Small and Wonderful Things . . .

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard 

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life.   It's the small things in life which truly mean the most.

This will be my last Small and Wonderful Things post before I go away.   I am sure when I get back I will have a lot to share, but here are my things for this week . . .



We partake of the Sacrament  each Sunday when we go to church during our Sacrament meeting.  We do this in remembrance and respect of the Savior's Atonement.   It is blessed by two worthy Priesthood holders and then passed to the congregation by four others.  Yesterday was really special.   There is a young man in our Ward who has Down's Syndrome,  He's a really likeable lad.   Each month during our Fast and Testimony meeting he bears his testimony.   It is always so very touching, even if the only words we ever understand are . . . I love my mom, Jesus died and a few others.  We all know what he means and I personally admire him for the courage that it takes for him to get up there.    Yesterday he blessed the Sacrament.   There are normally only two priesthood holders blessing the Sacrament.  One for the bread and the other for the water.  Yesterday there were three . . . one to bless the bread and one to help Ben bless the water.  It was so beautiful.  The helper said the prayer bit by bit, while Ben repeated it.   I am sure Ben's mother's heart was filled to bursting with pride and love for him, as were all of our hearts.

Being a mother of a Special Needs child myself, I know how very special these accomplishments are to our children and our family . . . they are small and very wonderful things . . . things which so many take for granted, but which are truly treasures in our hearts.

I love that I belong to a church where EVERYONE is celebrated, honored and treated with the respect due to them.  Where there is no such thing as "can't," and where each member is encouraged to reach their utmost  potential.   Where ways are found for people even with the most extreme disability to be able to celebrate this life they have been given and to participate in the work which our Heavenly Father has sent us here to achieve.   A church where . . .  when one is not strong enough to do it on their own . . . someone else is always there to help them shoulder the load and to help them move forward.  It's a small thing, but it's a huge thing . . . and it's pretty wonderful.



When we moved into this house three years ago the first of April, we were still feeling pretty wounded from all that has preceded our move.   What was a very difficult time was somewhat softened by the sight of the Camellia bush which lives by the front door of our home.  It was blooming profusely . . .with huge deep pink blossoms and was such a cheering sight.    Each Spring since I have looked forward to it's blooming and the beautiful reminder it is to me of the goodness of God and His deep love for each of us.   Because we have had such a late Spring this year I despaired of being able to see it in bloom before I go, but yesterday brought the vision of a few first tender blooms and I know that if our good weather continues by Thursday morning when I leave the house to go to the airport it will be well underway with it's beautiful Spring show.  Some might say an accident of timing . . . I would say a special message from my Heavenly Father telling me all will be well, and that He's on the case . . . a Divine Signature.   I do not believe in co-incidence . . . only in God-incidence.  I am glad for that.




The talks in church yesterday were incredible.  I am always amazed that there are people in the world who do not consider Mormons to be Christians.   What is a Christian? A Christian is a person that believes in Jesus Christ, and believes that Christ did in fact die for us so that we can repent and return to live with him again. He is our Savior and Redeemer. We pray and we worship in the name of Jesus Christ. He is the center of our faith.  WE live our lives according to His teachings and we follow His example in all things. Jesus Christ is my Savior. He died for me. He loves me. He is my hero, and he is my best friend.   HE is the head of our church.   If that doesn't make us Christians, I don't know what else will.



Gratitude.  It may seem like a small thing, and it is pretty wonderful . . . but it is huge in the scheme of things.   Learning to be grateful in all things is one of the challenges we have been asked to overcome here on earth.   The "in all things" is the hard bit . . .

 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
~1 Thessalonians 5:18 

It can be done though.   We just have to persevere and keep putting one foot in front of the other . . . one small step at a time.  It's called faith . . . it's not a big thing . . . it's a mustard seed . . . which can grow into a huge tree.



Trust Me . . . it can be so hard to do at times . . . we have a tendency to want to take care of things ourselves and to want to fix things ourselves . . .  we are impatient, and not inclined to want to wait for His timing to kick in . . . but our Heavenly Father wants to help us . . . and He wants us to know and live that with our every breath, every ounce of courage . . . every day and even with the  tiniest bit of faith.



Milk and Cookies.   A feast which warms my heart and soul.    Sometimes this is all you need for supper . . . maybe not the most nutritious one as far as empty calories go . . . but it does the heart good as a once in a blue moon treat.  I confess that chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven warm the cockles of my heart in a very special way . . . but so do social teas from the box and digestives . . . and oreos . . . girl guide cookies. I'm not picky.   Cookies and milk . . . milk and cookies.  Nom! Nom!

  

We are watching a television program . . . and I hear it . . . the unmistakeable sound of a Blue Jay in the background noise of the program and I am transported in an instant to Canada.  It is a sound which brings peace and comfort.  I know they can be somewhat nasty birds . . . that they are bold and cheeky and sometimes . . . well most often . . . bullish . . . but their cry reminds me of home.  I lived in a house once right next to the woods and I would put little peanut butter sandwiches out on top of our back fence each morning for the jays.  They always came.  I loved watching them . . . that was their gift to me . . . in exchange for a few bits of bread and some . . . peanut butter.

What are the pennies in your life?   I would love to hear about them!

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind.  To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again.  To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.
~Henry David Thoreau

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Beef and Bean Patty Melts.  Oh so good!

Hope that today is a great beginning to your week!  Happy Monday!