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.   

 

 

 

So far everything seems to be going well with the book.  I am a bit dismayed at the price, but then again it is a huge book and I am no Nigel Slater, so the print volume will only be small at first to see how it does. I think as with most things, the lower the volume of print the higher the cost.  I know when I printed my calendars last year it cost a bomb unless I was printing more than ten. Then they got a bit cheaper.  Still not cheap, but cheaper!  However my book seems to have been very well received worldwide. People like it and that pleases me.  I was quite worried they might now.  So now I hope that it does well.  If it does, then maybe I will be given the opportunity to write another.  I won't make it quite as big the next time!  I promise! 

 

 

 

Impromptu visits from these two beautiful gals. Sister Turnbull and Sister Wilkenson.  First it was being showered by celebrations chocolates on Saturday, and then last night . . .  

 

 

 

This happened.  They stopped by as transfers are this week and we are losing Sister Wilkenson who is moving to Ashton.  *sniff* *sniff*  Sister T. is staying however, she only has five weeks left on her mission as she is finishing it off and will be returning to Melbourne on the 20th December. Her flight has been booked.  So sad to see Sister W leaving and also Sister T finishing off her mission.  We love these young people so much as you know.  You get attached to them.  I love that they feel comfortable in our home and like to spend time with us.  I love feeding them.  I love sharing with them and feeling of their special spirit.  All the best to Sister T in her new area.  There is a Baptism on the 25th however, and she may be back for that!  So we may get to see her at least once more!  I am excited to meet the new Sister who will be replacing her however.

They are all great! 

 

 

 Enjoying yet another anniversary with my hunny bunny.  Last year this time it was us who were down to the last five weeks in our Mission and Todd was in the process of discovering that he had the dreaded "C".   It was a difficult year, filled with sad endings, and cancer treatments, but it was also a year of great blessings, as his cancer is now in remission and I wrote the book, and we have been blessed with even more time together here on earth.  I am so grateful to be tied to this man not only for this lifetime, but also to be sealed to him in the Holy Temple of the Lord for time and all eternity.  I love him so much.  He is the yin to my yang. 

 

 

 

So blessed yesterday to have a lovely phone call with Tatiana!  She had been going to come for Christmas this year, but alas, has had  to begin a new job and so won't be able to, but hopefully in the summer next year she will be able to come for two weeks.  I have my fingers crossed.   It was so nice to hear her voice.  I love her so much.  I am so grateful that destiny enabled us to meet, first online and then in person, and that we have become such good friends.  I just know that we knew each other in the pre-existance.  I am sure that we declared that we would seek each other out somehow here in this life!  I feel so blessed that we were able to do just that!  There have been a few people in my life that I feel that way about, and she is one of them.  I know that I am old enough to be her mother, but there is a special connection there.  She is a great blessing in my life. ♥ 

 

And she makes a great Pastichio! 

 

 

I am so grateful for the National Health Service.  We like to complain about it, but we are blessed to have free health care in this country, and anyone who is on any form of benefit, or over the age of 60 gets free prescriptions, eye checks, etc. I think we set the standard for the world.  This is a great blessing which I think we sometimes take very much for granted.  I think that our healthy workers do a fabulous job for not a lot of money.  Ariana works very hard as a nurse, and makes only £12.50 an hour, but did you know that if she worked as an agency nurse she would be making £38 an hour?  I found that out this weekend.  She is going to start working as an agency nurse part time to supplement her income that she makes as an RN.    I do think our NHS needs to look at that.  Perhaps if they paid  regular nurses more, then they would not need to hire agency nurses to make up the shortfall for three times the cost.   

 

 

 

Scrummy anniversary treats.  I know  . . .  but we enjoyed them. (Not the McFlurry, we did not have that, nor did we have an apple pie, just the chicken.)  I like to have sour cream and chives dipping sauce and sweet chili dipping sauce with mine and I double dip. Once in the sweet chili and then into the sour cream.  So good.  Naughty me. We are humble people.  This made us both very happy.  Well, Todd doesn't really like the chips much, he likes thicker ones, but I was happy with everything, lol, and as everyone knows, if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! 

 

 

So this happened, well . . . not all of them, but the wall calendar at any rate.  I treat myself to a Susan Branch Calendar every year and I used to to ME's desk calendar also but not this year, or last for that matter.  I didn't like the way ME behaved during the Presidential election.  I saw a very ungracious side to her and it put me off, but I still love Susan Branch.  She is very gracious in all things.  It would not be a good year without an SB calendar to help me keep up with the days! So charming.

 

  

 

I still have this from last year so I don't need another one of them yet . . .  hmmm . . .  so tempting.

 

 

The value of inspiration and the faith to hold on to your dreams.  Good things DO come to those who wait and who believe in the value of their dreams.  Faith is not a dirty word.  Faith is a muscle and when we choose to exercise it, it always surprises us and sometimes in quite amazing ways.

Don't ever give up on anything.

Keep believing and hoping

and trying.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day . . . 

 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.°  Why wish upon a star when

you can pray to the one who created it.

~Unknown    •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

 

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER - Today's Reading - 1 Nephi 17:1-16

Question -  What have you learnt from the reading today? Which of Nephi's character traits stands out to you in these verses?  

 

What I learnt - It never fails to boggle my mind how many processes Nephi had to go through before he could even start on the boat! He had to kill beasts, skin them, make skins into bellows, make a mega fire strong enough to molten ore, and then he has to get the rock and molten the metal out,  make the tools, get the wood, prepare the wood. This says a couple of things to me DEDICATION & DETERMINATION! Nephi was absolutely dedicated to keeping the commandments, and no matter how hard or long the process, he would do what he was asked to do. I've realised that when Heavenly Father wants me to do something that seems insurmountable and impossible, there will be lots of little steps needed to be taken in order to accomplish it. And each step is necessary . . . . ie. the bellows before the tools. The spirit will guide me to know the little steps I need to make in my own journey. 

 
Nephi was commanded to build a ship only after he cried unto the Lord in the mountain. Regular prayers are good, but we need to cry to the Lord. Pray earnestly for all we need. Exhaust the Lord, ask Him,  and He will answer us. I really admire Nephi's faith. His first question was where can I find the ore to make the tools to build the ship??  He did not moan and groan, or roll his eyes about what he was being asked to do.  He just simply went and did it.  He is such a wonderful example of trust and faith to me.

Tomorrow's reading (Day 25) - 1 Nephi 17:17-30

Question -  What have you learnt from the reading today? How do you maintain the faith that the Lord has something better in store for you when he asks you to give up worldly pleasures? 

 

 

 

In the English Kitchen today  . . .  Roast Pork with Carrots, Turnips & Apples.  Seriously tasty and such a simple bake.  I served it with spring onion mash and a bit of gravy.

 I hope the week ahead is filled to overflowing with small and wonderful things!  Don't forget along the way . . . 

 

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and I do too!