassion. This quiet kindness, absent of any need for recognition, serves as a powerful reminder that true generosity often goes unseen, yet its impact is deeply felt."

What a beautiful idea. I wish that they would implement something like that here in Canada. What a wonderfully compassionate idea this is.

"The custom of "telling the bees" is a charming and ancient tradition where beekeepers inform their bees about significant events in their lives, such as deaths, births, marriages, and other major occurrences. 

This practice is believed to have its roots in Celtic mythology, where bees were seen as messengers between the human world and the spirit world. The presence of a bee after a death was thought to signify the soul leaving the body. The tradition became particularly prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries in Western Europe and the United States. 

To tell the bees, the head of the household or the "goodwife" would approach the hives, gently knock to get the bees' attention, and then softly murmur the news in a solemn tone. This ritual was believed to keep the bees informed and prevent them from leaving the hive or dying. The custom underscores the deep connection and respect that people historically had for bees, viewing them as integral members of the household and community."

I remember seeing the character "Queenie" doing this to her bees in the television show "Larkrise to Candleford." I didn't have any idea that this was true.  Apparently after the Queen passed several years ago, her bee keepers informed all of her hives and hung a black band around them as a mark of respect for the Queen's passing.

I think such customs are beautiful, not just quaint and I hope that we work hard to preserve more of them, rather than have them pass away into obscurity.

 

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Family dinners at my sister's place on Sundays.  It is nice to get together as a family and enjoy a delicious meal and each other's company.  My sister does put a lot of work into cooking the food and it is always delicious.  I hope that she knows how much it is appreciated, and how very much I appreciate being included. I don't like to take it for granted and I don't.  Its not about the food, although she always cooks a tasty meal, its about being together and enjoying each other as a family.  It could be a plate of sandwiches and it would still be pretty wonderful to me. I missed family times like this so much when I was living in the U.K.   Again  . . .  the windows of heaven.

 

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My shower was broken.  When I went to take my shower on Saturday night it was spraying all over the place.  To be honest it hadn't worked properly since we had given dad his shower and switched out the shower heads.  But then on Saturday it went kaput. Yesterday Cindy and I were able to go and get a new one and she helped me to put it in.  I really appreciate her willingness to help me out like she does.  Oh, I know that Dan would have come over and done it for me, but it was not all that hard and we managed without him. The new shower head is working beautifully.  It is magnetic as well, which is a nice option.  I took my first shower with it last night and am quite pleased with it.

I am very grateful that I was just able to go and buy a new shower fitting without it being a hardship for me.  What  a blessing that is.  As I have said many times, I have enough. Having enough is a real blessing for sure. I never take that for granted.

 

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I am ever grateful for the balance I find in my life of good and bad and everything in between.  Yes, things are not always easy, but I am able to grow as a person amidst the struggles.  I have enough, in fact I have more than enough. I have a very comfortable life and am not in need.  I am surrounded with good people . . .  family  . . .  who love and care about me. I have a safe place to live, a sweet little home which brings me joy.  I enjoy relatively good health.  I have two beautiful cats who provide me with company and who also love me and bring me joy. I have some very good friends.  My faith in God which has helped me throughout my whole life. When I look back I can see His hands having been at work often, and I am grateful for that. May I never tire of singing His praises. May I always have eyes and a heart that are able to see the goodness of God in my life.

I have no desire to have anything more than what I have already. It it not the perfect life by some people's estimations for sure,  but it is a very good life and  I am grateful for every part of it. It is the perfect life for me.

I am truly blessed.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *The great aim of education

is not knowledge but action.

~Herbert Spencer  •。★★ 。* 。

•。★★ 。* 。 

In the English Kitchen today . . .  English Muffin Pizzas. These are simple to make, quick and easy, and done in the air fryer in a fraction of the time it takes to do them in a conventional oven. They are perfectly crisp and not soggy either.  I don't think I will do one any other way ever again!

I hope that you have a beautiful week filled to overflowing with small and wonderful things. blessings, joy, happiness and peace.  And people that you love who love you back. Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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And I do too!