Monday Morning Ponderings . . . and a winner

He leadeth me beside the still waters,
He restoreth my soul.
~Psalm 23

We, each of us, start to form an emotional history almost as soon as we are born. The mother's breast and nurturing sustenance . . . touching a hot stove, fear of fire . . . in a tender moment, a hand is slapped and fear of love begins. Our emotions and reflexes run deep within us. Our heart can be found beneath our emotional history . . . like a soft sandy shoal, waiting beneath the waters of our existence.



In order to see ourselves clearly, we have to try to still our emotional history until the waters of our existence are still and calm, like a quiet transparent lake, clear enough that we and other's can see through to the bottom. This is when it becomes possible for us to connect with others and to form relationships, for love to begin.



However when someone moves out to touch our hearts . . . the water is stirred, sending up ripples, and making it difficult for us . . . and them . . . to see what really matters. We need to learn to stay with our deepest feelings long enough for the emotional associations with touch and love . . . or the ripples caused by the disturbing of our waters . . . to settle. Nobody can escape this. Each of us, no matter how innocent or experienced in love we may be . . . each of us has experienced love, for good or for bad . . . has been in relationships, now or in the past and we carry our emotional baggage with us, like a ship upon the waters. When someone tries to reach into our waters . . . our baggage gets jostled and the water can become very muddy indeed.



We must stay patient . . . and still our hearts, so that we . . . and they . . . can see clearly the joy that is there to discover, and the new stories and emotions that are waiting to be written upon our souls. This peaces come from trusting in the Lord, allowing Him to direct our paths, and knowing that, if we listen to and trust in that still small voice, everything will be ok.

Just my ponderings this morning . . .

I remembered this morning to pull a winner on my giveaway last week, and I pulled number 4. Lyn, send me your address and any details you may want on the hearts, family names etc. and I'll print one out and it will be winging it's way to you pronto! Congratulations!

I like to use my slow cooker on Sundays most weeks. That way we can have a tasty dinner waiting for us when we get home. We're always starved when we get home on Sunday afternoon. The temptation to just chow down on anything is so great, it's much easier if dinner is ready and waiting. If I've had enough forethought to pop something into the crock pot in the morning, that is not a problem!



*Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings*
Serves 5
Printable Recipe

Easy peasy and helps to keep the kitchen cool in the summer heat. You can just pop everything into the slow cooker in the morning and then go on about the business of your day, knowing supper is already dealt with.

2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 pound small red potatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)
1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped ( 3/4 cup)
2 cups baby-cut carrots
5 1/4 cups chicken broth
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp summer savoury
1 small bay leaf
2 cups baking mix
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons parsley flakes

Place chicken, potatoes, onion and carrots in 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with some salt, black pepper and the summer savoury. Add broth and bay leaf.

Cover and cook on low heat setting 9 to 10 hours.

Increase heat setting to high. Stir together baking mix, water and parsley in medium bowl. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto hot chicken mixture. Cover and cook 45 to 50 minutes or until dumplings are dry in center.

Spoon out into bowls to serve, discarding the bay leaf when you find it. Delicious!



Baking in The English Kitchen today, a delicious English Pea, Spinach and Gruyere Tart!