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. 

 

 

I can't believe that we  are already staring the end of January in the face.  This month has whizzed by. Its been a really tough month but I have been able to find many tender mercies along the way . . .

 

 

  

 

This year our church is studying the Book of Mormon again.  This year, using Come Follow Me.  I am also watching the Don't Miss This videos on YouTube.  I don't know how to explain it but my walk with the Saviour has deepened.  The promises are true. With all that's been going on this month, with all of the loss and the sorrow, I have felt the Saviour beside me every moment of every day.  

 

I have always loved this song, I can only Imagine.  Its a song that was written by the lead singer of Mercy Me.  It always makes me cry.  I was listening to it the other day right after I did my BOM studies and it dawned on me.  The song talks about a future time, when one has passed on and finds themselves in the presence of the Lord, but I realised that I don't have to wait until I pass to be in the presend of the Lord, but I can feel His presence every single moment of every single day of my life.  That awareness is life-changing.  Oh how we need this in the world we find ourselves living in. 

 

 

 

 

I will forever be grateful for the prompting that encouraged Todd and myself to go and visit Doreen early in December. It took a lot of courage as I did not know what would happen. I wasn't sure of the reception we would have.  I had not seen her in almost a year, although I had continued to send her cards and things.  I figured that the worst thing that could happen is that we were told to get lost, but at least we would have done the right thing.  I am so happy that we did.  I realise now that if we hadn't, then Doreen would have died and we would not have had a chance to say the things and do the things we needed, wanted and had to do.   I am so thankful that we did.  There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. 

 

 

  

 

I am so grateful that we were able to be with Doreen when she passed, with Jenny and to sit with her during the last few days of her life.  I am so grateful that she felt loved and that she was not alone.  So many elderly people these days are alone and die alone. I am so grateful that we were with her and holding her hand.  It was peaceful and I just know that she is happy to be reunited with her husband who had died so many years ago and who she missed tremendously every day of those years. What a joy filled reunion that must have been.  It cheers my heart to think of it. 

 

 

 

 

I have had a lot of time to reflect on and think about mom this month. Mom never had an easy life.  She was born into poverty.  She had to work hard for everything that she had in life.  She worked hard to educate herself.  She scrimped and saved and worked hard (along with our father) to give us the best childhood we could have.  She endured the breakdown of their marriage and kept going, despite how very sad and heart-breaking that was for her.  She stood strong for what she believed was right and true always.  She faced not one, but two battles with cancer and won. She, who was always so fierce and independant, suffered through the loss of her independance and her weakening mind over the last years of her life with humour.  She never lost her faith and faced her final challenge, the amputation of her leg, with courage and hope.  When I think of the challenges that face me in life I can see that all along she had been teaching us that we can do hard things, face hard things . . .  become strong in the face of adversity.  She loved God and Jesus Christ.  She had to rely on her faith in them many, many times, but she never lost that faith.  I will forever be grateful for the lessons she taught me, and I look forward to seeing her again one day.  

 

 

 

 

 

Old photographs.  I have only a very few of my children when they were very young.  This is amanda when she  was perhaps two to three months old.  I found a few of them this month and they cheered my heart. Note the gun tape and cardboard taped to the side of her crib.  I was so afraid that my babies would fall through the bars when they were tiny.  I couldn't afford bumper pads.  I did my best.  Like Douglas, she had a lot of hair right from the beginning. 

 

 

   

 

This is my oldest son Anthony. He was perhaps 10 or 11 in this photo.   I am really looking forward to seeing him and Eileen in April.  It will truly be the highlight of my year. 

 

So thankful for having something like this  to look so forward to!  

 

 

 

 

 So grateful for this son who makes an effort to get in touch with me via facetime every single week.  I hope he knows how much it means to me.  Somehow I think he does, because I think it means as much to him as it does to me.   

 

  

 

She brings so much joy into my life.  I love her so much. 

 

 

 

This wonderful man that I love and get to share it all with.  

 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *You can't reach 

for anything new if

your hands are full

of yesterday's clutter.

~Louise Smith •。★★ 。* 。 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing new today in the kitchen, but thought you might like to see this Mock Lasagne Casserole I made a while back.  Sized for two or three, depending on appetites.  Its delicious! 

 

 

Have a wonderful week!  Don't forget!  

 

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And I do too!