Monday morning ponderings . . .

I was able to talk to Lura for a short time on the telephone yesterday. It was so lovely to hear her voice. I know she is in a lot of pain, but the medication helps to keep it under control a lot of the time, and having her family there with her also helps to distract her somewhat. She does appreciate having phone calls, much for the same reason, they are a most welcome distraction.

She shared with me a special story about a blessing that she was given by a man in the hospital who happened by. I wanted to share it with you.



In our church we believe that all worthy men, and young men over the age of 12, hold the Priesthood, which is the power and authority of God . . . to both act in His name and to call upon His power here on earth. One of the special gifts of the Priesthood is to be able to lay your hands upon the heads of individuals and, with inspiration from above, give them special blessings from our Heavenly Father. These could be blessings of comfort or strength, of healing, of special counsel. I have been the recipient of these blessings on many occasions and I can attest to the comfort and the inspiration they render to such an individual . . . and to the deep seated belief that they truly come from our Heavenly Father.

I cannot remember the exact wording that Lura shared with me, but she was told by this man that her Heavenly Father had saved her because she was not yet finished her work here on earth. I believe this to be true.



Look at this car . . . that anyone walked away from this alive is a miracle from above. Surely Heavenly Father has a special plan for her and for John. From the minute I heard about the accident and all that had occured I knew in my heart that they had been saved for a special purpose, and I was so very grateful for that.

When you look at our everyday lives as a gift from God . . . and as our gift back to Him . . . life begins to take on new meaning. One little puzzle of the purpose that our Heavenly Father has planned for each of us since the beginning of the Universe. This makes each day so very exciting as we approach our lives with all the joy and excitement of discovering all the divine appointments He has in store for each of us.

Nothing happens by happen-chance, or co-incidence. I don't believe in co-incidence . . . only God-incidence . . . each blessing, large or small . . . each miracle experienced, a truly divine signature from above . . . signed personally with an unmistakable signature, so that we will know with certainty that it comes from Him . . . that He lives and that He cares about each of us in a deeply personal and individual way.

Even when our trials seem beyond our ability to bear, our faith can be strengthened and made stronger by being able to identify the tender mercies of the Lord that truly abound in our lives and that help to lead us closer to Him. We only have to be willing and open to seeing them as they truly are . . . not luck, or co-incidence . . . but as the fingerprints of a Heavenly Father, and a reminder to us that He is truly there, and He does care.

They may not come as something so dramatic as a freakish car accident (and I pray that they don't) . . . they may only be something tiny and almost unremarkable . . . but they are there if we choose to see them.

Just my thoughts today.

In the meantime please do continue to pray for Lura and for John and their family. They need our prayers as much as ever. Lura is having a difficult time breathing which is understandable considering her injuries, but she needs to be breathing deeper, to keep those lungs working and moving. Pneumonia is a very real possibility in cases such as this and she needs to keep her lungs clear, which is not easy with all her broken ribs and the pain they are causing her. Please pray that she will be able to overcome the pain and be able to work her lungs in the way she needs to do, that she will be able to breathe deeper and to cough up anything in there that needs coughing up! Also please continue to visit her page and leave her your comments of support. Her daughter reads them to her every day. I know that they uplift her beyond measure and that she appreciates them all so very much.

Here is a delicious recipe that is not that difficult to make. It is not something you would want to have too often as the calories in it must be out of this world, but a once in a blue moon treat never hurt anyone!



*Alice Springs Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Chicken, honey mustard,bacon, mushrooms, cheese . . . what's not to like about this!!

1/2 cup of Dijon mustard
1/2 cup runny honey
1 1/2 tsp of vegetable oil
1/2 tsp of lemon juice
4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms
2 TBS butter
salt, pepper and paprika
8 slices of streaky bacon, cooked
1 cup of Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
1 cup of cheddar cheese, grated
some finely chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Wipe your chicken breasts. If they are really thick, place them between two sheets of cling film and pound them until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Place into a shallow container in one layer. Combine the mustard, honey, 1 1/2 tsp of oil and lemon juice in a small bowl with an electric hand whisk for about 30 seconds until completely amalgamated. Reserve about 1/2 of the marinade and then pour the rest over the chicken breasts. Cover the container and then refrigerator for at least two hours. Cover the remaining marinade and chill that as well.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade and discard the marinade. Heat a large skillet with an ovenproof handle over medium high heat. Add 1 TBS of the oil and then sear the chicken for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Set aside for a few minutes. Melt the butter in another skillet. Saute the mushrooms in the butter until golden. Season the chicken pieces with a bit of salt, pepper and paprika. Stack two pieces of cooked bacon crosswise on each piece of chicken. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms over top, covering each breast evenly. Sprinkle both cheeses evenly over top. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the chicken is completely cooked through. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and then serve immediately, with the reserved marinade on the side for dipping.



Over in The English Kitchen today, a tasty teatime treat, Strawberry Jam Swirls!