Wednesday 13 January 2010
Fearfully and wonderfully made . . .
When I went to put Jess out this morning I noticed that it is snowing again. There's a light dusting accumulated on the car and over the ground, which will make things very slippery again for getting about it I am sure.
Snowflakes are very beautiful things. We tend to look at them collectively as a group most of the time. As a child I loved nothing better than to take a piece of white paper and some scissors and create my very own snowflakes, each one an individual and quite different from the next. Did you know that in real life every snowflake is different? No two are the same, each one being an intricate and individual design . . .
In life, we tend to generalize with people so very easily, clumping them all together in a group. We talk about groups of people doing this or doing that, forgetting that all of us are individuals, with unique thoughts, dreams . . . desires . . .
We forget that each one of us is as unique as a snowflake, and as intricately and individually designed. Some of us are shorter than others, and some of us are wider than others. We each have different coloured hair and eyes . . . oh sure, there may be millions of us with brown hair and brown eyes, but no two of us has them put together in exactly the same way. Even identical twins have slight differences in the way they've been put together if you choose to look close enough.
Do we look at a snowflake and start to pull it apart because it is different than another? Do we say oh, that one's no good because the particles are too thick, or too clumped together? Of course not!!! We look at each one individually, and marvel at the intricacy and beauty of it's singular design.
It's about time we did that with people. Instead of trying to lump us all together as a whole, and instead of trying as individuals to fit into a mold that the media and public tell us we should fit into, let us begin to celebrate our uniqueness and to uphold it, and to see the beauty in God's singular creation . . . you! Let's stop noticing the wide hips, or the freckled face as being something bad, and start to see them as beautiful.
Let's face it, we are all children of God, having been created in His image, and as such . . . pretty special.
"I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and my soul knows very well."
~Psalm 139:14
According to this scripture you are a masterpiece, and God loves you with an acute intensity that can never be measured. Doesn't that make you feel special indeed? You have been fearfully, wonderfully and uniquely created! Just something to think about that the next time you are tempted to pull yourself or someone else down. ☺
I had some cranberries leftover from Christmas that I wanted to use yesterday. I just love cranberries. They have such a beautiful flavour and you know, they're not just for eating with turkey. They make beautiful desserts too. My daughter in law Anne, makes a lovely Cranberry pie. Mmm, my mouth begins to water just thinking about it. I wanted to make somethign delicious with the cranberries I had left, but I knew there weren't enough of them to make a whole pie, so I decided to make this tasty dessert, mixing the berries with some apples that I also had in the fruit bowl. Not quite a cobbler, not quite a pie, but a delicious dessert that you can cut like a square. I had only a tiny piece, but every bite was bliss. You'll want to make this soon! Tis moreish, very moreish!
*Cranberry Apple Casserole*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe
More of a cobbler than a casserole, this tasty dessert is delicious served warm with ice cream or creme fraiche!
2 cups fresh cranberries
3 cups peeled and diced granny smith apples
1 1/2 cups white sugar
For the topping:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Lightly butter a 9 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish.
Mix the cranberries and apples together with the sugar. Press into the prepared baking dish.
Blend together the softened butter, brown sugar, oats, flour and nuts. Sprinkle over top of the fruit and press down.
Bake for 1 hour until golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or pass the creme fraiche.
There's a tasty Soda Farl over on The English Kitchen today. Yummo!
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I see we have both been using up our cranberries...
ReplyDeleteMore snow. I guess the world will be fresh and bright today. How did the ear syringing go? Take care and keep safe and warm.
ReplyDeleteYour entry about the snowflakes surely does hold a lot of wisdom in it today. Everyone should think of themselves as wonderful and unique for sure. Cranberries have taken on a new meaning for me as I keep seeing them in more and more things. I love them too and your recipe today looks like one I should try. Have a great Wednesday!
ReplyDeleteMmm I love the look of the desert Marie but I must skip the walnuts not my favourite nut those,then again theres only one favourite nut I have and thats the Rooster LOL!!Whoops sorry I didn't mean to say that he-he,got to have a laugh though this black icy weather is so daunting.Take Care God Bless Kath xx
ReplyDeleteHear hear Marie we should embrace diversity in others much more. Hope you are having a lovely week despite the snow, just when everyone thought it would melt and now it's back again - I was slipping and sliding all over the place this morning! x
ReplyDeleteI love reading all your posts, Marie. Your writing is as lovely as your painting. And full of wisdom, too.
ReplyDeleteOh that we could each be seen as our Father sees us! Thank you for sharing these thoughts with cranberries on top!
ReplyDeleteThe wonder of snowflakes...never fails to make me humble and grateful to be alive and just who I am. I think it's wonderful how we're all different, like snowflakes... it sure makes the world a more interesting place. :o) I LOVE cranberries.. so LOVE this recipe you share today, Marie! Were you online last night? I'm afraid I may have missed you... or you missed me?! LOL! Hope we get to catch up soon. :o) LOVE YOU HEAPS, dear friend ((BIG HUGS))
ReplyDeleteI completely agree...love everyone and stop all the judging! No one is better than anyone else! I love cranberries in anything, they just add a spark of yumminess! This looks like a real yummy one..thanks! :D
ReplyDeleteI love cranberries and apples!
ReplyDeleteYummy Marie! Looks so good.
ReplyDeleteLoved your thoughts on snowflakes. They are so beautiful and each one is unique. We used that theme in YW's a few years ago, wonderful!
XOOX
Jen
Hi Marie
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful thoughts about how inique we are! Where did you find the picture with Psalm 139 and the quilt on it? I'd like to get a copy of it.
Hugs. Rhondi