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.  

 

My faith.  It is everything to me. Its where I draw most of my strength from.  It helps me to rise above the things life throws at me.  It brings me peace in times of tumult, and comfort in times of distress.  It buoys me up and sometimes carries me.  I don't know where I would be without it. When I feel low, I only need to pray and talk to God, or read the scriptures, dig out some old ensigns, visit lds.org or any number of faith related things and I am soon feeling a whole lot better. 

 

Family. It, too, is everything to me.  I love all of my children and grandchildren very much.  My sister and brother and their families. My mom and dad. My husband, and his brother and family. Family is a gift from God.  Sometimes things don't go the way we planned them to, but that's okay. We all have a journey to take.  Everyone has a story.  When I hear from one of my children, I am over the moon with joy.  When I get to see one of my grandchildren and speak to them, I am over the moon and back again.  I have five grandsons who know me, who love me and who enjoy talking to me.  That makes me feel really good.   I have two other grandchildren who don't, but its not their fault.  It can't be helped. I love them just the same as the others.  I am still a part of who they are.  

  

This is Jon. He is my middle son's oldest boy. He and Gabriel (my oldest son's oldest son) are only a few months apart in age. He is going to be turning 12 in just a few weeks now.  He was quite talkative the other day when we were facetiming. Normally he is kind of shy and stays in the background a bit.  Not like Jake who is all over the iPad showing me everything.  Josh is a bit shy also. Jake  more than makes up for both of them in his enthusiasm.  Gabriel and Luke are also very happy to communicate with me as well, which is nice.  Life is a funny thing  . . . 

 

Doors and windows I can close and keep closed.  They have been muck-spreading in the fields around where I live the past day or so.  Thank goodness it hasn't been really hot.  It smells really bad outside, putrid almost.  I hate it when they are muck-spreading. It is really foul, but thankfully with good windows and doors I can shut, I can lock it out. 

  

Todd is feeling a bit better.  He is still not 100% and it had flared up again last night, so we will be trying to get him in to see a Doctor this morning, and hopefully they will do some testing to figure out what it is that has caused all of this. Its been a pretty severe reaction to something, and I worry that if they don't figure it out, next time it will be worse than this time.   

 

Matilda, who is always keeping an eye on me while I work.  She lives in a teacup on top of the bookcase next to the computer here.  She reminds me of my dear Vermont cousin whom I love very much.  I can see this morning, she has a friend. we were tidying up in the bedroom the other day and I think Todd brought the mouse pin-cushion down to keep Matilda company.  Shows you how observant I am.  I hadn't noticed until just now. 

  

Love  . . .  of God, family, friends  . . .  Just as the Beatles sang long, long ago  . . .  Love IS all we need. 

 

Books  . . .  books have always been my friend.  Before I was old enough, I was lucky enough to have a father who read to me, always.  Once I was old enough to read on my own, I was never without a good book to read.  If I lived to be a hundred, I could never read all the books I have the desire to read.  Books have carried me to places and helped me to see hundreds of things I never could have seen or experienced.  With a good book, you are never alone. 

  

My hands  . . .  the hands of others . . . hands.  I wouldn't want to be without them. You can see a person's whole life in their hands just about  . . . 

 

The gift of sight. I got my diabetic eye screening results back the other day and everything is good.  I am so grateful for that.  I would not want to lose my sight.  I never take it for granted.  Being able to see is a blessing.  I would rather lose my hearing than my sight.  

 

 

In cleaning our bedroom the other day we have 8 pairs of old eye glasses ready to donate to the eyeglass charity. Donating your old eyeglasses is a good thing to do.  They are used to help people who otherwise would not be able to have eyeglasses of their own.  

 

I have always supped at the Horn of Plenty.  I have never in my lifetime known real deprivation.  I've always had a roof over my head and food in my belly, clean clothes to wear, etc. I try never to take these things for granted, and as humble as I may think what I have is . . .  there are many in this world who would see them as great riches. Wealth is all about perspective.  In a country where people are starving, a grain of rice is a rich blessing.   Where there are those who lack for clean water  . . .  clean water is a special blessing.  We in the West, tend to take all of the things we have for granted.  I hope and pray that I will always remember just how blessed I am to have any of what I have and may I always have a heart that wishes to share my abundance with others who have not near as much.

  

The Dawn Chorus.  It is never more beautiful than it is at this time of year and I am given the gift of it every morning, amazingly, even when it is raining.  

I have a life which is filled with abundance and beauty.  I have been blessed with the ability to bloom . . .  even in the cracks of life.  Others are not so lucky. I am able to see a crack in the sidewalk of my life as an opportunity for growth. This is a great blessing. May it ever be thus  . . . 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.When the Japanese mend broken objects,

they aggrandize the damage by

filling the cracks with gold, because

they believe that when something has

suffered damage, and has a history,

it becomes more beautiful. •。★★ 。* 。 

Spiritual Enlightenment

  

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER

Today's Reading - Alma 5:43-52 

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? How did Alma gain his testimony?   

 

Thoughts - Alma received his knowledge and testimony by working for it. When I read v46 I think, gaining spiritual knowledge has a price. Being worthy to have the Spirit has a price. I think the price is a desire to know (like Nephi), willingness to find out (like Enos) and sacrifice (like Alma turning his life around) 1. Desire  2. Willingness  3. Sacrifice Those are things to work on. In return The Lord has told us if we ask, it shall be given. If we seek, we shall find and if we knock, it will be opened unto us. Great promises!!

 

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 146) -  Alma 5:53-6:8 

Question - What are the things that Alma asks the people to do in this section? What blessings does he promise? 

 

 

 

In the kitchen today  . . .  Baked Mac & Cheese.  An old favourite.

Have a beautiful day!  I hope your week ahead is filled to overflowing with small and wonderful things!  Don't forget along the way!

 

 

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ 

And I do too!