Twas Only a Cup of Water . . .

"It was only a cup of water with gentle grace bestowed,
But it cheered the lonely traveller upon life's dusty road.
None noticed the cup of water as a beautiful act of love,
Save the angels keeping the records, away in the land above.
The trifles in secret given, the prayer in the quiet night,
And the little un-noticed nothings are great in our Saviour's sight!"
~Author Unknown

I believe in little nothings, small random acts of kindness that don' t mean much to anyone but the recipient. Sometimes they even go un-noticed by the recipient, but I know I've done them . . . and it's comforting to know that the Lord does too.



That's not to say that I go around doing things just to chalk up "Brownie" points in the heavens. The funny thing about being kind to others is that, in trying to bless their lives in some small way, you end up blessing yourself as well. Another funny thing about giving is, that the more you do it, the more it becomes second nature to you. After a time, you don't even think about it . . . you just do it, because you can't not do it.

Simple things like . . . picking something up that someone has dropped and making sure they get it back, letting the person standing behind you in the check out line in the grocery store with only two items go first, asking your elderly neighbour if they need anything before you nip into town to do some errands, putting a bowl of water at the end of the drive on a hot summer day so that dusty and tired dogs being walked past have a tiny spot of refreshment before they go on their way, when you're baking cookies, baking a few dozen extra for the elderly shut in just down the lane . . . it doesn't take much . . . it doesn't even cost much more than your time . . . but it pays out in huge dividends. A kind word, a charitable thought, a helpful action, a heartfelt prayer . . . these are the true treasures in our lives.

My life has been ever more enriched by doing simple kindnesses for others. For me, it's a way of life . . . a soul nourishing, heart expanding, beautiful way of giving back some of the goodness that's been thrown my way throughout the years.



I've been trying to incorporate more fish into our diets of late. Fish is good for you, especially oily fish. I'm not all that fond of mackeral or sardines, but then again, I've not ever had fresh, only tinned. Todd tries to have a tin of sardines for his lunch at least once a week and we give one to Jess as well. It's supposed to be very good for her, not to mention her coat. I always have tins of salmon and tuna in my larder. They're really good to have around for those times when you need to throw together a meal really quickly or when someone unexpectedly drops by.

I love risottos. Oven baked is the perfect way to make one, if you're pressed for time. It takes a lot less attention than the traditional style and has delicious results! Who knew???



*Oven Baked Tuna Risotto*
Serves 4

This is a store cupboard favourite of ours. Quick, easy and just perfect for those days when you are totally lacking in inspiration and time.

3 1/2 cups chicken stock
10g butter
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium cooking onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 fat clove of garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups arborio rice (300g)
425g tin of good quality tuna in oil, drained
1 cup frozen peas
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
the juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 375*F/180*C. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium pan.

Melt the butter along with the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, cooking and stirring until the onion softens. Tip in the rice. Stir it around to coat it with the onion mixture. Add the lemon zest, stock and drained tuna.

Pour the risotto mixture into a large 2 1/2 litre (10 cup) shallow baking dish. Cover with foil. Place on a baking tray for ease of removal and place the tray into the heated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time. Uncover and bake for 20 minutes. Stir in the peas, and scatter the tomatoes over top. Bake, uncovered for 15 minutes longer, or until the rice is tender. Remove from the oven. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve.

If you like you can stir in the basil leaves just before serving as well. I sometimes do . . . I sometimes don't. It all depends on the mood I'm in!