Meant to be shared . . .

We share our happiness with each other . . .
and it becomes greater.
We share our troubles with each other . . .
and they become smaller.
we share one another's griefs and burdens . . .
and they become possible to bear.
~author unknown

One of the very first things in life my mother taught me was, "How to share." I learned very early on in life that you have to share your toys with others, your candies, your cookies, etc. . . . Life, is . . . all about sharing.

Sharing is all about making life richer, fuller, and more filled with joy. It's a good lesson to learn. After all, what good is it to have all the toys . . . if you have nobody to play with?? A gorgeously decadent cake, only tastes all the better if you have a friend to share the oohs and ahhs with. Not so easy to understand as a child, but as an adult I have come to understand the wisdom of my mother's many lessons she taught me, not the least of which was to share . . .



I have been a sharer all my life. It is a custom that has brought many blessings into my life, which, in turn, I have also loved to share with others if I can. What an empty life I would have led had I not been taught this particular lesson. Being able to share has brought many good friends and loves into my life and indeed, the simple act of sharing and generosity with them had deepened our friendships and relationships, making them stronger and even more beautiful than ever . . .



Sharing not only means being able to share the good things with others. How much worse my troubles in life would have been, had I tucked them into my heart and not allowed myself to share them with others, thereby benefitting from their shared wisdom and advice. How much worse they could have been, had I not been able to get down on my knees and share them with my Saviour and Master in prayer, and then listen to His still small voice to help guide me through them . . .


When I have been sad or felt bereaved, how wonderful it has been to be able to reach out to others in my grief, partaking in the love of one who is willing to share that grief and burden with me, and indeed to help to carry me through it if they can . . .



There is an old saying that "Misery love company." I would go one further and say, "So does joy." A joy kept greedily to oneself, ends up feeling not like joy at all. What good is a kiss or a hug . . . without someone to share them with, and, a joke, a story or a laugh??? All the better for having been able to share them with another . . . pretty empty and hollow without.



I share with all of you on here each morning, and in that process, I have made some very beautiful friendships and acquaintances, and even though many of them are "invisible" connections, they are made all the more beautiful and tangible through the act of sharing . . . in some ways turning these invisible connections into something very precious to me, and if you, too, are a blogger, I am sure you know exactly what I mean.



Yes, sharing pays off in big dividends . . . most of them far more valuable than the item shared in the first place. In sharing of yourself and your bounty with others, you are able to help others and in doing so, blessed many times over in return. I reckon it's probably one of the best lessons my mother taught me. Life was just meant for sharing . . . it's quite simply . . . a good thing.

This is an old recipe from my old Muses pages that I wanted to move over into my data base here on Blogger. It is easily one of our favourites and I hope will become one of yours.



*Pineapple Pork Chops*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

I can't think of anyone that wouldn't love a juicy tender pork chop that's been marinated in a delicious marinade and then baked in a tender crumb coating and topped off with a juicy pineapple ring! Can you? (plan ahead as these need to marinate for at least 4 hours)

4 thick slices of pineapple
2 TBS juice from the pineapple
2 TBS dark soy sauce
1/2 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
4 bonless pork loin chops
1/3 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 TBS liquid honey

Prick the porkchops all over and then pop them into a nonreactive container with a lid. Whisk together the pineapple juice, soy sauce, powdered ginger, and 1/2 tsp of the garlic powder. Pour this over the chops, making sure they are all well coated with it. Pop on a lid and put them in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 4 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Place the breadcrumbs into a shallow dish, mixing them together with the salt, pepper, paprika and the 1/4 tsp of garlic powder. Remove the chops from the marinade and dredge them completely in the crumb mixture, coating them well on all side and patting them to make sure the crumbs adhere well. Place them in a single layer in the baking dish.

Bake them in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and carefully flip them over. Top each one with a pineapple ring, and drizzle them with the honey evenly. Bake them for another 15 to 20 minutes, until nicely browned and the juices run clear when pricked with a fork.

Serve hot to four of your favourite people!



If you'd like a tasty and easy dessert to go along with those chops, look no further. You can find a delicious one right HERE.

Also to those of you who asked, my delicious Tartar Sauce Recipe can be found here, along with a tasty recipe for battered fish.