From my heart . . .

Our local church stake had it's semi annual Stake (regional) Conference this past weekend. There was a special meeting on Saturday evening for the adults and then a family one on Sunday morning. There was also a Priesthood session on Saturday afternoon.

This conference was quite special this time because one of the higher up leaders in our Church was going to be there and speaking to us, Elder Caussé, a member of the 70. I was really excited about this and even more so because I had already heard him speak in person down in Maidstone when we were living down in Kent and also at General Conference several years ago. In fact you can see an excerpt of that excellent talk he gave HERE on youtube. It is well worth the listen.



We went along on Saturday night with great expectations and we were not disappointed. What a wonderful meeting this was. There was the usual opening prayer and hymn and several testimonies from a few members, and then Elder Caussé got up to speak to us. That is where this meeting took an entirely different turn from what our meetings usually are.

He spoke to us a bit about how he feels about families, and then he opened the floor to our questions, wanting to know what, as a church, our concerns were about our families and homes. There followed a beautiful 45 minutes of questions and discussion about what should be the most important thing in each of our lives, our family and our home.



Each question was handled with loving concern by him and the other people that were with him at the front of the chapel, all leaders in various capacities in our Stake and church . . . the Stake Mission President and his wife, our Stake President, the Stake patriarch, etc.

As I sat there and listened to everyone speaking, I thought about the pain in my own life, in my own family. With this being the North American Mother's Day this past Sunday, my role as a mother in my family was very much on my mind. As you know, I am divorced and it was a very difficult divorce, and very complicated due to years of emotional and mental abuse on the part of my ex husband. The fallout from it has been very hard to work my way through . . . and indeed, whilst most of my children have managed to work their way through it and are ok . . . my youngest daughter still does not communicate with me, having chosen to believe whatever tales have been told to her by my ex husband and his now wife. She is clearly not ok, and this causes me a great deal of pain and anguish.



I have never been able to speak to her about it, because she chooses not to communicate with me, and in fact, I have never been able to even hear about what it is that is bothering her as, once again, she does not communicate with me in any way. I only know from my eldest son that she has chosen to believe the stories that have been told and that she has "issues."

Over this past year I have also had to bear the pain of my youngest son, who is very close to this particular sister, also pulling away from me, which has been very difficult and I have struggled to keep the lines of communication open with him.



I love each one of my children so very much. I know that I have made mistakes in the way I have handled things at different times, but I know also, that I have always tried to be the best mother that I knew, and know how to be. As I sat there and listened to Elder Caussé and the others answer the questions that were asked of them . . . and I felt of the beautiful spirit that was present in the room, and of the love that was there . . . a sense of peace came over me about all these things in my life that have caused me so much pain and anguish over the past 11 years.

I cannot change the past. I cannot change the stories and lies that have been told about me. If people choose not to communicate with me, that is also something that is not in my power to change. What I can do though, is by example . . . by the way I live my life and conduct myself, show to my children that I am not the person that has been portrayed to them. That I am a good and kind and loving person, and that I love them, no matter what, and always. That I am not some kind of nut case that joined a cult. That I am a responsible, intelligent person who loves God and Jesus Christ with all of my heart, and who strives to live my life by their holy standards in every way.



When I got home, I dug out my Patriarchal Blessing and read it again. In it, my Heavenly Father told me that I would be as a "Beacon . . . a light to my family" . . . and those words finally made sense to me. I need no longer struggle with the past, or try to make sense of it. I can put it to rest, with the assurance in my heart that I did the best that I knew how to do, and that I can be an example to my children of a strong and faithful woman, a woman of purpose and direction, a woman who is an example of the Saviour's love in all ways. That example will say far more than any words I could try to speak ever could. I cannot make them love or honor me. I cannot force them to communicate with me. I can only love them and do my best to keep the channels of communication open. The rest is up to them.

I feel a sense of peace about this that I have not felt in a long time.



I hope the sun shines today! We are out and about collecting catalogues again this morning. I don't mind helping Todd to do this. If I help him, it gets done in half the time and then we have more time to do other things together. I love my Todd. He truly is the love of my life and I am so very thankful to have him. I cherish every moment.

My Todd loves pork chops. I think they are one of his favourite types of meat. Sometimes it can be hard to get them just right. If you overcook them they can be dry and tasteless. This recipe today is an excellent way to cook them. They turn out fabulous every time.



