Monday morning ponderings . . .

Dear Lord, should I wake
before it grows light,
Please let me not brood
on the fears of the night.
But let me think back
to the joys of the day,
And dwell on the good things
that all came my way.
Please help me not fret
over problems ahead,
But trust in your grace
and Your goodness instead,
And when at last darkness
gives way to the dawn . . .
Then let me rejoice
in your blessed new morn.
~Margaret Ingall

I've always been somewhat of an insomniac. I often have a hard time falling asleep and fairly regularly if I do fall asleep right away, I wake up about an hour later and have a hard time falling back asleep. Sometimes I have bad dreams, which wake me up and then I can't go back to sleep afterwards for a while . . . not until I have brushed all the bad images and feelings away . . . for fear they will stay with me the whole night through.



One thing that I have found helps is to pray for others . . . taking my mind off any problems or excitements of my own. Focusing on the problems and needs of others is a very good way to count your own blessings and realize just how very well off you are.

I start at the beginning of the alphabet and begin to pray for the needs of anyone I know whose name starts with the letter "A" and then I work my way down through the alphabet, one at a time . . . Sometimes I start at the end of the alphabet, but that is a bit harder because . . . although I learned my alphabet very well at school, I didn't learn how to say it backwards! (Try it, you'll see how very hard it is!!)



Sometimes I think of my dream house . . . I picture it all in my mind. I go up to the doorway and walk through it slowly, picturing each room and all the furnishings therein . . . I never get to the upstairs of that house . . . Sometimes I don't even get off the front veranda!! It's good to take your mind off of the business of your every day life and focus on something uplifting or fun . . . a dream as it were . . .

I think there is a scripture that tells us that an ounce of worry never added a jot to any of our lives . . . so why let worriesome thoughts keep us awake at night. They will not change a thing, but they will keep you from having a good night's rest and whatever it is you are dealing with will be that much more difficult to deal with when you are tired . . .



Sometimes I just get up and read. That helps too. I read until my eyes can't focus on the page and I begin to read the same lines over and over again . . . then I turn out the light and am off to lala land in a short . . .

I am an early riser as well. It doesn't seem to matter what time I went to bed the night before, I am up at the crack of dawn it seems and then fumbling sleepily through my day. I guess I am just a creature of habit it would seem!

I wish you all a happy Monday, filled with lots of good things and happy thoughts!

Here's a delicious casserole you will love. It's quick and easy to make and kids love it. Big kids too!! Well unless you are a pasta hating husband, then you say you don't love it and go back for seconds! Salad and a crusty roll are good accompaniments for this tasty meal!



*Baked Ravioli*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Stuffed pasta baked in a yummy sauce, with cheese on top! Delicious!

2 TBS olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tsp of dried thyme or oregano
1 (28 ounce) tin of whole tomatoes
1 (28 ounce) tin of crushed tomatoes
2 pounds of store bought ravioli
(I like the spinach and ricotta variety)
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese


Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until they have softened, without browning. Tip in both tins of the tomatoes, along with the herbs and seasoning. Break up the whole tomatoes somewhat with your spoon. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a quick simmer. Simmer until they have reduced to about 5 1/2 cups of sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as required. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 6. Lightly grease a large shallow baking dish. Set aside.

Cook the ravioli in a large pot of lightly salted water just until they float to the top. As they do, scoop them out and drop them into the sauce. When all are done and in the sauce, give them a quick stir into the sauce. They will not be completey cooked, but don't worry as they will cook more in the sauce and absorbe some of it. Give them a good shake in the sauce to coat them all and then pour the whole lot into the prepared baking dish. Top with both cheeses evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.



Over in The English Kitchen this morning a delicious low fat snack, Candied Orange Peel!