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. 

 

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I was able to get to church yesterday morning, finally after having had a few snowy Sundays. I did watch church online on those weeks, but it's not the same really as being there in person and being able to partake of the sacrament and worship with the Saints. The talks were great as was the lesson in Relief Society.  Nice to get out of the house as well.

 

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One thing which I have been very grateful for over these past few snowy weeks is that I have a good food storage system in place. Although lacking in fresh ingredients (they don't last forever) I have plenty of other things so that if need be I don't have to go to the store to feed myself. This has been a great blessing for me as well as a challenge as I put together meals for myself from what I have to hand. 

The snow started in again yesterday after church and did not let up pretty much all afternoon so I was not able to get to my sister's place for supper. Thankfully I did have lots in the pantry that I could feed myself with. I missed the company, but I was okay.

 

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Although we are still very much inundated with snow, Spring really is just around the corner. Just a few weeks now and it will be official. I still enjoy watching the snow fall, but the novelty of it all is starting to wear thin.  When it does start to melt, I hope it does so slowly however, so that there is no flooding.

 

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Grateful for my ability to create which has kept my fingers and mind nimble as I crochet and embroider, etc. I love seeing these projects of mine come together. I have always loved to do things with my hands.

I am grateful for the kind people in my life. I have blessed to be surrounded by sweet, kind people, both in real life and online for the most part.  It makes a difference.

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This is a good thing to keep in mind during these last weeks of Winter. 

 

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Grateful that Elizabeth's and her husband's move went alright, and that they are now in their new home. Safe and sound.  I hope that it will be a much safer and more comfortable place for them to live. Moving is hard at any age, but when you get older, it is especially difficult. I hope and pray that they are both now content with their situation and not having to put up with any more difficult neighbors as they have had to do.

 

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A well-made bed and comfortable place to sleep.  I recently decided to move back to having a duvet on my bed and a bottom sheet. I do love to have a fully made bed, but it is so much work for me now each time to change it. I find it tuckers me right out.  Walking back and forth from one side to the other, over and over again while I straighten things out, etc. Now all I have to do is to change the bottom sheet and pillowcases, and the duvet cover, which presents a different sort of a problem, but we will see how it goes.  So far so good. I did wrestle a bit with it.  And darn my penchant for only using natural fabrics.  Cotton needs to be ironed. But I will do it if it means that I can have wrinkle free bedding.

 

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Financial Self-Reliance.  I have been taking a course through my church in financial self reliance. So far so good.  It is free and I will get a certificate from the LDS school of business at the end of it all.  I am always grateful to be able to learn new things.

 

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Grateful for the power of prayer and the ability it has to bring peace into my life.  This is no small thing. 

Please pray for my friends Diana and Nick. Nick has been battling cancer and has now been moved to a palliative care facility. His journey is nearing its end. Praying for them both. This is a very hard place to be.

 

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I am sincerely grateful for all the places I have had in my life to call home.  None, except for maybe the cottage down in Kent, has been overly large or what one could call luxurious, but all have been comfortable and filled with love.  If a spirit of love resides in your home, your home is a wonderful place to be.

 

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This . . .  do what you can, when you can and here you can. It will make a difference. If everyone lived in this way, life would be transformed for everyone, even the least of us.

 

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"Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

~Philippians 4:11-13

I have learned throughout life to be at peace with wherever I find myself. This is not always easy, but it is the key to finding contentment in life.  It is no small thing to be able to find joy in what is yours already, but it makes a huge difference in the quality of your life. You no longer feel the need to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but are able to find and embrace the joy and beauty found in the journey along the way.  That is not to say that we cannot or should not hope for better things, but . . . why would we be rewarded with anything better than what we already have when we cannot and do not appreciate what is already ours.

 

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Perspective  . . . 

I am watching The Chosen though for probably the sixth or seventh time now. Each time I watch it I pull something different from it.  This is the way I have always pictured Jesus as being. Divine and yet at the same time fully human, able to feel and understand all things about the human experience.  He laughs, he cries, he cares. He knows what it is to be hungry, or afraid, to feel alone, to be sad, to feel joy and happiness, to hurt, to feel pain, loss  . . .  I think that the portrayal of Jesus in this series is probably the closest anyone has come to the real thing.  I am so grateful to the producers of it and for the great acting abilities of everyone involved in this project. I am looking forward to the next season, which is coming up soon, and at the same time I am dreading it because I know what comes next  . . . 

 

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Life. It is a beautiful thing despite any pain or suffering that might have to be endured. I am grateful for mine. It is a mix of all that I need and that helps me to be a better person. Each night my prayer is that I might be tomorrow a better person than I was today, even if only in a small way.  Little by little I am evolving into a much better me, and that is a good thing. I am grateful for even the small changes.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

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

*.˛.°Not how long,

but how well you have lived

is the main thing.

~Seneca° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Marry Me Ravioli.  This was quite simply fabulous. Not the best photos in the world, but it truly was simple and quick to make and very delicious.

I wish for you a beautiful week filled with contentment, peace and a multitude of small and wonderful blessings.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!