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.   

 

Had an e-mail waiting for me this morning from my Editor.  The book is DONE!  Yikes!  Its being sent to the printers as I speak, with plans for it to go on sale by the 11th November, which is also Todd's and my 17th wedding anniversary.  Do you think that might be an omen?  I sure hope so.  Everything I have is crossed for good luck!  Oh boy  . . .  

 

We lost a friend yesterday to the same Cancer that Todd had treatments for earlier this year.  It broke my heart as our friend was a lot younger, only 65. He had only just retired when he was diagnosed and has left behind a loving family with a wife, children, grandchildren and a multitude of friends who loved him to bits.  As I lay in bed last night I could  not help but brush my husbands arm and be filled with gratitude that he was still with me.  My heart sorrows for the loss of our friend, but at the same time I know how very blessed Todd and I are that he is still here, for however long it might be.  

 I have enough of everything I need.  No more. No less.  I lack for nothing essential.  That is a blessing when so many in the world are in need.  In fact there are many things I have more than enough of,  and I have the capacity, ability, desire . . . to want to share that abundance with others. That's why I give a fast offering each month, why I donate to Children in Need for Red Nose Day, give to the Poppy Appeal each November and do what I can when it comes to helping others.  Sometimes it might be a meal for a young mother who has just had a baby, or an older person who is a shut in, or a phone call, letter or message to someone who pops into my head.  Other times it might be a shoulder to cry, lean on, etc.  I am loved. I am clothed. I am sheltered.  I am full. I am blessed. My cup runneth over.  Nobody really needs more than enough. What is our abundance for, if not to share with others who are in need?

  

"Give," said the little stream

Give, oh! give, give, oh! give,

"Give," said the little stream,

As it hurried down the hill.

I am small, I know, but wherever I go,

I am small, I know, but wherever I go,

The fields grow greener still. 

“Give,” said the little rain,

“Give, oh! give, give, oh! give.”

“Give,” said the little rain,

As it fell upon the flow’rs;

“I’ll raise their drooping heads again,”

As it fell upon the flow’rs. 

 

Give, then, as Jesus gives,

Give, oh! give, give, oh! give.

Give, then, as Jesus gives;

There is something all can give.

Do as the streams and blossoms do:

For God and others live.

 

~LDS Children's Songbook, 

words by Fanny S Crosby 

Although there are thousands of miles between us, I am so blessed to enjoy a great relationship with my sister.  Once upon a time, we used to talk every morning on the telephone, sometimes for several hours. It was great.  We would talk about everything under the sun.  Husbands, children, cooking, crafting, etc.  We don't talk every day anymore, but we still occasionally have the opportunity to chat online and I love our conversations.  They are never long enough, but I am still blessed by the time that we have to spend together.  I wish we could see each other in person.  That would be the best, but maybe one day.  We have not seen each other in person since the early 2000's. I think it must have been 2001. We were all at mom's for a while together, even my brother and his family. It was just a few months before 9/11.  It is hard to believe it was so long ago now.  The years have just flashed by. I love my sister and admire her a great deal. I cherish her probably more than she will ever know. She is a great example to me in a great many ways.   

  

The shelter of a mother's love for all of my life. I love my mom (and my dad) very much. My mother was the nurturer, my father the provider. Much of who I am and what I know about caring for others I learned at my mother's knee.  I did not begin to truly appreciate all that she gave us, until I became a mother myself.  I am sure that I took a lot for granted in my growing up years. I will always be grateful for her love and her sacrifice and the lessons she taught me.  She was a mother when she needed to be my mother and she's been my friend when I needed a friend.  I am so grateful for the easy relationship that we share.  I know that it is not the same way for lots of other people and so I cherish what we have.   

Brownie Brittle.  Oh my word.  I remember trying it one time when I was at Costco. It was soooo good.  Last time I went to Costco, I picked up a bag.  I gritted my teeth a tiny bit when I did because it is so expensive.  The bag feels soooo light.  I have been allowing myself to have one (okay two) pieces a week which is really hard because it is so darned  moreish.  I love the stuff.  I want to figure out how to make my own . . .  or do I?  This might be almost too dangerous to have around at my every whim . . . if you have never had it, you are missing out on one of the world's great wonders.  I just know that in heaven there is going to be brownie brittle.

 

For all the wind and the rain and the bad storms that have been battering the UK over these past few weeks, we in Chester, have gotten off very lightly having had only a slight battering.  September and October are always windy, rainy months it seems.  

  

 

The blessing of having a humble and a teachable heart. Not everyone does.  Being humble and teachable has blessed my life in innumerable ways. 

 

I think I just have the best readers in the whole world wide web.  I love you all so very much and appreciate that you take the time to come here each day and read my thoughts and whimsies. I wish I could give each of you a million dollars, but I can't, but just know that do appreciate that you take the time to read and sometimes comment.  I try to answer each comment, and I can do that because there aren't an overwhelming amount of them.  Whew!  On my FB foodie page, I get more and it takes me a good hour every morning to read and respond to each of those.  I just want to say thank you for reading.  Thank you for supporting me.  Thanks for all the love.  I think you are the best!

And those are my small and wonderfuls for today!

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.°  Do something today that

your future self will thank you for.

~Unknown  .° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

Spiritual Enlightenment

Book of Mormon Corner: Today's Reading  1 Nephi 2:16 - 3:8

What I learned - Today's reading got me thinking about the growth that can come from just having a DESIRE and taking that desire to God in sincere prayer. Reading verse 18, I felt really grateful that we can cry unto the lord for others. Especially those we love who don't 'believe' and aren't praying themselves. If Nephi had not prayed to know the truth about what his father was saying, I don't think he would have had the faith or trust to go and retrieve the plates from Laban. It's because of this faith that he was able to stand up to his older brothers and teach them the ways of the Lord, even though they did not want to receive the same knowledge.

I think our motives and desires have a lot to do with whether we find answers to questions about the gospel that might trouble us. I think it is interesting that Nephi’s answer came not in the form of new information or evidence, but in the form of a softened heart that allowed him to accept what was already before him. I’m sure this wouldn't have happened if his desires weren’t right. I also think it’s significant that the Lord commends Nephi for seeking him “diligently, with lowliness of heart”, which implies that he hadn’t waited for a critical moment to start to develop a relationship with God, but that it had been something he had been working on for a some time before.

Tomorrow (Day 4) - 1 Nephi 3: 9-31

 

Today in The English Kitchen, an old favourite updated.  BBQ Porcupine Meatballs.  (No porcupines have been harmed, I promised!)  These are fabulous!

Have a great week.  I hope that for you it is filled to overflowing with a multitude of small and wonderful things.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!