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.  

 

These past few weeks I have been really enjoying creating this assemblage piece.  I still have a few things left to do.  I haven't actually secured anything yet.  I need to paint the dress stand, and I want to put a Cheshire Cat on a branch up in the left hand corner.  I am just figuring out in my mind how to do that.  I also need to finish decoupaging the outside of the box and aging it.  Altogether it measures 6 1/2 inches tall by 8 1/2 inches wide, and 2 3/4 inches deep.  Its been a lot of fun for me and I am already planning my next one, which I think will be based on The Secret Garden.  I think I am going to try to sell these.  We'll see. It would be nice if I could. 

 

Something else I've been enjoying is making these painted watercolour flower bouquets.   So far I have painted Tulips, Lupins, Poppies, Lily's . . . 

 

Marigolds and Sweet Peas.  I have really enjoyed this exercise and then, cutting them out individually and putting them into arrangements and then creating appropriate greetings to include with the bouquets.  I am thinking that I might also try to sell these to people wanting bespoke individually created personalised greetings for friends and loved ones, painted to order and mailed directly to the person they want them to go to.  I have a few more details to iron out in my mind first. 

For one thing I have no idea if anyone would even want

either of these things!  Or what to 

charge.

 

Being able to go church yesterday and celebrate what is probably the most important event/date in the Christian Calendar.  The talks during Sacrament meeting were lovely.  The children sang a special musical item.  The choir did as well.  Sunday School was also really wonderful, and again focused on the Saviour and Easter. I was not really sure about this Come Follow Me program that began at the beginning of this year.   I am not a person who takes on change very easily, but I am really enjoying this deeper, holier focus on the Saviour and personal and family home centred study. 

 

With that in mind I was inspired yesterday to begin a new journal that I hope to keep over the next twelve months up until next Easter.  It will be a journal focused only on the Saviour and who He was, what He did, how it can impact me, how it can change me . . .  how I can truly "Behold" the man and become even closer to Him.  I am going to try anyways. 

  

It was when I was watching the last General Conference and was listing to President Nelson deliver his Come Follow Me talk that I was particularly struck with something he said.  Oh, I am struck by all the talks in all the conferences, but this really touched me to the core.  He was talking about having visited Paradise in California after their devastating fires last November and how he had spoken with a young policer officer named John, who had driven again and again into the fire helping family after family to escape,  but who could not help thinking all the way through, where is my family???

"The account of John’s concern for his family has prompted me to speak today with those of you who may ask when approaching the end of your mortal life, “Where is my family?” In that coming day when you will complete your mortal probation and enter the spirit world, you will be brought face-to-face with that heart-wrenching question: “Where is my family?”" 

After listening to that talk, I thought about the question he had asked . . .  "Where is my family?"  It is highly probable that in this lifetime I will never be able to share the Gospel feelings of my heart with any of them.  It dawned on me as I listened to this talk however that I can keep journals.  Journals of my feelings and impressions, of the way the Gospel has touched my life, change my life, changed me, and that in doing so my legacy to them will be a pure and honest testimony of the Gospel.  And maybe they will read them, and maybe they won't, but hopefully in doing so, if they do so, they will come to realise I am not as crazy as they think I am.

 

A person's faith is at the very core of who they are as a person, 

or it should be.  Probably the deepest sadness of my

life has been in not being able to share this core

of me with the people that

 I love the most. 

 

Need I say more?  I do pretty good at staying away from sugar and chocolate most of the time.  But these are my nemesis.  I just cannot resist!  However large or small!  Their bunnies are the best!  And not just because of the bell.  

  

Being able to talk to and spend time with most of my family throughout the weekend.  It isn't quite the same as spending time in person, but I am most grateful for the miracles of modern technology. 

 

The really beautiful weather we have had to enjoy througout this fabulous Easter Weekend, and today looks to be more of the same.  Yay!  Sunshine and warmth!  And with that I will leave you with a thought for today  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.The happiness of your life

depends on the 

Quality of your thoughts.

~unknown  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Potatoes O'Brien.  Very tasty! 

Have a wonderful Monday.  I hope your week ahead is filled with plenty of small and wonderful things. Don't forget!  

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And I do too!