"We making a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"

Apparently someone called Norman MacEwan said those words!

Picked up a book in Oxfam recently. You know when you hesitate over a book and put it back on the shelf, then reach for it again, flick through a few more pages...return it to the shelf...wander off..but you can't quite put it out of your mind? This was the scenario and I knew it was a book I needed to learn from, so I listened to the inner voice amd paid the £2.49 knowing that it was an investment in understanding a subject that held important challenges right across every area of life. The title?

"The Power of Generosity" by Dave Toycen (President and CEO of World Vision, Canada)

Such Chapter headings as:

Generosity: What is it?
Who are the Generous?
The Power of Generosity to overcome obstacles
  "          "           "     stimulate Personal Growth
  "            "         "  Does it make a Difference?
"          "            "       on the Road to Justice
"           "         "    to make Peace
"            "            "    What Lies Behind?
"              "         "    : Money
Failure:    A Personal Testimony
The Power of Generosity: How to get it
"              "        "   in a World of Change

Challenging and timely stuff indeed! I've just finished the Peace chapter and the poem below is quoted from there. Just thought to start the day with it!

"He drew a circle that shut me out-
Heretic , rebel, a thing to flout.
But love and I had the wit to win:
We drew a circle and took him In !

From the poem " Outwitted"
— Edwin Markham

What is enough?

On the road to simplicity and contentment, there are always questions to be asked.....

 The story of the Mexican fisherman

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.  Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”


The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.  I have a full and busy life.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”

“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part.  When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”

“Millions – then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire.  Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

Frivolous knitting!

I saw the pattern, I loved the design, I tried on the sample that someone had knitted to inspire the propective buyer and I was enchanted!  It was a frivolous design that looked fun and the wool was so soft, I didn't need to be persuaded and anyway, I had birthday money!

It knitted up so fast on biggish needles and the pattern was always changing so it kept the interest...in a couple of days one glove was completed.

I got to learn how to knit a rosette as well as a few different stitches I had never tried before....always learning, always more to challenge me, whether it be knitting or otherwise!

Never "blocked" a piece before, don't know why, will probably always do it now,  makes a flatter finsh on the edges, helped by You tube in demonstrating a neat way to do seams....so on reflection, not so frivolous after all!

Finished result, fingernails hidden as I'd been moving mud encrusted paving slabs that day and I was ashamed of the tattered and battered look....My nails will never be  manicured perfection....too much chicken poo and weeding.... Still the gloves look okay, I just need to wear them now...which is, of course the whole point of the exercise!

Spring, watch ya sowing?

"If you do not sow in the Spring, you will not reap in the Autumn"   Irish Proverb

So what am I sowing this year?  What am I hoping to reap as the year comes to an end?

Do I have aims, hopes, aspirations, oh yes, just a few..... :)

Will I be making a list? I expect so...Checking it twice? Understatement....

 The words for the year....Prepared, Productive, Purposeful and Party! All with sub headings and bullet points that elaborate further....  okay, it works for me!

I expect some of it will be recorded on here, working stuff through, living stuff out. It certainly looks like a year full of challenges for the taking. Will be learning to adjust to the rhythm of fast and slow and plan to enjoy both to the full.

Someone once said "Life is like a box of chocolates...." we all know the rest of the sentence....

Whatever I get, I pray I will honour Him and wake each morning with a renewed sense of expectation for what the day holds and how I might walk through it, perhaps meeting some of you along the way!

I had two of these last night!!!!  I just love the presentation with the heart in the middle.

And this is a sculpture called  "Never Let Go" by Jane Osmond which I stood and looked at for ages at New Wine, last year. I only have the postcard, but I loved it!

Just wanted it there to mark the start of the Year.

I wonder, what are you sowing into this year?

Due to popular demand! Butterscotch Meringue Pie

Served this when friends came over for a meal last night. It was one of the first recipes I remember my (future) Mother in law cooking for us. Enjoy!

Butterscotch Meringue Pie


Shortcrust pastry to line an 8"  deep pie dish.

Bake on Gas 5 for 15-20 minutes until sealed

Meanwhile make butterscotch filling:

Butterscotch Filling

2oz butter
4oz dark brown muscovado sugar
1/4pt boiling water
2 level Tbsp cornflour
1 level Tbsp plain flour
1/2 pt milk
2 egg yolks
2 drops vanilla essence

Meringue

2 egg whites
4oz sugar (1 use a 3oz white, 1oz brown mix)

Melt butter in saucepan until frothy
Add sugar and stir until browny and gloopy
Boil gently for 2-3 minutes, keep stirring.
Remove from heat and stir in boiling water, there will be hissing and splattering!
Mix together cornflour,flour and vanilla essence in a bowl with the milk.
Pour into saucepan with the brown sugar mixture.
Stir over gentle heat until it starts to thicken.
Remove from heat, add egg yolks
Cook gently for 1 minute.

Pour into pastry case.

Whisk egg whites until stiff
Whisk in most of the sugar, stirring the remaining sugar in with a metal spoon.

Pile on top of pie filling.

Bake  for 20-25 minutes ish on Gas 4

This is delicious hot or cold.