Days are composed of moments, weeks are composed of days, months are composed of weeks, and years are composed of months . . . life is composed of years that are filled with moments, days, weeks and months. There is nothing so small, so unimportant as to not count in the eternal scheme of things. We build a life by small and simple things, embroidered with the ordinariness of simple days, that are anything but . . . ordinary.
Cindy and I took a drive up the mountain yesterday morning to pick up fresh farm eggs at the place we have been going to buy them for several months now. They are great eggs. It is just a small farm shop, not much bigger than a shed, but it has a refrigerator and a freezer in it. Inside the freezer you will find frozen meats . . . chickens, chicken parts, ground beef, etc. Pies, both sweet and savory. There are homemade jams and pickles, and home baked goods as well. The lady always comes out from the house, and we have a bit of a chin wag. She is very nice. That is where we got our chicken for Christmas, and it was a very good chicken indeed. Yesterday I just got two dozen eggs, but Cindy picked up some eggs and some fresh donuts.
It is an easy drive up, along a winding road bordered on both sides by forest, rurality, and scattered homesteads. At some points you can look down the side of the road over a steep incline to a piece of the river that in the summer months would not even be visible to the naked eye. The leaves of the trees would hide it. You don't realize how high up you really are until you can see it. It is a bit daunting.
Off in the distance we could clearly see another road that led right up the mountain. Not noticeable much of the year, but very clear now the trees are naked and the fields awash with snow. We both found ourselves wondering where that road led. Perhaps someday we will do a bit of an exploration and find out.
The road we drive along is the same road that my school bus used to take to Vocational School when I was taking my secretarial course after I finished High School. That is when I first fell in love with Country Music. Our bus driver always had country music playing on his radio. The bus wound up and down those country roads picking up students here and there, all of us training for trades at the Vocational School. Some of us were training to be secretaries, others hairdressers . . . there were carpenters, and artists, chefs, etc. all with a common goal to make something better of ourselves. That bus was full of dreams, gathered one by one in the morning and dropped off in like manner at the end of day.
We who were training to be secretaries felt ourselves to be a bit above the rest and held ourselves aloof. You had to have actually graduated from high school to enroll in the Secretarial course, whereas for most of the other courses only a grade 8 education was the requirement. When I look back now, I am ashamed that I ever felt myself to be better than another merely because of the juxtaposition of differing educations, but it was the prevailing attitude, and I was too much of a follower back then to not go along with the crowd.
We in the Secretarial class were expected to carry ourselves with a certain level of deportment and behavior by our instructor who was rather inclined towards making us believe that we were indeed the cream of the crop.
To be honest, however, it was an education that I never really got to use to any great degree. I would have been far better suited to have taken something else, but I did what my parents wanted me to do, and I know they had my best interests at heart.
The keyboarding/typewriting skills have always done me a great service, but I could not take shorthand now if my life depended upon it.
My friend Val posted this on her Facebook page . . .
"How to have a good day: Keep your GRATITUDE higher than your expectations."
I am a firm believer that practicing gratitude on a daily basis is the secret to having not just a good life but a really great life. It is hard to stay down for very long when you are busy counting your blessings. There are far worse ways to spend your time than in being grateful for what you have. Taking note of the positive is always a good way to help chase away the negative. We all know who the author is of the negative. Don't give him a toehold in your life. When you let negativity walk through the door, positivity will fly out the window.
These are things which used to be taught as a matter of course. Manners, good citizenship, etc. We were taught these values at home and these lessons were reinforced at school. Can you remember stickers and awards being given out for good citizenship? I can. It was no small thing. This is something which is sadly lacking in today's world.
I am appalled by the lack of empathy most people these days have for other people's situations. Do not judge another. You have no idea of the sorrows which another soul may carry, of the battles they may struggle with and face on a daily basis.
There is a group on Facebook that I belong to. Ask a Question. I would never ask a question there. There is a certain element of people that are always in there . . . finger-pointing, criticizing, judging, no matter the question or situation posed. You can count on it. Sometimes I think they do it just to stir up controversy. It is certainly not done to be helpful.
