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.  

 

 

 

 

As I was sitting here working on my lesson for yesterday and thinking about things I had a moment of self-examination.  This has been a really difficult year in one way or another and now it is drawing to a close.  I have found myself being really critical lately of people and things, and I realised that I had been focusing more on the things that Todd gets wrong than on the things he gets right.  By that I mean, I have been very quick to point out when he messes up, brings back the wrong thing from the shops, listens to the television too loudly, drives to fast, etc. but I don't always speak up when he gets things right.  I have tended to take those things for granted. I immediately chastised myself and then when he got home from wherever he had gone I apologised to him for having been less than who I should have been lately. I don't think it ever hurts to examine ourselves and think about how we can be better.  Sometimes we might find room for a change, and sometimes we won't.  When we do find room for a change we need to humble ourselves and try to do better. 

 

 

 

 

My sister in law messaged me asking me if I had some artwork she could use on their annual calendar that was landscape style, so I spent a few hours going through my box of art the other morning. Not a lot of it is in landscape, but I found a few bird pieces I had done as watercolours  . . .  first this robin  . . . 

 

  

 

 And then this goldfinch.  It has been a long time since I have sat down with my paints and just painted. My time seems to get all swallowed up with other things.  I decided I need to make more time for me to just paint or sew, or crochet, or do whatever I can creatively speaking. 

 

 

 

 

We tend to ignore that side of ourselves, seeing it as wasting time when we could be more productive doing other things, but really, if we fail to feed our creativity, we are missing out on something very vital to our lives.  I think the desire to create is inherent in each of us.   

 

  

 

Grateful for this truth, and for a fresh page to write on each day.  

 

  

 

I think my lesson went okay yesterday.  I know that I don't fret so much about it as I used to do. I think I have found my rhythm.  I know that I enjoy these opportunities I have to get more into the conference talks which are given to us twice a year.  I do love to listen to them when they are first given, and I take notes while I am listening, but its only ever been the rare one that I take the time to revisit.  I remember one year I listened to this one on forgiveness every morning for about 3 or 4 months. It really helped me to come to terms with being able to forgive others and especially forgive myself.  Being able to teach from the talks which are given means that I have the opportunity to really dig into them and savour them. I find I often learn things that I otherwise would not have learnt.  My lesson yesterday was based on a talk by President Oaks from the last conference entitled, Trust in the Lord.  Our remit as teachers now is not so much to "teach" as it is to get the sister's talking and discussing, so you have to ask them pertinent questions that incite them to discuss and think and ponder.  I am not sure if anyone in the class gets as much out of these talks as I do, but we sure have some great discussions.  I am really grateful for this opportunity I have to ponder and share more.    

 

 

I had my papsmear last week.  I know, its not something any of us really enjoy, but the good news was that barring anything sinister showing up, this was the last one I ever have to have in my life time.  My maternal Grandmother died from cervical cancer so I have always been ultra aware of it, that and breast cancer as my mother was a breast cancer survivor.  I have never enjoyed the tests that we have to go through which are necessary for these things.  They are embarassing and uncomfortable.  I am so grateful that I need never have another papsmear!  I had been putting it off for several months.  Glad I finally bit the bullet and had it done. 

  

We have slowly been going through the house and getting rid of clutter.  Its amazing how much you accumulate through the years even though you are trying not to accumulate stuff.  Getting rid is a sometimes very painful exercise, but one thing I have been learning  is that the pain of giving and throwing things away is nothing compared to the feeling of release that you get when you finally get rid of it all!  We have a ways to go. It is a slow and painful process, but we are getting there. 

  

 I love this word.  I collect words.  This is going to be my word for 2020.  I am going to live more in the moment, or at least try to.   

 

The opportunities I have to be able to express myself, through journals, teaching, creating, writing on here, etc.  As time goes by I realise more and more how very important those opportunities are for me.  I have always kept prayer journals and I love to read back through them and see how my prayers have been answered.  I just love to write and to express my feelings, my thoughts, my fears, my hopes, etc.   There is nothing I like more than a new journal to fill. 

 

I am really enjoying this latest series of The Crown.  Trying hard to not binge watch it.  At first I wasn't sure about the new actors, but now I think the choices were perfect.  I think its all very well done.  I don't know how true to fact much of it is, but its quite entertaining to watch. 

I just am really enjoying my life at the moment. I have my down moments as everyone does.  I am so grateful for the ability I have to shake them off.  I think my faith has a great deal to do with that.  Also very grateful for the Christmas Cards which are arriving.  They mean the world to me! 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *When you don't like something

take away its only power,

your attention.•。★★ 。* 。

  

  

In the English Kitchen today  . . .  Mustard Baked Chicken.  Chicken pieces are marinatd for a short time and then roasted to perfection. 

Have a wonderful day.  I hope you week is filled to overflowing with love and joy. Don't forget  . . . 

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And I do too!