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.    




Lilacs which are blooming now.  I just adore lilacs.   Their smell is heavenly.  It's a pity that they don't last for very long, but  . . . when they are in bloom they more than make up for their absence during the rest of the year.  Mom was saying yesterday that the leaves on her lilac bush are just coming into bud.  I reckon Nova Scotia is about a month behind us.



This is a photograph of my father when he was a very young man.  He was probably about 20 I guess.  My brother is on his way to where my father lives via the bus where my father will pick him up at the bus station later today and then the pair of them will be driving down to Nova Scotia where my father will take up residence once more.   It is a bittersweet time for him I think.  He is leaving his brothers and sisters behind, and I know he will miss them.  He may never see any of them again. In fact it is doubtful that he will, considering all of their ages and health problems . . . but he will be with my mom and sister and that is a good thing.  I think the quality of his life will be a lot better in Nova Scotia.  Wishing he and my brother a safe and uneventful journey, and praying to that end.



This is our Eileen when she was about 3 years old, playing out in our garden with her doll and doll stroller.  This would have been in Suffield, Alberta. She was such a tiny little thing with almost white blonde hair.  She always was the little mother.  Her dolls got loved to death.   She and her sister got a new doll pretty much every Christmas.   Amanda's were hardly touched, but Eileen's were always worn out by the end of the year.   She would have been a great mother had she been normal and able to have a family of her own.  Instead she is a great Auntie to all her nephews and her niece.  She's happy.  That's what counts.



The teachings of the Saviour.   Yesterday in Relief Society we had a lesson based on a talk which was given by Elder Russel M Nelson entitled, Decisions for Eternity.   It was a really good lesson and given by a really good teacher.   She started off with a quote from Elder Nelson's talk:

"Each day is a day of decision, and our decisions determine our destiny.  One day each of us will stand before the Lord in Judgement.   We will each have a personal interview with Jesus Christ.   We will account for decisions that we made about our bodies, our spiritual attributes, and how we honored God's pattern for marriage and family."  

And then she asked how that statement made each of us feel.  In truth it kinda made me feel a bit sad about the poor decisions which I had made in my life . . . and I was not alone.  Another sister said that it had made her feel that she had been too late in making righteous choices, which exactly mirrored my own feelings.   Then the teacher spoke about the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard as taught by the Saviour in Matthew 20:1-16 .  If you are not familiar with it, you can read it here.  I was greatly comforted by the Saviour's teachings that it matters not how late or how early we come to the vineyard, only that we come  . . . and that our reward will be the same as those who were always there.   That is the hope and the promise which the gospel brings to each of us.



The Missionaries all sang yesterday in church.   We have two elder missionaries (young men)  in our Ward at the moment along with two sisters (young ladies).   They sang beautifully together acapella.  It was just lovely.   Music is such a powerful thing and can touch our hearts in magical ways, both for good and for bad.   That's why it's so important to choose the music which you listen to very carefully.   I suppose it is the same with everything we choose to do . . .  the things we listen to, watch, read, etc.  . . .  garbage in, garbage out.




Sitting here eating my morning bowl of cereal as I type, and I am thinking  about how very, very much I love cheerios.  I think they are my most favourite of all breakfast cereals.  I love them.  They are not quite the same over here in the UK as they were back home, but I still enjoy them.  I think the cheerios over here are sweetened and the ones back home are not.




Surprise packages in the post.  I received a package from my mother and sister at the weekend.  It's always so exciting to get mail from my mother.   I used to get letters from her faithfully, one every two weeks . . .  but she doesn't write letters anymore.  It's too difficult for her these days.   I do miss them and grateful that I have kept them all.  When you live so far away from family little things like letters and packages mean a lot.  I was thrilled to get the parcel.  Inside was a treat for Todd, a plastic lid and valve from my Sister to me which I can use to ferment things, some more Salt Petre so I can make more corned beef, a tube of Myoflex for my arthritis, a pretty bracelet and earrings, and a couple of Easter Eggs.  It was very thoughtful of them and I really appreciated it all.

And that's just a smidgen of my blessings from the past week.   What were some of yours?

A thought to carry with you through today . . .


ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ

"To have JOY one must share it . . .
Happiness was born a twin."
~Byron
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Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Sunny Morning Swirls.   Filled with lemon curd, sultanas and toasted pecans.  Very tasty!

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ღ♥ღƸӜƷღ♥ღ Have A Fabulous Day ღ♥ღƸӜƷღ♥ღ
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