Sunday morning ponderings . . .

 

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So feedburner is going away in just a few weeks now, which means that people who have subscribed to my blog via that, both this blog and The English Kitchen, will no longer receive e-mails. I looked into Mail Chimp, but that is just an added expense that I really cannot afford to take up.  This blog has 1500 subscribers and The English Kitchen has well over 3,000. I will have to find another way, but not sure what that is.

Why can't things ever stay the same?  Why does everything have to be constantly changing?  Its annoying, and as usual I have left things down to the wire. 

Does anyone have any acceptable alternatives that don't cost a bomb?

I had purchased myself this from the LDS Book Shop in Cardston, Alberta.  I love to study the conference talks in the months after Conference. That was one thing I really loved about my calling as a teacher in Relief Society, the opportunity to dig deeper into the talks.  Of course I no longer have that calling, but that doesn't mean I can't dig deeper into the talks. This journal will help me to do that and to organize my thoughts and impressions on each one. That's not a bad thing.

Over the past few weeks I have spent some time going through each talk and highlighting a promise or invitation from each talk, which is my jumping off point.  Now I can go through each one individually and work from that jumping point.

People probably wonder why I would want to do this. Its simple really, and there is no ONE reason why.  I find the words inspiring and helpful.  They touch my heart in a special way.  I am uplifted and edified by them. They help me to be a better me and to cope better with the challenges in my life, and to feel that I am not alone in any of them. Its a good thing as Martha would say! 

 

This is another good thing.  I have been reading this book by Emily Belle Freeman. Its excellent.  Its all about the things we trust into God's care.  How many of us have been at a place where we have questioned the reality of God?  Or how He could allow bad things to happen to good people?  I am a woman of great faith, but even I have had moments where I have questioned the why's and the wherefores' of my life, especially over these past months. 

"If God is real, how could He have let this happen?  Why?  Why, God?"

I have come to realize that there are times in our lives where there are no answers to be found, and this is where our faith starts to kick in.  I am so grateful for my faith  As Emily says, "The place of deepest asking is where the believing begins." 

It is easy to find God in all of the good things, but the true mark of faith is being able to find Him amidst all of the bad.  Maybe bad and painful experiences can lead us to answers we never knew we needed. A belief in a God that only provides happy things is not real, because . . .  let's face it . . .  the rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous alike.  Bad stuff happens in every life. 

We live in a fallen world filled with people who make unrighteous choices, and sometimes we get in the way of their bad choices, or sometimes we are handed problems, illnesses, sorrows we never wanted to experience or to feel, but somehow . . . they are there and land in our laps. Often, most often, very  unexpectedly.  

Faith is being able to get through the unexpected, no matter what it is, or how hard it is, and knowing you can only do so with His guidance and help.  He did not create a fallen world. He created a perfect world, which did not stay that way. We messed it up.  But He can and is willing to meet us in the dirt if we allow Him to.  The reality is that someone who can meet you, right there in the dirt . . .  must really love you. 

 

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I've got my thread. I have the sheets.  Why don't I have my curtains made?  The answer to that question escapes me.  haha  I have washed and ironed the sheets.  I just need to plan how I am going to do the curtains.  Am I going to make pockets or tabs?  Do I want a ruffle at the top or not?  Where do I begin?  I am a bit overwhelmed by it to be honest.  I have never made curtains on that large a scale before. Me, who can't draw or cut a straight line.  I think the simplest way for me to go is to just make a rod pocket. 

 

I'm really enjoying my little chipmunk friend.  It comes and sits on the railing looking at my living room window.  Sometimes it grooms itself while it is sitting there.  As soon as it hears my footsteps coming it jumps down and is waiting by the railing on the deck part.  It watches as I throw out the peanuts.  It has come out a few times while I have been still putting them out, but mostly it keeps a safe distance, which is very understandable.  There are larger predators around.  I have seen a large orange cat and there is a very big grey squirrel that has come on occasion. It looks quite tatty.  Also a red squirrel, and then there are crows and blue jays.  As the smallest of the lot Chip needs to be ever watchful.  

My sister's chipmunk comes right up to her hand and Dan's as well. They have actually been able to stroke it.  They have a relationship that goes back quite a few years.  

They are such sweet little creatures.  I have been reading up about them. They like fruit as well as nuts.  I should put out some berries.  I am just afraid of attracting rats.  Those, I do not want.

 

We have had some very nice, warm days this past week.  Actually I didn't think the past Winter was as cold as the ones I remembered having in years gone by. I do remember the summers being quite hot and humid, so that I am not overly looking forward to, but I will cope.  We did get a bit of hot and humid weather in the UK, but it never lasted overly long.  For the week or so it lasted it was miserable, but there was always an end in sight, and it may have really only lasted a few days that felt like a week, lol.   I have a heat pump in my apartment/flat/house.  I am not sure entirely how they operate, but they are also supposed to work like air conditioners.  There are ceiling fans in both the living room and the main bedroom, so those will also come in handy I am sure. 

 

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I was up at 5:30 this morning to watch church in the UK.  I opened the front door and let the cool early morning air come in and now my door is shut.  That often makes a difference.  In the UK we did not have screens on the windows, but net curtains helped to keep down the bugs a lot. There were no mosquitos and black flies where I lived, so that was alright. Here there are far too many of those to even contemplate not having screens on the windows. 

I need to take a drive into the countryside to see the apple blossoms while I can, or it will be too late for this year.  I would also like to drive up to Margaretville to see the bay and then on down country to watch the seals near Port George. 

I need to be willing and brave enough to do these things on my own, by myself, or I will never do any of them.  I can't live my life by staying within the safe confines of my house.  I need to be willing to branch out.

Well, I have run out of time now.  I have spent many minutes sitting here just daydreaming this morning. Some days are like that.  

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today . . .   

 

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.Everything you want

is on the other side of fear.

•。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Morning Glory Muffins. I small-batched my favourite recipe taking it from 24 muffins down to just six, glorious, delicious muffins.

Have a wonderful Sunday!  Whatever you get up to, don't forget! 

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And I do too!