Monday 8 May 2017

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.


 

A son that texts me from work just to say I love you and then facetimes me on his break to tell me he's thinking of me.  Made my day even if I was in my PJ's and no make-up! Things like this mean a lot to me, I'm not denying it. They fill my heart with joy. I am so thankful for our Doug and his love for me, and that he and I have a good relationship with each other.  He is a very thoughtful son.  He always has been.  We share a love of dogs, good knives,  and cooking.  He has a very tender heart.  He has always been tender-hearted.  When he was little he had the hairiest arms and I always called him my fuzzy bear.  He looks a lot like my mother's father, and he has the "Simpson" nose which is a family trait from my mother's family.  A lot of us have it.  I don't, but my brother does.   Along with the "Bum" chin from my father's side . . . it is a family trait which carries on through the generations.


Puppy Dog snuffles.  I know you must get tired of that, but its true. It is one of the great blessings in my life. Lately she has taken to going up and sleeping on our bed when we go out, and sometimes she even shuts the door behind her. She sleeps right next to my side of the bed on the little doggie mattress we got for her at night.  I can just reach down and stroke her anytime I want to. The unconditional love and loyalty of a dog are amazing. I don't think that there is anything else on earth that quite approaches it.


Knowing this to be true.  Not just believing this, but knowing this. It is life changing.   I am reading a very good book at the moment called The Continuous Atonement, by Brad Wilcox.  Christ is not just our Saviour, but He is also our redeemer. The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that, miraculously, we can feel at home there.  This book is amazing and I am discovering so much in reading it.  Every page has an "Aha" moment on it.


I had a moment of inspiration yesterday and quickly wrote it down on a piece of paper on my work desk so that when I get the chance I can convert it to something creative.  I love having a workspace.  It is not something which I take for granted, although to be sure, it is often much messier than I would like it to be.


Buttercups.   Buttercups have always featured in my life.  Can you remember holding one beneath your best friends chin when you were a child to see if they liked butter?  If there was a yellow light on the chin it meant yes.  Of course everyone's chin held a yellow light, a special glow, a reflection of the colour of the buttercup . . .   buttercups are special things. Sunny and bright, they bring delight.


My big blue binder which is a constant source of inspiration and holds a bazillion memories for me.  I love it.  It is as much a part of me as my hand or my foot.


I know I say this every week, but its true.  My Sunday afternoon talks with my mother.  They fill my heart with joy, even though we always talk about the same things. I dread the day when this will no longer be possible. I have a letter all ready to post out to her today.  She seemed to think that yesterday was Mother's Day, although I kept reminding her that it wasn't until next Sunday.  I finally gave up and let her think it was Mother's Day, even if it made me feel a tiny bit bad because my card is not there yet.  It will arrive this week and I have flowers ordered also.  A vase of Orchids.  I hope that they look as nice as the photograph of them did in the online flower shop.  My sister said that she would take a picture to show me. My mother has the "Simpson" nose, although she had an operation when we were still at school to have the bump removed. It had always bothered her.


I love this photograph of our Eileen from a few years back.   I get to talk to her every day.  I love that we have such a close relationship.  We always have had.  She was the little girl I always wanted to have when I was growing up.  I dreamed of having a little girl with blonde hair and brown eyes and I did.  When I was a girl, I always said that I was going to call her Honey, but of course I did not, she was Eileen, named after one of my good friends from school and my husband's regiment with the PPCLI.  Eileen Patricia.  We talk about everything under the sun, what we are cooking, memories of things we have done together, we laugh, we talk about fairies, etc. I love that we have a friendship with each other.  It is not as I had always imagined it would be when I had grown up daughters, but it is still very good.  I am grateful for our Eileen and her love and loyalty to me.  We share the "Bum" chin.


Grateful also for this son and the love that we share.  I think he is brilliant.   I was in love with him from the moment I knew I was having a baby, and the moment I held him in my arms is a moment I will always cherish in my heart.  The first baby  is always special.  Oh yes, so are the others, but there is only ever one first.  I don't have favourites.  I cherish and love all of my children.  Anthony has always been there for me, since I was 19.  He has been through all of my ups and my downs and his love for me has never faltered, nor has mine for him.  We are the best of friends and talk often.  He also has the "Bum" chin, and so do his boys.  But he has also inherited his father's cheek dimples, and his father's thespian tendancies.   He is a great dramaticist and a good writer.  Maybe he gets that from both of us.


This is my Great Grandmother Best's (And Grandfather's) house up in Inglesville.  My sister went up and took some photos a week or so ago.  It is largely derelict now.  My mother was born in that house.  It used to have a wrap around porch . . . which is now gone and it used to be white.