*Caesar Pork Chops*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Easy, tasty and a real family pleaser. I like to serve this with mashed sweet potatoes and a green vegetable. Delicious and moist, everyone loves these!

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp garlic Italian seasoning
1/2 cup creamy Caesar Salad Dressing
4 pork loin chops, preferably with the bone in
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 180*C/375*F/Gas mark 5. Spray a 12 by 8 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Sift the flour and Italian seasoning into a shallow dish. Put the salad dressing into another shallow dish. Coat both sides of each pork chop in the flour mixture and then in the salad dressing, making sure they are well coated. Place them into the baking dish. Discard any leftover flour and dressing. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the chops.

Bake in the heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the pork is done and nicely browned. The juices should run clear. Place on heated plates along with your desired accompaniements and serve!



You'll find some scrummy Sticky Ginger Fairycakes over on The English Kitchen this morning! Yummy, yummy!!

PS - I would like to invite you to visit my beautiful Daughter In Law, Anne's page this morning. She has written a beautiful post about her feelings this year on Mother's Day. She recently lost her much beloved mother after a long and painful battle with cancer. You can find her post HERE.

Marie's Mother's Day Sunday Six

The dearest gifts that heaven holds,
the very finest, too,
Were made into one pattern
that was perfect, sweet, and true.
The angels smiled, well pleased, and said,
"Compared to all the others,
This pattern is so wonderful
let's use it just for mothers!"
And through the years, a mother
has been all that's sweet and good,
For there's a bit of God and love
in all true motherhood.
~Helen Steiner Rice



I love my mom. She is the best mother that any child could have ever had, and there is not a day in my life that I am not grateful that God gave us to each other.

When I was a child, and even now, I know that it doesn't matter what I do, or how much I may disappoint her from time to time . . . my mom will always love me. She is my biggest fan, and has ever been so. From her I have learnt loyalty, faithfulness and how to love.

I grew up knowing that she was always in my corner, no matter what. She always stood up for me, fought for me, protected me . . . I knew that whatever slings and arrows the world might throw at me, I could always rely on my mom to help to carry me through the war.

My mom is the world's greatest giver of prayers and believer in prayer. She spends hours each day on her knees in prayer to our Heavenly Father for all sorts. If you want a prayer said on your behalf, just ask my mom . . . she'll be more than happy to pray for you. In fact you don't even need to ask her, as soon as she learns of your plight . . . you are on her list. She believes God hears all our prayers and that He answers them, and she taught me to pray and to believe too. This may be the single most important thing she ever taught me.



My mom is a strong woman. Her life has not always been easy, and she has had to deal with a lot of heartache from time to time . . . from her I have learned about having strength of spirit, and about having faith, and about being able to more forward . . .

My mother taught me how to laugh and how to cry. I think my mother has the greatest sense of humour. She is so good at telling jokes. She remembers the beginnings, middles and ends, whereas I have a habit of forgetting at least one of those . . . I have shared many a laugh with my mom and many a tear. I have cried with her and for her, as she has done for me. Love cries together, with you . . . and then it picks you up and helps you to move on.



My mother taught me how to be a good mother. Through her kind and loving example, she taught me everything there is to know about being kind, compassionate, fair and loyal. She taught me the value of loving service, and selflessness.

My mother is my best friend and I am so grateful that through the tears and laughter of childhood and the angst of my teenage years, the busyness of the years of my raising of my own family and now my empty nest years . . . I have been able to call upon her and to hear her voice and to seek her advice in all things. That is an extra special blessing from the Lord that I am greatful for.



My mother taught me how to walk . . . and then how to run . . . and finally how to fly, and always . . . how to do it with grace.

My mother was not perfect, but she did the best that she knew how to do . . . and I am ever grateful for that, and for her loving example in all things. I will call her later today and I will let her know just how very much I love her and how grateful I am for her. I am so blessed to be able to live in a time and age that I can so easily do that, no matter how many miles we may live apart.

There will come a day that I will no longer be able to do so . . . but I know that no matter what, or how far away she is from me, or even when we are separated by this veil between here and the hereafter, that she will always love me with the perfect love of a mother and that I will be able to feel that love and to know it is there.

