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.

  

Grandsons who love to read.  Jon and Joshie reading during lockdown. I have always been a voracious reader.  My father instilled the love of the written word in me and it is something I have always been grateful for. If you can read you are never alone, you get to "see" many other places, "live" many other lives, stretch your brain power, etc.  Books have always been some of my best friends.  

These are some of the masks my sister has lovingly made this past weekend to send to her family in Ontario.  I hope she doesn't mind me showing you.  I want her to know I am proud of her and her skills as a seamstress and her love for her family.  She has done a brilliant job. I think they are just wonderful. She sewed them on my mother's old Singer Sewing Machine that my father bought for my mom when we were living in Germany.   That sewing machine is a real work horse and such a treasure. My sister and I both spent many hours sewing on it when we were teenagers.  My mother used to sew a lot of our clothes on it when we were small. It is a wonderful legacy.

 

(old photo)

Impromptu visits from the end of the drive. Ariana, Jose and Grace used their once a day allowed out for exercise to walk down to us as a family and greet us from the end of our drive, to check if we were okay, etc. Jose has become Mr. Mom for now as his job is gone into administration so no more work, and Ariana is working double time at the hospital.  Helping to keep us all safe and to care for those who are ill.  On top of that, there is the worry over both of their families in Spain.

  

(Grace playing peek-a-boo 

behind the lounge curtains with daddy.)

 Please keep this sweet family in your prayers for safety, etc.

  

We've just had a church conference unlike any other in my lifetime.  Played out before an empty room, socially distancing from each other, watched via video links online.  We had been promised in October of 2019 that this would be an historic, but I don't think anyone knew back then just how historic it would be!  Usually our leaders speak to us from the SLC  Conference Centre in front of a live audiance of thousands, with the Tabernacle Choir behind them, performing live.  The music for all of our sessions of conference was from previous conferences, recorded, but still beautiful.  The talks were amazing and inspiring.  It was a different conference, but a beautiful one nevertheless.  We were spiritually well fed.

  

We were celebrating the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith's first vision in the Sacred Grove as a young boy of 14 in Palmyra, New York, and we were not disappointed.

 

All of the talks were amazing and inspiring.  I came away with a deep-rooted sense of hope.  I love that twice a year we get to gather together as  like-minded believers and be spiritually fed by leaders who are truly inspired.

  

A new symbol was announced that will now be on all of our media from the church.  It focuses on Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of our faith,will remind all that this is the Savior’s Church and that all we do, as members of His Church, centers on Jesus Christ and His gospel. 

During the Sunday morning session of April 2020 General Conference, President Russell M. Nelson announced a new proclamation, "The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World." You can read that here.

There were several teenage speakers and an address was given by each Female General President. 

President Nelson invited the world to fast again for the COVID-19 pandemic during his Saturday evening remarks. The fast will take place on Good Friday, April 10.  

We were blessed to be able to participate in a Hosanna Shout at the end of the Sunday morning session. This was an incredibly moving and spiritual experience. Hosanna Shout became a collective membership experience at the 1836 dedication of the Church’s Kirtland Temple. Near the conclusion of the dedicatory services, the congregation joined in shouting three times: “Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna to God and the Lamb, Amen, Amen and Amen!” Historically, other events throughout the history of the Church have been graced with the Hosanna Shout. It concluded with us all singing together "The Spirit of God" which was first sung at the 1836 dedication.  This was an incredibly wonderful experience for us.  Tears were shed. 

 

 

The whole conference was just all very good, from beginning to end.  I can't wait now to be able to read all of the talks when the written forms come out so that I can dig into them a bit deeper.  

 

Flowers from a thoughtful friend, who not only picked up lettuce and cabbage for me, but also thought to include this very pretty pot planted with viola. 

We are living through strange times my friends.  Many things have changed for the present.  We do no know how long these present circumstances will last. God willing, all of us will make it through this.  I have no doubt that these trials will eventually end.  We have the hope that at the end of it all we will emerge grateful and more thankful for our many blessings in life, and as better, stronger people.  

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Some days are better, some days are worse.

Look for the blessing instead of the curse.

Be positive, stay strong, and get plenty of rest.

You can't do it all but you can do your best.

~unknown   •。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。 

 

In the English Kitchen today  . . .  Almost Fried Chicken Chopped Salad.  Yummilicious! 

I hope your week ahead is filled with an abundance of small and wonderful things!  Don't forget! 

 

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And I do too!