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.

Being able to go to the cemetery with my sister.  We took a morning last week and did just that. We cleared away anything that didn't belong and changed out the flowers on top.  It is a simple act of love and respect.  One day there will be nobody left to do it, but we do it while we can.  I miss  my mother so very much. She would have loved the headstone with the crosses  Some day we need to take something up with us to clean off the other ones.  I am not sure what is a good thing to use, but I am sure google will tell us exactly what to do.

I dug out one of my old journals yesterday while I was looking for something else.  A feather, a buttercup and a daisy pressed between the pages, a note from a son in law back in 2015.  So much water under the bridge since then. But I am blessed to have a heart which embraces the blessings which have been and are mine, despite the losses and sad times.  Life is good.  I am grateful for that. 

This is a statue from the mortuary in St George, Utah.  It depicts an elderly woman going through the veil at the end of her life and emerging on the other side as a young woman entering the Savior's arms.  I just love the thought of this.  Welcome home . . .  welcome home. Although I am not in a hurry to get there, I am comforted by the thought of what awaits me.  And I will see my mother again, along with others.  What a joyful reunion that will be.

All members of my church are encouraged to get what is called a "Patriarchal Blessing." 

"A patriarchal blessing has two main purposes. First, the patriarch will be inspired to declare your lineage—the tribe of Israel to which you belong. Second, guided by the spirit of prophecy, the patriarch will pronounce blessings and may also provide promises, cautions, or admonitions that apply specifically to you. Your patriarchal blessing may point out certain things you are capable of achieving and blessings you can receive if you exercise faith and live righteously."

Most people get them when they are in their teens. I was in my forties when I got mine in the UK.  It is something I always keep in my bedside table and that I like to read frequently, or at least I did.  I have struggled with it for the past several years because so  much of it was tied into my husband. And we all know how that ended.  For many, many months I could not even look at it without crying.

I had prayed for a way to be able to read it and ponder it without feeling the heartache that was also attached to it.  Last Conference there were two talks on Patriarchal blessings and yesterday a talk on them was given at church.  The Lord knows our struggles.  

Since Conference I have been looking at in in a different way and am finding peace in doing so.

It will soon be Mother's Day here in Canada.  From the time I was a little girl all I wanted to do was to become a mother and have a family of my own. This is an old photograph of me with my girls. Amanda was not yet a year old and Eileen was about 2 1/2.  So long ago now. Those girls are in their 40's now. My oldest son will be 48 at the end of this month. It is hard to believe. One of the roles in life which has brought me the most joy is that of being a mother.

I always park up by one of my sister's lilac bushes when I go there for Sunday Supper.  The leaves are coming out on it now and you can see the buds of the flowers.  It won't be long, a few weeks or so and they will be in full bloom. I love the smell of lilacs. My sister has 3 lilac bushes.  They smell amazing when they are in bloom.  One of them is right next to the front outdoor porch of the house. Mom used to love sitting in her rocking chair and looking out at them.

Baking days. I don't have too many of them now.  With only me in the house it is too dangerous! lol  When I do bake now, I tend to do it in small batches, unless I intend to give it away or I have company coming.

I always loved baking for my children.   Cookies, cakes, pies, sweet breads, etc.  I couldn't give them much, but I did so love to treat them to a plate of fresh baked cookies, etc.

Positivity.   Life is much better when your days are embroidered with threads of positive thinking and knots of happy thoughts.  Looking on the bright side of things.   Giving others the benefit of the doubt, seeking out the silver linings.  Never suppress a generous thought.  Practice acts of kindness.  Pray for others.  Serve.  The best cure for feeling blue is to wipe away your tears and then get out and do something good for someone else.

Prayer.  I don't know where I would be without it.   It fills my days and nights with joy.  The scriptures tell us to pray continuously and I do . . .  whenever someone's name pops into my head, I say a silent prayer for them . . . .  I continuously offer up prayers of thanksgiving for all of my blessings . . . I pray daily for those I love and care about, for my church leaders, for the missionaries, for those in the world who are hurting.  It is a simple act and needn't be grandiose with flowery words . . . it needn't even be out loud.  

Silent prayers from the heart are oftimes the nicest prayers of all.   I can guarantee that if you are a reader of this blog I have said prayers for you on countless occasions.    When things are going badly, as they sometimes do, four little words can mean the world to another.  "I'll pray for you."  Costs nothing but your time and a tiny piece of your heart.  He hears them all.  I guarantee.  We may not always like the answers we get, but answers are always given.  This I know to be true.

The gift of a new day each morning when I open my eyes. It says in the scriptures that our days are numbered.  Each one I am given is a gift to me.  I can always do better today than I did yesterday.   I wonder what this day will bring to my table. Hopefully things which bring me joy and peace.

 

Being a woman of faith. Being able to go to church each week and renew my Baptismal Covenants.  Being able to see friends at church.  Sunday suppers with my family. A sister that I get to spend so much time with. Two cats to love and who love me back.  A cosy home to call my own.  Food in my belly.  A comfortable bed to sleep in each night.  My life is filled to overflowing with untold blessings, too numerous to count.

Life is good. Very, very good.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

  ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

 ˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*"Remember that the Lord 
will shape the back 
to bear the 

burden placed upon it." 
~Thomas S Monson•。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  a simple recipe  . . .  Grandmother's Five Cup Salad.  I had not  made it in a long time.  Its one of those easy recipes that you crave every now and then.

I hope that you have a beautiful day. Its very overcast and windy here. It is also drizzling at the moment. The last of the April showers to tease us on the first of May.  Happy May Day!  Whatever you get up to, don't forget! 

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And I do too!