Marie's Sunday thoughts . . .

Have you tried out your smile today?
To light your steps along the way?
It's mirrored in each face you meet
On byway, path, and city street.

Have you tried out your smile today?
A smile that's sunny, bright and gay,
That helps to life somebody's grief,
And brings to pain some small relief?

Have you tried out your smile today?
If not, you should without delay.
You'll find your heart is gladdened, too,
When someone else smiles back at you.
~Verna Young

As usual I have lots of things to smile about this week. It was a happy mix of all sorts. I'm not feeling very well this morning though and so I can't really concentrate that well. (My tummy feels a little bit ticky. I hope I'm not coming down with something!)



This week I've been inspired by the many soul enriching talks such as the above one which were given at our church's bi-annual conference in Salt Lake City. Jeffrey R Holland is one of my favourite speakers to listen to. He never fails to touch my soul. If you want to listen to it, please do, but it is a long one, so plan on spending a little time with it. I think you will be inspired if you do though. It's well worth every minute.
















Lura continues to inspire me, as she continues to progress towards being well again. She is amazing to me. I am so very grateful that she and John made it through this horrible accident some two weeks ago now. I am so sorry that she is having to endure all the pain that she is going through, but talking to her as I do most days, I can see the progress and I know she is healing bit by bit. That surely makes me smile and brings a song to my heart. That she can do so with a smile on her face most of the time, and keep her sense of humour through it all is inspiring. I am very grateful for the host of angels that surely must have carried both John and her through this and I am grateful for the many prayers and angels that continue to uphold her, willing her to get better. I am so grateful for her example in my life and the example of so many other strong and faithful and good Christian women that I look to as the standard by which I wish to lead and live my life.





















This week, I've been uplifted and enriched by the many glorious sunny days we have been enjoying over here in the UK. They've been wonderful and so nice to see after the very cold winter we have endured. Oh . . . I know that there are some of you that might look at the temperatures we experienced and say . . . "That is nothing. We often get it far colder here than that in the winter." . . . but here in the UK we do not have the benefit in many cases of well insulated homes with cellars beneath them, or double glazed windows. We don't have forced air heating systems that blast lovely warm air out into our rooms in the winter. It does not have to get very cold over here for us to really feel it in our bones and in our homes, and so this beautiful warm spring that we are having thus far is a really welcome respite for each of us. We know it won't be long before we will be back to the rain, and so we enjoy every minute of the sun that we can!















I was greatly uplifted by the One Step Program which I started on Friday. I was so relieved to find out that it is not a diet, but a program of support and guidance. That it comes with "free" exercise classes for those of us who are attending. That has been a problem for me since I lost my job last year. There's not been a lot of money for anything extra like that and so this is a real bonus. There is a water-aerobics class that I am thinking of signing up for and also there is an hour long exercise class that happens in the hour before the counciling session each Friday. Everyone also seems very nice and helpful. After I came out of the class and I was standing by the road, waiting for Todd to pick me up, I went to look through the folder I had been given and I had a Deja Vu experience. It was so wierd. I think Heavenly Father must have known long before I did that I was going to be going to this program. It was a nice feeling and I know that He wants me there.


















I was able to go into town the other day with Todd and walk the length and breadth of the inner city fairly pain free. That was an extra special blessing. I have not been able to do that for a long time. Yesterday I was able to go with him and Mitzie to the park across the road and with the aid of my cane walk through it. I don't know why I have to suffer so with this arthritis, but I am determined not to let it beat me. There are times when I could just sit down and cry because of it, and I confess . . . sometimes I do. I hate being so young and yet feeling like such a burden to Todd and such a cripple, because there are surely days when I am just that. But then . . . there are days like the day that I could walk through the town relatively pain free. I will never take the ability to walk pain free for granted again. I have come to see it as a special gift and blessing.



















She may eat mud and grass, which annoys me to no end, but she is our little dear and I love her to distraction. Yes, that little Mitzie has brought me so many smiles this week. I love to see her running like the wind through the back garden and through the park. Her joy and enthusiasm are infectious. The little terrier from next door managed to get into our back garden through the hedge yesterday and she so enjoyed his little visit. It really made me smile watching her chase him and being chased by him, playing together as they were. It made me wish that I could get her a playmate, but then . . . I thought about it and realized that things are the best just the way they are!! I do so love her cuddles and her muddy kisses, and her puppyish enthusiasm for life in general!




















I continue to be inspired daily by your love and your comments. I can tell you that I really look forward to each and every one of them. They always make me smile and I can surely feel the love behind them. I've been a bad blogging buddy lately. I have been reading your pages, but I don't seem to have the time I would like to sit and write words like I want to write. I manage to get in a few and then *poof* the time is gone and I have to be doing the other things I need to do . . .



Take this morning for instance. I sat down to write a simple post and now I find it is quarter to 8 and I have to cut this off. My pictures haven't cooperated. I've had to restart the computer several times . . . and now I won't have time to visit any of your pages until I get home from church later this afternoon.

I don't feel really great either, so no recipe today, but I will point you in the direction of The English Kitchen if you so wish where there is a deliciously different potato salad that we enjoyed for our supper last night. I do wish you all a very pleasant and happy Sabbath day. May your day truly be blessed in all ways, both the large and the small.