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.  Simple abundance . . . it's the best.



The feeling of a cold wet nose nudging the backs of my calves that accompanies me each time I walk into the kitchen. (Especially when it's getting close to feeding time!)  Where oh where would I be without it.   It is like love tapping at my heels!!



During our Sacrament meeting at church yesterday there were quite a few young people who had been asked to give their testimony at the beginning after the sacrament had been passed.   I am in awe of the active Youth of our church and their faith.   If they could only have a crystal ball and see what a difference their faith and values were going to have in their lives, they would never give in to the temptation to stray away from those values.


(source)

Our lesson in Sunday School yesterday was on The Family Proclamation.  Our church believes that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the destiny of His children.  In 1995, our then prophet Gordon B Hinckley gave a talk in which he outlined what is now known as The Family Proclamation.  (You can read the family proclamation here.)  It is a guide to finding happiness as a family.  I wish very much that I had known about this much, much earlier in life.   If people could read and understand this, and apply it's principles to their lives  there would be no divorce, or unhappy wives, husbands, children, families . . . whenever I study it, I weep for my own broken family and wish it were not so.    The truth is when people know better they do better.   I wish I had known better before it was too late.




Apparently Chester City has been voted one of Europe's most beautiful cities by USA Today, beating out such cities as Prague, Rome and Venice.   How blessed we are to live here!   Why go to the expense of going on holiday to one of those other places?   We might just as well stay where we are!   Truly it is a beautiful city and we love living here.

 

 I can't think of any place nicer.   We have so much to be proud of as a city.  It's filled with beauty and history and there is so much to do and see here.  Yes, we are honored to be residents and privy to all that it offers daily.



Being able to write to you over this past week by light of Christmas tree . . .



It's quiet and the light is so soft and inspiring.   I bask in it's glow and it makes me feel all warm and giddy with joy . . .

  

I find myself wishing I could do this all the time, but then again . . . it wouldn't be as special then would it?  Right now it's like magic . . .

My cup runneth over . . .

Shall I leave you with a thought for today?  But of course! 

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻
(¯`✻´¯)
`*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻
"From within or from behind,
a light shines through us upon things
and makes us aware that we are nothing,
but the light is all."
 ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻

  

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . heart healthy Baked Apples with Ginger and Orange.

Have a wonderful week!