My life is but a weaving . . .

My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me
I let Him choose the colours
He worketh subtlety.

Oft times He worketh sorrow
and I within my heart
Forget He sees the pattern
While I see only the part.

The dark threads were as needful
In the weaver's skilful hand,
As the threads of gold and silver,
In the pattern He had planned.

Not till the room is silent,
And the shuttle ceases to fly,
Shall God unroll the canvas,
And explain the reason why.
~Author Unknown

I have a dear friend who gives me things like this lovely poem from time to time. She knows that I really like things like this, and I appreciate her thinking of me so very much. I just loved the words in this poem. They really touched my heart and I wanted to share it with you, my readers, as well. I have long taken this stance on life and it's ebbs and flows . . . Life is hard, really hard. It has it's good points and it's low points, but you can turn the ebbs and low points to your advantage, simply by approaching them with a positive attitude and using them as teaching/learning experiences.



It was not easy to lose my home, family and friends. When I made the choice to join the church that I belong to, many of them no longer wanted to have anything to do with me any longer. It was probably one of the most heartbreaking times of my life. Even now, some eleven years later I sometimes question why, when I had made the right choice, this had to happen. My heart still aches from time to time. It probably always will. I didn't understand it then, and I don't understand it now. I have faith though, that one day when the time is right, I'll know all the reasons why. I trust in my Heavenly Father, and in His son Jesus Christ, and while I may not always understand their ways, I know that all my life's experiences, both the good and the bad have helped to shape me into the person that I am, and I love that person, and who she is.

"Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket and counting your blessings before they've hatched."
~Unknown



My Todd does love him some pork chops from time to time. I am always trying out different ways of cooking them. The secret to a tasty pork chops is not to over cook them and dry them out. In the old days people tended to cook all the moisture and flavour out of pork because they were afraid of getting trichinosis. It's not really necessary to do that nowadays. Whilst I would not eat them pink, you no longer have to cook them to death!





*Sage and Balsamic Pork Chops*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Sage and Pork is such a wonderful combination. It's one of my favourites. This is one of Todd's favourite pork chop dishes. I usually serve it with some mashed potatoes
and sometimes even colcanon. (An Irish potato dish containing cabbage and spring onion)

3 TBS olive oil
2 TBS balsamic vinegar
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped
a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 (1 1/2 inch) thick boneless pork loin chops



Preheat the oven to 180*C/375*F. Place the chopped parsley, sage, garlic, vinegar and 1 TBS of the olive oil in a shallow dish large enough to hold all the pork chops in a single layer. Mix well. Add the chops, turning them to coat well in the mixture. Let sit for about 15 minutes, turning every few minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet. Add the chops and sear them well on both sides, until they begin to caramelize. Transfer the pan to the heated oven. (If your pan is not oven proof and has a plastic handle, cover this with some foil to protect it.) Roast the chops for about 8 minutes longer, just until the chops are cooked through and the juices run clear. Try not to over-cook them. The meat should be just firm to the touch.

Serve hot with any pan juices that may have accumulated spooned over top.