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.   

 

(source) 

I attended a support group via zoom run by my church for victims of and people with addictions, etc. I had gotten an e-mail about it earlier in the week and kept it, thought I might go, but then thought I probably wouldn't.  Then my friend Jacquie called me yesterday and said I should go and that she was going to log into it.  Right up until the minute it started I wasn't going to go. Then I thought Jacquie would be disappointed if I didn't and so I logged on, and she wasn't even there. But once I was, I couldn't very well leave. Well, I could have, but everyone there had seen me, you know  . . .  so I stayed. Not sure if I will go again. It was incredibly painful.  I think I was the person there with the absolute worst story, although I am sure they all felt their stories were pretty bad. No pain is fun when you are standing in the middle of it.  

I think Jacquie tricked me into attending  . . . I'm a bit annoyed about that.

 

This photo came up yesterday. Its me and Jon back in 2013.  I have that I hate having my photo taken smile on my face. This was when mom was still alive.  She was in the hospital after having had her heart attack and Doug visited me with the boys. 

 

 

Josh looked happy to see me.  

 

Whereas Jake just wanted to escape.  He was only about 3 years old here. 

I am so grateful for this son of mine who has always gone above and beyond to make sure I am a part of his family. 

 

It looks like they are enjoying their summer so far. Doug and Kayla always do lots of things with the boys.  They are great parents. That makes me happy. 

 

 

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body 

 and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! 

 Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 

 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, 

 as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 

 You saw me before I was born. 

 Every day of my life was recorded in your book. 

 Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 

 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. 

 They cannot be numbered! 

 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!

 And when I wake up, you are still with me!

~Psalm 139:13-18 

This was in my e-mail this morning.  My daily devotional from Dayspring. The words of King David.   He was an adulterer and murderer, and a king. He still felt God's grace and love. If he knew these truths about God's love for him, despite all of his flaws, then so  can we. The grace of God covers us all. 

 

 

The Dog Days of Summer . . .  my sister and I were talking about this yesterday on the phone. Even though yesterday was quite cold and wet and rainy.  It has nothing at all to do with dogs. 

the dog days 

1. The period in the summer often thought to be hottest, usually considered to be July 3 to August 11. In ancient times, people associated the heat during this period with the concurrent rising of Sirius, nicknamed "the dog star." The phrase is a translation of the Latin dies caniculares, meaning "dog star days." As a kid, I loved lounging in the swimming pool during the dog days of summer. 

2. By extension, a period of lethargy, inactivity, or stagnation. We're in the dog days of our fiscal year, and unfortunately we'll just have to make up for it during the holiday season. 

 

So grateful to have a sister I can talk about things like this with.  Its her Birthday tomorrow!  I am already drying the bread for the stuffing.  So grateful to have someone to do these things for and with.   

 

A little downy woodpecker just hit my window. Thankfully he just sat on my railing for a minute and then flew off. I caught a glimpse of this hummingbird though at the weekend. Usually they are so fast you have a hard time catching them with the lens.  They are frequent feeders now. I love seeing them. There is also a red throated one that comes. 

Nature makes me smile.  It also makes me cry sometimes.  I suppose it is the same for everyone.

 

(source) 

This also made me smile. I love this.  Imagination. Its a wonderful thing. 

  

So is Lemonade.  Its been a long time since I have had homemade lemonade.  I can remember being with my sister at her in-laws cottage out at Leamington and her mother in law was making syrup to make lemonade. I had never heard of such a thing.  I have not had a sugar filled drink since I was in my late 20's.  I spent my whole adult life for the  most part cutting one thing after another out of my diet . . .  sugar in my coffee, tea, etc. mostly sugary drinks and still I am fat. Sometimes I wish I had just drank  the Lemonade.  Not drinking it has not made a difference. 

 

(source) 

Watermelon hearts, which reminds me. I saw the cutest video of a dog eating a slice of watermelon. It was sure enjoying it.  Remembering last summer when Mitzie had her wading pool and how much she enjoyed it.  How she enjoyed to jump and drink from the hose spray.  Remembering Mitzie  . . . at least I was blessed to have had a Mitzie in my life.

And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day . . .  

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

 *.˛.° ˛°. its the little things

that make life•。★★ 。* 。

wonderful •。★★ 。* 。

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . . White Chicken Chili for two . . . .  this was delicious!

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

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right where you are! 

And I do too!