Catherine Love~ Ramblings from my Heart and Home

Quote of the Day ~ Solitude

In solitude we can listen to the voice of him who spoke to us before we could speak a word, who healed us before we could make any gesture to help, who set us free long before we could free others, and who loved us long before we could give love to anyone. It is in this solitude that we discover that being is more important than having, and that we are worth more than the result of our efforts. In solitude we discover that our life is not a possession to be defended, but a gift to be shared.                                                                  ~ Out of Solitude, by Henri Nouwen

This really spoke to me this morning.  As our family prepares for a new journey, it is time for me to spend some time in solitude....just listening....being....waiting for Him to speak, to lead, to guide me in whatever is next. 

Blessings,

Catherine

Quote of the Day...

Approach Love and Cooking with reckless abandon. 

I like that one !

I've got some cooking to do....reckless abandon here I come!   

Sand and Stone

from my inbox:

Sand and Stone

 TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING
THROUGH THE DESERT.




DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE.






 THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND:

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE! AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE:

"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE '.

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED
'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.
BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES
SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT.'

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

THEY SAY IT TAKES A
MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL
PERSON, AN HOUR TO
APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY
TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN
AN ENTIRE LIFE
TO FORGET THEM.

SEND THIS TO
THE PEOPLE YOU'LL NEVER
FORGET.

Thought for the day...

The garden must be prepared in the soul first or else it will not flourish. ~ from Garden Proverbs

OK, this one is a bit thought provoking, too; like the quote I posted on the Front Porch yesterday....

Live within your harvest.

If I look at this in a literal sense, I'm going to have to do much more preparation and planting in order to truly "live within my harvest".  I'd love to be able to do that, though.  I do wonder how many people are able to truly grow all their own food.  Anyone here do that?  I mean including things like wheat, rice, grains, etc.  I'm thinking that would be really difficult; but might be a fun challenge for a season- to see just how self-sufficient our family could be.  I'd love some input on this !

Blessings,

Catherine

Quote of the Day

This quote has certainly been true for my part of the country this year!

If the first of July be rainy weather,
It will rain, more of less, for four weeks together.
-  John Ray,  English Proverbs