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Chicken wings are a rare treat for me. I know they are not very healthy but they are soooooo good! I just love them. They have always been my favourite part of a Chinese Buffet meal and I think they must be everyone's because whenever I get up to the buffet there are very few left or they are all gone! Here's a tasty version that you can make at home, which are baked and not fried. Still a rare treat, but somewhat healther than the fried version!



*Crispy Baked Chicken Wings*
Makes a lot
Printable Recipe

Moreishly scrummy and a once in a blue moon treat. Everyone loves these!

1/3 cup flour
1 TBS sweet paprika
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 TBS butter
3 pounds chicken wings
Several TBS of hot pepper sauce (optional)

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/Gas mark 7. Melt the butter in a large shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Remove the tips from the chicken wings and discard. Cut the wings in half at the middle joint.

Put the flour, paprika, garlic salt and pepper in a large plastic bag. Give it a good shake to mix it all up well. Add the chicken wings, a few at a time, and shake them in the flour to coat them completely. Place them in the baking dish, turning them to coat them in the butter. Rrepeat until all the wings have been coated and buttered.

Bake in the heated oven for approximately 45 minutesm, turning them at least once, baking them until they are crispy and nicely browned. Drizzle them with a bit of hot sauce if desires, about 10 minutes before you are ready to take them out of the oven.

Remove from the hot oven and place on a heated platter to serve. Enjoy!



Over on The English Kitchen today . . . decadent Turkish Delight Brownies!

What is a mother?

A mother is a wonderfully constructed creature, created almost entirely of love, with which she can express in countless ways from kisses and hugs, and cookies and a listening ear . . . to stern admonishments, strict rules and wide and varied use of the word "no."


(My Great Great Grandmother Ida McNayr Smith)

No two mothers are alike . . . somewhat like snowflakes, each one an individual unique to the situation and family . . . but they do have a number of things in common. Take anything . . . and a mother can be found washing it, roasting it, polishing it, getting rid of it, repairing it, spanking it, packing it, teaching it, redecorating it, loving it . . . or talking it over at the monthly PTA meetings!


(My daughter in law Kayla, with my grandson Jon)

Mother's care about almost everything. Gardens, pets, the state of the nation, worn spots on carpets and knees on pants, hungry people, dirty houses, dirty faces . . . but most of all children and their fathers. For those she would do anything and everything . . . dare anything . . . fight to the end . . . just to secure and protect their well being and happiness.


(Todd with his grandmother)

Mother's aren't always angels. They can often disagree with you, expect too much from you, criticize your choice of friends, and they often expect you to work when all you want to do is lay around. But . . . like the Ever-ready Bunny, she always ready to help you when you need her and can keep going, and going . . . and going.


(My daughter in law Anne, with my grandson Gabriel)

Mother's often aren't told how much they are loved, or how much they are wished all the best in the world . . . not because children and husbands don't care . . . but because there are sometimes not enough words or the right words to express those special feelings that are so deep and sincere, but somehow . . . you know she understands what is in your heart . . . coz . . .


(Me with my two daughters)

Mother's always do.


(Me with my, from left to right, Aunt Freda, Mother, and Great Grandmother Henrietta Smith Best)

"The true strength that is America's, the true strength of any nation, lies in those qualities of character that have been acquired for the most part by children taught in the quiet, simple, everyday manner of mothers. What Jean Paul Richter once declared of fathers is even more true of mothers . . . and I paraphrase it just a little to make a point . . ."What a mother says to her children is not heard by the world, but it will be heard by posterity.""
~Gordon B Hinckley

I wish to each of you a beautiful day tomorrow, filled to overflowing with love and with happiness. Happy Mother's Day.

Here's a quick and tasty supper dish that is very simple to make, but tastes gorgeous. It makes good use of stale bread as well. It's also quite adaptable. You can make any kind of sandwich really . . . a cheese and tomato, cheese and onion, ham and cheese, tuna and cheese, cheese and bacon . . . use your imagination and your larder to see what you can come up with. It's a great basic recipe that can be a wonderful canvas to create something that is uniquely yours on!




*Chutney Cheese Sandwich Casserole*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Crispy and golden on the outside, meltingly tender inside and stogged full of delicious cheese and chutney. Easy, simple and very tasty!