This is a painting I have hanging over my desk. It is called "To The Rescue" and it is by the artist Robert Boyd. It depicts the Savior walking across the water to the disciples who are in a boat being cast about on rough and rocky seas. This painting was one of the first things I bought for my home. If ever anyone was in need of rescue at that time, it was me. I had many, many Saviors walk across the water to help me in my troubles and I will be forever grateful for their help.
This painting is a daily reminder to me of just how much I am loved and cared for. Whenever I find myself feeling low or wanting to give in to whatever despair it is that I am feeling, I am reminded that it is impossible for anyone to sink below the reach of the Savior's hands. This painting helps to remind me of that.
My home is filled with such reminders and examples. By design. I have deliberately chosen to surround myself with love and positivity. When negative voices try to drown out what is good in my life, I never have to look very far to find something which serves to lift me up.
And although some days the tears do come in waves, I am reminded of He who walks upon the waves to the rescue.
All week I have been wanting to do a video for my YT channel. Maybe today will be the day. So far, I have been blessed by only positive feedback for the channel. I am grateful for that. I know it won't last, this positivity. It takes a lot of courage to do them, and I don't know why that is. When I am filming myself, it is as if the audience is really there, although in reality they are not, and it really doesn't matter if the video turns out or not. I am under no obligation to air anything that doesn't work. My oldest son has expressed the value he finds in them. That no matter what happens there will always be a part of the universe that carries a living testimony of me. That he will always be able to see and hear me. I had not thought of that. There is another friend who says she likes to listen to and watch them because she finds them peaceful and calming. I did not know that either. I know that they have helped me to be more comfortable in my own skin and accepting of who I am, visually speaking. It is pretty hard to hide things when you are out there for the whole world to see.
My maternal grandmother would never allow her photograph to be taken. She hated having her photograph taken and would take great care to hide her face when she was in a group having their photo taken. I have always been the same way. But, as a granddaughter, I know that I would give anything to now be able to see my grandmother's face. And so, as much as I hate having my photo taken, I do allow it from time to time. I am who I am, and that is that.
I can hear the crows in my back yard shouting out their appreciation for the bread I throw out to them daily. I have never minded crows. My sister has some very tame ones near her place. She calls to them and they come. They know she has a handful of peanuts to gift them with.
And with that I best be off here and about my business for the day. Its already gone 9 a.m. and three hours have whizzed by at the speed of light. How did that happen?
A thought to carry with you . . .
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ ••。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
Some adventures lead us to our destiny.
~C.S. Lewis ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
In The English Kitchen today something incredibly naughty but also very nice. Mississippi Mud Cake. A small batch cake that is decadently delicious. Dense, fudgy, moreishly tasty, with a brownie base, marshmallow filling and fudge frosting.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Whatever you get up to be blessed, and stay safe. Don't forget!
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And I do too!
I loved Edna’s poem this week. It speaks to the heart. I, too, took a secretarial course after Grade 12. We were all scared to death of the electric typewriter as it was pretty new then back in the mid sixties. Shorthand was my bête noir. I did manage to pass and at times even excel at it but I never liked it. That course earned me my first job typing manuscripts in a publishing company. I stayed 10 years in various positions. Then moved to a position in the Bay’s buying office. After retiring I worked part-time at our local library. That was fun. Enjoy your weekend. I’m looking forward to your new video. Love and hugs, Elaine
ReplyDeleteWe take a country drive to a little "somewhat village" to use their post office from time to time (if it is really important, we go to that post office) and the drive is worth it. I could imagine your drive to get eggs etc. How lovely indeed and to have such good quality near enough to go there!! That cake looks stupendous...in the good ole days when I could eat such...ah chocolate so lovely!!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, xoxo
An enjoyable ride to get fresh eggs, love them and have them all the time. Yes, life is made up of the little things, all added together to make the whole. We had the snow predicted, and the sun has just came out, so the end of that for now. Time to shovel. It is always so peaceful when it snows, yet as soon as the plow goes by the traffic starts. I learned typing and bookkeeping in high school, and both have been very handy through the years. Laundry day and house chores. Have a lovely weekend.
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