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 from the past week which brought untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.

 

I lead a fairly simple life. Most days pass by in the sameness of the day before. Nothing changes overly much, but I am grateful for that. Was it only a year ago that my days were filled with getting Todd ready to go for his Cancer treatments, and then caring for him when he got home?  Yes, it was . . .  only a year, and I am so grateful for the success of his treatments and that he is still with me, and that we still have the blessing of the sameness of our days to enjoy together. Things could have turned out very differently . . . now when I am tempted to be irritated by something he might do, I remind myself that him being here to irritate me is a truly great blessing.

 

Life goes on. It truly does. You cannot stop the march of time. One way or another this day will pass into tomorrow, and then into the next day and the next day and . . .  the next day. Our lives are composed of heres and nows and moments, melting together into a life time. Make each moment count. Every day may not be a good day, but  . . .  there is something good in every day. 

 

Yes . . . thats it in a nutshell. Never underestimate the value of peace, calm and mundanity.  Drama is draining, and helps no one.  Serenity now.  I love the Serenity Prayer.  It has taken me a lifetime to realize the value and truth of its meaning.  God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.  That has become my life's mantra . . . 

 

Its all in your perspective.  You can choose to be a half glass full kind of person or a person who sees the glass as always being half empty. I choose to see it as half full.  If you do this with regularity it just becomes a way of life, your way of life.  

 This is one of my earliest pieces of work that I did after moving here to the UK.  We were still living at the manor, it remains one of my favourites and I am not sure why that is. She certainly is not the cutest of any of the characters I have done . . .  but I believe it is because of the sentiment attached.  Dwell in Possibility.  Three words. Three simple little words.  On their own they each mean something,  but not as much as they do when they are strung together.  Dwell in Possibility.  If you can dream it . . .  anything is possible.  Before you can have a dream come true  . . .  you have to have a dream. Believe in the power of your dreams.  Dwell in possiblity.  I think it was Henry Ford who said, "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right."

 

Truth right there.  Although I would add the word "in"  Believe "IN" you.  I can remember when my middle son was about 12.  Twelve is a very hard age, especially if you are even the tiniest bit different than other people.  He was getting a hard time every day on the school bus.  There were a few boys that were always hasseling him because he didn't have designer sneakers, or his clothes were not the latest, he was a bit chubby, etc. You name it and they were picking on him.  He would come into the house each day after school really feeling abused.  I remember sitting him down one day and saying to him, son 20 years from now people won't remember the type of sneakers that you wore, or whether you had designer clothing, etc. they will remember what kind of person that you were.  Always be kind, always be nice.  Always be grateful that you are not the kind of person who was ever mean to anyone else.  If you always try to do the right thing, then you will never have cause for regret.  Oh, and another thing  . . .  always remember that the guy who was hasseling you for wearing K-mart sneakers . . .  was the guy wearing a Michael Jackson thriller jacket.  Believe in yourself.  Because if you don't, nobody else will either. 

 

The opportunity I have each Sunday to do this when I take the sacrament at church.  To renew my covenants, to repent of my weaknesses and failings (and there are many, I am not perfect) and the opportunity to begin again.  I miss this when for one reason or another I am not able to go to church. Sundays are when I can really renew my spiritual battery, ready to face another week of whatever is in store for me.

  

The repair and maintenance agreement we keep on all of our major appliances, especially now they are getting older.  We have had the dishwasher engineer out three times, and today they are coming to pick it up and take it back to their shop so they can have a look at it there.  (I hope it doesn't get all banged up.)  Hopefully they can get to the bottom of what's going on with it and really fix it this time and, if they can't . . .  then they have to give me a brand new one.  Grateful for that.

 

Each day I get thousands of people dropping by to read my blogs, and in all honesty, I only know a few of them by name, and that is only because they have taken the time to make their presence known to me by leaving a word or two in return.  I can still remember, all those years ago, in my very earily days of blogging, the excitement of having my very first comment on something I had written. (and it wasn't even very good writing, I don't think!)  I want you to know that I still get excited when someone takes the time to post a comment!  I appreciate it.  There are days when you lift me more than you will ever know.  You are valued and your coming back again and again has turned me into and made me feel like what I have always aspired to be, and that is . . .  a writer.  Without someone to read them, words are just  . . . words . . . so Thank you!

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today.

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.I never know how strong I was

until I had to forgive someone 

who wasn't sorry,

and to accept an apology,

I never received.

~Unknown     •。★★ 。* 。 

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER -  Mosiah 3:19-4:3 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? In what ways does the Holy Spirit bring us to Christ? 

My Thoughts - The Spirit works on us individually. He knows which natural man tendencies I struggle with, that will keep me away from my Heavenly Father. He prompts me to change, He leads me step by step. He points me, and repoints me, to my Saviour. And He does this with EVERY ONE. Everyone is free to seek Jesus Christ out, He is not hidden, He will not turn anyone away. He will send the Spirit to confirm, to testify, to teach any . . . one . . . person. 

I am so very grateful that He never stopped knocking at the doorway to my heart.  From the day that I first accepted a Book of Mormon from someone when I was only 18, until the day I was finally Baptised at the age of 44, He never gave up on me. He kept knocking.  Periodically I would open the door a small crack, but I always quickly closed it again, for one reason or another.  Eventually I did open the door fully and I invited Him into my life in a very meaningful way, a life changing way. My life has only gotten better and better since that day and I have grown as a person in immeasureable ways.  I am still growing still learning.  Its an amazing journey that begins when you are brave enough to take that very first step in faith and to follow in His footsteps. Through the power of,  and with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can know the truth of all things.

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 99) - Mosiah 4:4-15 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? Can this be applied to you? 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Guilt Free Chicken Strips with Sweet Potato Fries.  The healthier option, and yes Diabetic friendly.

Have a wonderful day. I hope your week is filled with blessings, both large and small!  Don't forget!

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and I do too!!