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 didn't make it to church yesterday.  I always telephone my father every morning at 7:30 and yesterday morning was no different. I tried to call him at that time and I tried numerous times. Normally if I call and he doesn't pick up on the first call, either he will the next time I call or he will call me back.  After about six tries I called my sister and said, Dad's not answering his phone. We decided to go to his place to check on him.

I was supposed to be a narrator for our Easter service yesterday, but I knew that I wasn't going to make it so I quickly called them so they could arrange for someone else to do it.

Off we went. We were both a bit afraid of what we would find. When we got there he was laying on the floor next to his bed, but he was able to talk to us, etc.  We tried to get him up, but we couldn't. So we called for an ambulance.  We were not sure how long he had been laying there but we knew that by the time we got there it had been at least an hour.

The ambulance came and we got him up and sitting on his bed.  He was completely lucid, but a bit unsteady on his feet. We got him into his dining room and got him some juice and some toast. He did not want to go to the hospital and if a patient is lucid, and their vitals are good, they can't force them to go to the hospital.  It was decided we would take him back to Cindy's and he would spend the day there. We didn't want him driving or going anywhere just in case.

He spent the day at my sister's where he was well cared for.  She made him and Dan bacon and eggs. I brought his laundry home and washed and dried it.  Went back to hers for Easter Dinner, and then we took him home afterwards, got him ready for bed and made sure he was all settled in before we left him. I talked to him last night at 8. He called me, and he was alright. 

I am so grateful for the speed at which the ambulance arrived and the paramedics for their kindness and service.  Grateful for my sister.  Grateful that in the end all was well.

The creepiest thing happened in the early afternoon.  Well, I am not sure if it was nice or if it was creepy.  My doorbell rang and when I went to the door there was this huge Easter Bunny and his companion on the doorstep.  

They had a bag of Easter goodies for me.  I am sure it was meant to be a good thing, but it was a bit scary in a way.  This Easter Bunny was HUGE. His head was enormous and he was shouting Happy Easter.  I know it was meant to be kind, but it was a bit disconcerting to me, and I am sure a few of the other residents. On the one hand it was kind of whoever this was to want to bring some Easter joy to us oldies, but on the other hand, it was unexpected and I could see where it  might upset a few people, especially those who were on their own and alone, especially considering the social climate we live in today.

Inside the little bag were some decorated homemade cookies and Easter chocolate.  Its a bit sad, but I can't eat them because I don't know where they came from.  They could be completely fine, but they may not.  I am not willing to take the chance.  Sad but true.

Unfortunately I was reading on a local site on Facebook, some seniors in Kingston were not so fortunate. Someone wiped animal feces and left some of what looked like hockey pucks and chocolate outside their doors. Apparently a few youths in hoodies were seen in the area. What is wrong with people?

This.  My life hasn't turned out to be in the least close to what I had expected my life to be, but it is still a very good life and I have still be able to find joy and peace and contentment in it. Even if it doesn't look even remotely the way I had ever thought that it would look.   Joy comes when you learn to lean into the goodness you have been given, no matter when, no matter what.  There is always goodness to be found in any situation. I firmly believe that.  Small kindnesses.  Love shared.  When you learn to look for it and to recognize it when it is given, your life changes completely. The half empty cup becomes the half full cup.

Its all about perspective.

More facetimes with this son of mine. His youngest sister was in town for the weekend and she called him up and the two families had brunch together. That made my heart smile.  They had not been in touch for almost two years.   Family is everything.  Like I told my son, when all is said and done, your siblings share something with you and each other that they share with nobody else on earth and that is a rich history of experience.  Nobody can understand you like a sibling can because they have been where you have been. 

I am ever grateful for my sister and my brother and for the things we have shared and are able to share together. Sometimes they are sad things, but more often than not we laugh and we love.  As I said, family is everything, and I have been richly blessed with mine.

 

 

I was vacuuming this weekend and as I tidied up my shoes, I thought about these shoes and the journey they had taken me on.  These are the shoes I was wearing when I made the trip across the sea back to Canada and the safe harbor of my family.  I look at them now and they look so tatty. Some might look at them and think they belong in the bin, but I will never throw them away. Not ever.

 

They have certainly been through the wars, that's for sure. But they were all I could bring with me. I could not make the trip in my Sunday shoes, they would not have been comfortable enough to take me on the journey I needed to take. I couldn't wear my trainers because you need to be able to take your shoes off and put them on easily when you are going through airport security and I knew I would have to do that three times.  I couldn't wear sandals because it was November and I knew it would be cold. These were what I had, as tatty as they were.  But, as tatty and as ragged as they look, they got me to where I needed to be.  They were exactly the tool to do what needed to get done.

If I could afford it I would have them bronzed. They are a reminder to me of the journey I have been on and of the goodness of God. They have a great value to me. They are a beautiful symbol to me of God's Grace, Bounty and Goodness.

 

To The Rescue by Robert A Boyd

This is the painting which hangs on the wall above my desk. It is a constant reminder to me of the journey I have been on the grace that carried me.  When I set up my new home, I wanted to make sure that everything I chose to put into it brought joy and meaning into my life.  Not everyone is blessed to be able to do that. 

I am sitting here at my desk now, and I have a blanket wrapped around my legs to keep them warm.  Cinnamon is tucked inside the blanket at my feet.  Oh what a comforting feeling that is.  What a blessing these two little furry creatures are in my life.  She follows me around most of the day like a little dog. She trots right along beside me, her tail straight up in the air and curled at the end. It is a happy tail.

My sister cooked a beautiful Easter Dinner yesterday. We had Ham and roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes, roasted tender stem broccoli and cauliflower, dinner rolls.  For dessert a sugar free apple pie and ice cream. The best part was being together and the blessing of a day which had begun with a bit of a worry but had ended up alright.

My life is a beautiful mix of miracles and joy.  My cup runs over with blessings great and small.  I am grateful for each and every one of them.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

  ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

 ˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*For with God

nothing shall be impossible.

~Luke 1:37•。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . . Parmesan Crusted Chicken.  It may not look like much, but it is delicious, tender and moist. I enjoyed it with some boiled baby new potatoes and some frozen peas. Quite simply delicious.

Thank you for visiting with me today. I'm so glad that you came.  I wish for you a day and a life filled with a multitude of blessings, large and small. Whatever, don't forget . . . 

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And I do too!