12 slices of bread, crusts removed
6 thick slices of sharp cheddar cheese, trimmed to fit on top of
the bread
6 TBS mango chutney (can use any chutney you prefer, as long as it
is well flavoured)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 heaped TBS grainy mustard



Butter a large baking dish very well. You will want one large enough to hold six slices of bread snugly, but comfortably. Spread six of the slices of bread with a TBS of chutney and lay them down, chutney side up in the baking dish. Top with the sliced cheese and then the final six slices of bread. Beat the eggs, milk, salt, pepper and mustard together. Pour this mixtue evenly over top of the bread, pressing down with a fork a bit, to help it to begin to absorb. Let sit for half an hour.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Bake the casserole until partially dried and golden brown on top, about 50 minutes to one hour. Serve hot with a salad for a delicious supper.

Note: Sliced boiled ham is also delicious in this. Just lay six slices of boiled ham over the chutney before you add the cheese.



Over on The English Kitchen today, Rhubarb and Custard Muffins, just in time for Mother's Day!

The Friend's Prayer

I said a prayer for you today
And know He must have heard . . .
I felt the answer in my heart
Although He spoke no word.
I didn't as for wealth or fame
(I knew you wouldn't mind),
I asked Him to send treasures
Of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that he'd be near to you
At the start of each new day,
To grant you health and blessings
And friends to share your way.
I asked for happiness for you
In all things great and small . . .
But it was for His loving care
I prayed the most of all.
~author unknown

That author unknown doesn't half come up with some wonderful things! I found this and immediately thought of you, for that is the prayer in my heart each time I think of you, my cherished readers.



I've been helping Todd a bit with his catalogues this week. I helped him put them out earlier this week and then I helped him to gather them in on a couple of occasions. For the most part people are very nice and kind, even if they don't want anything, and even if they don't want you to leave any catalogues again.

You do get the occassional nasty person though . . . like the person earlier in the week who threw the catalogue back into the street after Todd had delivered it. Todd found it laying there when he was returning to the car. He had no idea of knowing which house it came from, but he soon discovered which one yesterday when he knocked on a particular door and a man answered and shouted at him, "I threw your catalogue in the street, I don't want your ^&%*£ catalogues." Todd kindly explained to him that was all he had to say, but because the man had thrown it into the street, he had had no way of knowing which house it had come from, sorry to bother you, have a nice day.



One person yesterday left the catalogue outside the door, with this note added . . . "Don't leave any more of your *&$% catalogues. I don't want them. Comprende?"

Thanks for letting us know. You, too have a nice day!

The capper though, was the half naked man who shouted at me through the door (I could partially see him through the glass) "Sod off!" and a bunch of other nonsense that I couldn't quite make out. (Thankfully!!) I got the message though!



One wonders what has happened to good old fashioned civility. It doesn't take much of an effort to tell someone in a kind way that you are not interested, and please don't return in the future. I wonder at what abuse our young missionaries must have to put up with day in and day out, as they knock on doors. It breaks my heart. Thank goodness they have the added protection of the Holy Ghost. I suspect that if they didn't . . . knocking on doors could get to be demeaning, disheartening and soul destroying. Thankfully it is not, and they continue to do what they have to do. I really admire these young people and all that they do in the name of the Saviour. I say a prayer for them every day as well, as do millions of us all over the world. I know it is appreciated and I am quite sure it helps!

I made a delicious old fashioned salad yesterday in the style that my mom makes them. I remember one time when we were visiting my father's family, my aunt made a salad with peas in it. It was a very long time ago and I couldn't quite remember how she did it, but I tried to make my own version of it. I made my mother's typical vinaigrette that she always made for with salads (No store bought dressings in my mother's house!) and then I just combined crisp lettuce with some peas, bacon (doesn't everything taste better with bacon!), red onion and cheese . . . and tossed it with the dressing. Oh my but it was some good! A tasty reward after all that nonsense knocking on doors earlier in the day!



*Old Fashioned Pea Salad*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A delicious salad with lettuce, peas, red onions, cheese and bacon, all in a tangy mayo vinaigrette.

