Marie's Sunday Six Smilemakers . . .

Welcome to my weekly Sunday Six Smile Makers post! I just love this post. It's one of my favourite days of the week, not only because it is the sabbath, but because I get to reflect on some of the good things and blessings that I've been able to experience in the week just gone by. Taking time to reflect on your blessings is in and of itself a huge smile maker in my opinion. I reckon that we all have a multitude of blessings in our lives . . . if we will only take the time to stop and think about them. It's a very good thing . . .




Studying the Scriptures. Seminary has started up again and this has given me extra impetus to study my scriptures. As a teacher of Seminary, I must make sure that I keep up my scripture reading and study on a day to day basis. Feasting on the words of God is a very good thing, and brings me a great deal of peace and comfort. There is always something on the page that speaks to my heart in a special way. Aren't the scriptures just so amazing? It's funny how you can read the same words time and time again, and then all of a sudden one day when you are reading those same words again, they will strike your heard and mind in a special way. God's word always knows how to reach you right where you are at, and in exactly the way you need them to! I just love the Scriptures!




New sewing machines make me smile. I have always loved to sew and when I was a teen, I used to sew all of my clothes. As an adult I also sewed clothes for my children and for myself and also I used to sew a lot of crafts and gifts for other people. When I first came over here, we bought a cheap sewing machine, which did basically nothing, but sew a straight line, nothing fancy, but it was all we could afford at the time, and well . . . beggars can't be choosers. I did miss my fancy sewing machine from back home, but I had sold that to my dad before I moved over here and it wouldn't have worked over here anyways. I finally, just this past week got a new sewing machine and it does everything I want it to! Yayyy!!! We got a really good deal on this model and it has a multitude of stiches etc. It's computerized and light as a feather. I used it for a bit yesterday afternoon, learning how to use all it's bits and bobs, and I can say for sure, I am really going to enjoy this machine!




The scales. Who'd a thunk that the scales would figure in as one of my Six weekly Smile Makers? Not me, but as long as they keep going down, down, down, they will be high on my list. Down another two pounds this week. Can you say Happy ME?? I feel, for the first time in a very long time, that I have finally got a handle on my weight and it's nice to see it shifting and disappearing, little by little. I am so very grateful for all that my Hypno Therapist has done for me and all that I continue to do for myself. If you would like to read a bit more about my journey, you can see some of it HERE. It's not easy to lose weight, especially when you work with food and love food as much as I do. This whole program has been a God send to me. I'm so very grateful for it.




Richard Simmon's Sweating to the Oldies. I just love, Love, LOVE this exercise tape. I reckon I am going to wear mine out soon! His enthusiasm about exercise is very catchy. I love that his tapes are filled with real people, people of all shapes and sizes. They are very inspiring to me. As I watch and move my body, I can see them and I tell myself, if they can do it, you can do it, and all the way through Richard is telling me . . . You CAN do it! . . . and you know what??? I AM doing it!! It makes me smile to know I can.



Amidst all the crap and misery that is on our television screens and in our movie theatres today, I am ever so grateful for our collection of old Musicals. Every once in a while we take one out and we remind ourselves of a sweeter, gentler time. This week it was Show Boat. Love the songs, love the story, love the feeling it gives us to watch it. No swearing, no gratuitous sex or violence, just a good story line and wonderful songs and music.




Hand sewing. Along with my new sewing machine I have been putting my hand to work with a needle and thread this past week. (Project to be revealed soon) It has been so good to get my hands back to work in this way. I used to do a lot of embroidery work and counted cross stitch. These old eyes don't co-operate in quite the same way anymore, but I still get a lot of satisfaction from this exercise in creativity. I wish I had the time to do more of it . . .

And there you have it. Six things that have blessed my life in this past week and made me smile. I hope that you had occasion to smile a bit yourself! I'd love to hear about it! Won't you share?

We had our monthly scripture study group over here last evening for our once a month get-together. It's a lovely time that Todd and I both enjoy very much. We sit and study God's word for a couple of hours and then have a time of fellowship and tasty food afterwards. It's so nice to get together with like minded people and speak of the things that touch our hearts and minds. Last night I made this tasty Mexican dip for us all to enjoy. It went down a real treat!! The pictures aren't the best, because the light was quite poor by the time I took them, and I didn't get any pictures of the inside of the dip, but trust me when I say it is delicious! Very, very Scrummy!!



*Layered Mexican Dip*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

This is quick to put together and always goes down really well with anyone I have served it to. Pot luck suppers, impromptu get togethers . . . whatever the occasion you will find that this is very popular with your guests.

1 (425g) tin of refried beans
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1 TBS taco seasoning mix, or to your taste
1 container of guacomole (from the chiller section in the supermarket)
1/2 cup more of sour cream
1 cup of shredded strong cheddar cheese
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
3 ounces chopped black olives
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
To Serve:
Assorted tortilla chips and crackers



Take a large dinner plate and spread the refried beans onto the middle of it, leaving about an inch border all around the plate. Mix together the sour cream and cream cheese. Stir in the taco seasoning mix. Spread this over top of the refried beans. Layer the guacamole on top of the cheese mixture. Top with a final layer of plain sour cream. Sprinkle the cheese, onion, black olives and tomato over top. Cover with some cling film and chill for several hours before serving. We like this with crisp lightly salted tortilla chips, but you can also serve it with crackers.



Tasty, delicious and succulent Slow Roasted Pork Belly, with moist rich meat and crispy crunchy moreishly delicious crackling. Take a gander at The English Kitchen to see how this can be yours!