For I am fearfully and wonderfully made . . .

The roses under my window make no reference to former roses or better ones; they are for what they are; they exist with God today. There is no time to them, there is simply the rose . . . it is perfect in every moment of it's existence.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oftimes I look in the mirror and I think to myself, if only I was prettier . . . I don't think I really have ever been what you would call pretty, and it seems as I get older, the hope of ever being pretty fades with every day that passes . . .

I'm sure that each of us on occasion wish we were other than who we are. We might like to be taller, or shorter . . . slimmer, or even a bit heavier (I wish!) . . . We might wish that we had a different colour of hair, or straighter hair, or curlier hair . . .



We might wish that we had different colour eyes, or fuller lips . . . longer legs, or narrower hips. Thinner thighs . . . or smaller ears . . .

We often spend an inordinate amount of time worrying over what is, at the end of the day . . . only a tiny fraction of our lives.

When we look at a rose . . . we only see the rose . . . each one a picture of beauty, created uniquely and in the manner which our Heavenly Father wishes them to be. A bud is beautiful . . . the full blown flower is beautiful . . . the petals that fall . . . yes, beautiful . . . even the stamen left behind is beautiful.



Every rose is different, no two are exactly the same. They may look similar, but . . . each one is unique. Each one has it's own beauty and so it is with all of God's creations . . .

The world would tell us that in order to be beautiful we have to fit within a certain mold, be a certain weight . . . look a certain way. It is false . . . there is no truth to it . . .

How could any daughter of our Heavenly Father be less than beautiful . . . and what could be more beautiful than a woman who has taken the time to develop and nurture her spirit . . . that very part of her which comes from God, and is divine.



True beauty comes from within . . . not from a jar, or a bottle . . . or in a particular size or weight . . . or wearing a particular piece of clothing . . . it is not a lie, or false, or fading . . . it exists with God . . . today.

I need to remind myself of this today and praise my Heavenly Father for what He has created, and remember who I am . . .

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ~Psalm 139:14

We have friends arriving today from Kent. Jo and Colin. I am really excited about their visit and can't wait to see them! We'll be touring Chester this afternoon and then going out for an Indian meal at an Indian Buffet place we discovered recently. We haven't eaten there, but the reviews are good. Then tomorrow we will be taking ourselves off into Wales for the day to do some walking and to check out some of the beauty there. I hope the weather holds out!!

Here is a delicious quick supper that always goes down well with my Todd. He is a man of simple tastes, and you can't get much simpler than this! Quick, easy and very tasty!!




*Bacon, Egg and Cheese Toastie*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is a wonderful way to have your breakfast, all stacked together in one delicious pile! Every forkfull brings you a taste of bacon, egg, cheese and toast, all together in one lucious mouthful!

4 slices of thick country style white bread
12 slices of dry cure streaky bacon
8 ounces medium cheddar cut into slices
1 TBS butter
4 large free range eggs

This is my secret way of cooking bacon so that there is no grease on top of your stove and no messy pan to clean up afterwards. Preheat your oven to 220*C/425*F/Gas mark 7. LIne a rimmed baking sheet with aluminium foil. Lay the bacon slices out onto the baking sheet without overlapping. Pop the pan into the heated oven and bakc for six minutes. Turn the pan around 180 degrees and bake for another four to seven minutes, depending on how crisp you like your bacon. (For this recipe you will only want it medium done and not too crispy as it will be going under the grill after.) Remove the bacon to a plate, lined with paper kitchen towelling to drain. I then blot the top with more kitchen toweling. You can then just pitch foil wrap into the bin and you have a clean oven tray to continue with the rest of the recipe!

Heat your grill while you make the toast. Toast the slices of bread until they are medium toasted, not really dark as they will be going back under the grill and you don't want too crispy a slice. Once toasted, lay each one out onto the baking sheet and cover them equally with the cheese slices. Divide the bacon equally amongst them and lay it on top of the cheese.

Heat a large non stick skillet over medium heat and pop some butter into it. When the butter is foaming, crack in the four eggs. Turn the heat down to medium and cook them slowly for a few minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are as done as you like them. If you don't want them sunny side up, you can flip them over if you like. When they are done to your taste, turn out the heat and remove the pan to the side while you grill your toasties.

Pop the tray with the bread, cheese and bacon on it, under the grill and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbling, and the bacon is as crisp as you want it to be. This should only take a few minutes. Remove from the grill and place a fried egg neatly on top of each. Remove to heated plates and sprinkle each with a little sea salt and cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.



Over on The English Kitchen this morning, a delicious Three Grain Salad!