Marie's Mother's Day Sunday Six

The dearest gifts that heaven holds,
the very finest, too,
Were made into one pattern
that was perfect, sweet, and true.
The angels smiled, well pleased, and said,
"Compared to all the others,
This pattern is so wonderful
let's use it just for mothers!"
And through the years, a mother
has been all that's sweet and good,
For there's a bit of God and love
in all true motherhood.
~Helen Steiner Rice



I love my mom. She is the best mother that any child could have ever had, and there is not a day in my life that I am not grateful that God gave us to each other.

When I was a child, and even now, I know that it doesn't matter what I do, or how much I may disappoint her from time to time . . . my mom will always love me. She is my biggest fan, and has ever been so. From her I have learnt loyalty, faithfulness and how to love.

I grew up knowing that she was always in my corner, no matter what. She always stood up for me, fought for me, protected me . . . I knew that whatever slings and arrows the world might throw at me, I could always rely on my mom to help to carry me through the war.

My mom is the world's greatest giver of prayers and believer in prayer. She spends hours each day on her knees in prayer to our Heavenly Father for all sorts. If you want a prayer said on your behalf, just ask my mom . . . she'll be more than happy to pray for you. In fact you don't even need to ask her, as soon as she learns of your plight . . . you are on her list. She believes God hears all our prayers and that He answers them, and she taught me to pray and to believe too. This may be the single most important thing she ever taught me.



My mom is a strong woman. Her life has not always been easy, and she has had to deal with a lot of heartache from time to time . . . from her I have learned about having strength of spirit, and about having faith, and about being able to more forward . . .

My mother taught me how to laugh and how to cry. I think my mother has the greatest sense of humour. She is so good at telling jokes. She remembers the beginnings, middles and ends, whereas I have a habit of forgetting at least one of those . . . I have shared many a laugh with my mom and many a tear. I have cried with her and for her, as she has done for me. Love cries together, with you . . . and then it picks you up and helps you to move on.



My mother taught me how to be a good mother. Through her kind and loving example, she taught me everything there is to know about being kind, compassionate, fair and loyal. She taught me the value of loving service, and selflessness.

My mother is my best friend and I am so grateful that through the tears and laughter of childhood and the angst of my teenage years, the busyness of the years of my raising of my own family and now my empty nest years . . . I have been able to call upon her and to hear her voice and to seek her advice in all things. That is an extra special blessing from the Lord that I am greatful for.



My mother taught me how to walk . . . and then how to run . . . and finally how to fly, and always . . . how to do it with grace.

My mother was not perfect, but she did the best that she knew how to do . . . and I am ever grateful for that, and for her loving example in all things. I will call her later today and I will let her know just how very much I love her and how grateful I am for her. I am so blessed to be able to live in a time and age that I can so easily do that, no matter how many miles we may live apart.

There will come a day that I will no longer be able to do so . . . but I know that no matter what, or how far away she is from me, or even when we are separated by this veil between here and the hereafter, that she will always love me with the perfect love of a mother and that I will be able to feel that love and to know it is there.

Happy Mother's Day to all!

Chicken wings are a rare treat for me. I know they are not very healthy but they are soooooo good! I just love them. They have always been my favourite part of a Chinese Buffet meal and I think they must be everyone's because whenever I get up to the buffet there are very few left or they are all gone! Here's a tasty version that you can make at home, which are baked and not fried. Still a rare treat, but somewhat healther than the fried version!



*Crispy Baked Chicken Wings*
Makes a lot
Printable Recipe

Moreishly scrummy and a once in a blue moon treat. Everyone loves these!

1/3 cup flour
1 TBS sweet paprika
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 TBS butter
3 pounds chicken wings
Several TBS of hot pepper sauce (optional)

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/Gas mark 7. Melt the butter in a large shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Remove the tips from the chicken wings and discard. Cut the wings in half at the middle joint.

Put the flour, paprika, garlic salt and pepper in a large plastic bag. Give it a good shake to mix it all up well. Add the chicken wings, a few at a time, and shake them in the flour to coat them completely. Place them in the baking dish, turning them to coat them in the butter. Rrepeat until all the wings have been coated and buttered.

Bake in the heated oven for approximately 45 minutesm, turning them at least once, baking them until they are crispy and nicely browned. Drizzle them with a bit of hot sauce if desires, about 10 minutes before you are ready to take them out of the oven.

Remove from the hot oven and place on a heated platter to serve. Enjoy!



Over on The English Kitchen today . . . decadent Turkish Delight Brownies!