It hasn't been lived in for a very long time.  I have been in it a few times through the years.  My sister says that you can still see a shoe rack through the back door window with some shoes and a pair of slippers on it   . . . . and in one of the out-buildings there is a tractor and a yellow rocking chair.  We wondered if maybe it wasn't our Great Grandmother's rocking chair and if she might not have rocked our mother in it at one time . . . its nice to think that she might have.

One wonders how long this property will stand and when it might be pulled down.  I wish I had a million dollars to buy it and keep it in the family.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today  . . .

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

 *.˛.° ˛°. . 
˛°To get the full measure of joy,
you must have someone to divide
it with. ~Mark Twain  •。★★ 。* 。

I suppose another way of saying that is to say that a joy shared is a joy doubled!

Spiritual Enlightenment



In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Quiche in a Bun.  Simple and delicious.

Have a great day. May your week ahead be filled with lots of small and wonderful things.  Don't forget!

 ═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════

And I do too!!


7 comments:

  1. Morning Marie, managed to get in first time today..it is lovely that your are so close to most of your family and that with the miracle of the internet you can see or speak with some every day, lots of people condem the Internet/Facebook/Twitter/ etc if it is used properly it is an amazing thing and can do so much good....just see how it connected you and me and Lura, how sad a world it would be if I didn't have your friendship......( or in Luras case, sister ship !! do you know that we adopted each other when they were here LOL ).....it is a beautiful morning down here the sun,is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky I hope it is warmer as the day gets going. I will see Barbara my niece this morning as our hair badly needs cut so Barbara to the rescue, no doubt we will be hearing about my great nephew Christopher's forth coming wedding on 10th June....not long now. I had Mitch , Margarets husband, over yesterday he never stops long but always has a strong cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit ! He phones me every morning around 9.30 and always starts by saying....just checking in me dear !...he gets very lonely but has coped really well to being on his own.....I'm going now Mary will be along soon, I like to have five mins or so by myself first thing ..Have a good day, hope Todd is ok..when does he go back to hospital ?..

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  2. Good morning Marie. I loved the story about the buttercups. It is entirely new to me. Another reason to wish we had cooler weather flowers. I also love the photos of your darlings.

    Today mum and I took dad to the cardiologist. I truly think today was the last time I take my father out. He fought sitting in the car, in the wheelchair and everything else. The cardiologist was quick on his feet. But after all that lifting and avoiding his bad temper I just don't think can cope. Today I have driven a long way. We had a very late lunch at 3pm. I then found a great baby sale in the centre where we ate. So for $30 Pip now has 2 new t-shirts, 2 onesies, 2 bibs, and 8 muslin squares from a more expensive shop. She was grateful. Tonight I was also very grateful for the piece of leg ham in the fridge. Because I had planned on lamb shanks and it was too late to cook them when we arrived home. Ham and salad is always liked by my lout.

    God bless.

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  3. Sybil, then that makes US sisters too, because Lura and I have been sisters for a long time now! lol Have enjoyed looking at her photos of the cruise and her time with you and Mary on her iCloud album! It started off really sunny here first thing, but is clouding over now. It's not warm however. I am freezing! I can't say that I blame you with wanting to have a few moments to yourself. I would too. Todd is waiting on a blood test and then goes back at the end of the month. We are hoping for good news so keep those prayers coming! xoxo

    Oh dear Suzan, you do have to put up with so much when it comes to your mum and dad, but I know it is a labor of love. It has to be. How wonderful that Pip was able to get some baby things! Its so much fun shopping for a baby! Does she know what she is having yet? xoxo

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  4. Pip's dates have been moved to late September. That explains so many things. She will be having her 20 week scan in the next few days and then we can know. This baby has so much already. I keep saying we should not buy anymore. THEN I BREAK MY RULE.

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  5. You're so lucky to have a sister you are close to and share these things with:)
    I know you love all your children and they are so lucky to have the unconditional love of such a great mom in the true sense of the word:)

    Have a beautiful day Marie..have some catching up to do;)

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  6. Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend! Like you, family is very important to me. Hope the week ahead brings you only bright and beautiful days !

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  7. Suzan, this is your first grandchild! You enjoy it to the hilt and if that means you break your rules, then so be it! there is only ever ONE first! Love you! xoxo

    Thanks Monique! I hope you had a lovely time with your daughters! I know that you must have. The snapchat photos were so cute! xoxo

    Thanks Pam! I cannot imagine family not being important to any mother. God bless you! xoxo

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