1 cup of frozen petit peas, thawed
(Pour boiling water over them, let sit for a few minutes, and then drain)
1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped into squares
1 very small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 ounces of cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
4 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and then crumbled

For the dressing:
1 TBS of white wine vinegar
3 TBS of a fruity olive oil
1 TBS good quality mayonnaise
1 tsp white sugar, or to taste
1/2 tsp dill weed
salt and black pepper to taste



First make the dressing. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasonings as required. Set aside.

Mix all the salad ingredients together in a bowl. When you are ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over top and toss. Serve immediately.





Over on The English Kitchen today, a delicious Chicken dish of Roasted chicken Breasts along with some roasted vegetables, including asparagus, and all drizzled with a creamy chive sauce. It may look complicated, but it's not!

Thursday morning prattle . . .

However dark your night may be,
However deep your pain,
There always comes a dawn, when you
Can see some light again . . .
A peace you might have never had
If you had never been so sad.
~author unknown

I found this little poem in one of my books yesterday and thought it would be lovely to share with you. It says exactly what I am always saying about brighter tomorrows!

Good news on the blood pressure front. I went back to the Nurse yesterday for some blood tests and another check on my BP and it was back down to normal. I had missed a few tablets with moving and such, that I expect that is why it had gone way up. Just goes to show that I will never be able to go off of them. They are obviously quite a necessity for me! I was relieved to see it down though! Whew!!!



We had the guys around to fix our back door yesterday afternoon. The catch needed a bit of filing down as it wasn't shutting properly and we had not been able to lock it like it should have been locked. They did a great job of it and each one ate two of my whoopie pies in the process. It is safe to say they were a success! (Both the men and the pies!)

One thing that I have loved being back in Chester, is the luxury of being able to catch a bus into the downtown practically on my doorstep. Todd had gone in first thing yesterday morning to talk with the CAB and I caught a bus in to meet him after my nurse's appointment. It's ever such a quick way to get in and you don't have the hassle of trying to find a place to park your car, plus it has the added bonus of keeping any spending down. You can only buy as much as you can comfortably carry!



I was turning the pages of my dictionary a few days ago when I found a bit of Latin. (I just love dictionaries. When I was a girl whenever I asked my father what something meant or how to spell something he always told me to look it up in the dictionary. That's probably how my love started. I just love words!)

I was never all that good at Latin when I was at school and have probably forgotten most of what I learnt. But I have to say, those Latin writers, whom have been dead a very long time according to my calculations, could say a lot with a very few words. (Quite unlike myself!)



Anyways, I paused to read these four words written by Seneca over 1900 years ago:

"Si vis amari, ama."

What little Latin I remembered enabled me to translate these four little words into these seven words. Words that go deep and could change your whole way of life.

"If you wish to be loved, love."

And that's my prattle for today! I hope you all spend this day loving and being loved back!

I made us a tasty little casserole for our supper last night. Sauerkraut might not be everyone's cup of tea but we love it. My mom only ever cooked it when my father was away as my dad hated even the smell of it. I, on the other hand, LOVE the smell of it cooking, and I love eating it even more! The original recipe came from Gooseberry Patch and was meant to be cooked in a slow cooker. I adapted it for the oven and we had it on the table and were digging into it in less than an hour. There is nothing I love more than a big mound of mashed potatoes and some kraut for my tea! Mmm . . . mmm . . . good!!




*Sweet and Sauerkraut Brats*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

If you like sauerkraut and you like German Sausages, you will love this. Adapted from a Gooseberry Patch recipe. I like to serve this with a big bowl of fluffy mashed potatoes on the side!

1 1/2 to 2 pounds bratwurst, cut into bite sized pieces
1 27-ounce tin of sauerkraut, undrained
4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp caraway seed
boiling water

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4.

Mix the sauerkraut (undrained), apples, bratwurst, onion, brown sugar, and caraway seed together in a large bowl, and then transfer it to a deep casserole dish with a lid. Pour boiling water over top just to keep it moist. How much depends on how much juice there is in your kraut. Cover and then bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the dish is bubbling away and the apples and onions have melded into the kraut. The top brats should be somewhat browned.

Remove frm the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. We like to have mashed potatoes with this, but you can also serve them spooned out onto toasted hoagie buns with mustard, for spreading, on the side.

*Note* - the original recipe was cooked in a slowcooker, minus the boiling water, on a low setting for 4 to 5 hours.



I'm making magic over on The English Kitchen today with a *Magic Pie!* Oh my but this is some good!