The Man From Blankley's

  

Please pull up a chair, and I'll pour

I've no idea where I picked up this book

 dated 1893

  It's a collection of humorous stories and sketches

that originally appeared on the pages of Punch
a British weekly started in 1841

Punch was a publication of humor and satire
named after the famous Punch and Judy puppet

 

This excerpt from the book is part of a scene
taking place in a vegetarian restaurant

at "the luncheon hour"

A sweet little old lady, wearing a great hat,
wants to order eggs for lunch

* * *
To enjoy this "sketch", it helps to know that the French word "cocotte"  has a double meaning ~
baked eggs, or...ahem...."a painted lady"

* * *

An Elderly Lady asks the waitress, "Can you bring me some eggs?"

"Certainly, madam.  How would you like them done - a la cocotte?"

"Certainly not.  You will serve them respectably, if you please!"

The puzzled waitress says, "We can give you "convent eggs" if you prefer it

The Elderly Lady replies, "I never encourage superstition - poach them."

Ah...that English humor!

(guess you had to be there)

* * *

 But while we're here, I'll share some things that sit
 in the dining room window

This vintage jam jar has a secret

A hole in the bottom.  

I was told that glass jars of jam were put inside,

and the hole helped get sticky jars out.

Is that true?

 The chair came from the flea market 

and I had the seat re-covered

My house is full of faux flowers

in pretty pots that make me happy

My friend rolls her eyes...they don't make her happy

"too many flowers", she says

Is that possible?

Counting My Blessings

Susy

 Recipe for Convent Eggs

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                Show and Tell Friday

Lila's Gift

I never knew my maternal grandmother, Lila Louise.
She died when my own mother was just a young girl.

She was born in Bristol, England
where she met and married my grandfather, John.

Old records show that their families were neighbors.

 

After their marriage they immigrated to Canada, 

where my grandfather attended seminary,

and shortly after they came to America.

I have a few treasures that were Lila's,

passed down from my mother

Her watch

I keep it in the china cupboard 

in a watch case.  My mother wore it, but I don't.

A colbalt blue perfume bottle.

Bristol is known for it's cobalt glass.

There's still a trace of perfume in the bottle

A Weller vase

And an amethyst and mother-of-pearl

locket that my mother wore most of the time.

My mother told me more than once

that she "never got over" the loss of her mother.

And this.

  

A legacy in the form of 

a heart-shaped basket with a message on top

that speaks of inner strenght,

commitment and brave decisions ~

of leaving behind family, friends, and

everything familiar

for a call to a new beginning

It's tattered and fragile

 

but to me it's more than a keepsake;

it's my inheritance.

Worth more to me than diamonds and gold;

it's an intangible gift passed 

from generation to generation

Each time I study it

I'm inspired and encouraged all over again.

 

And it's my Valentine gift to you ~  xo

Counting my blessings,

Susy

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Vintage Inspiration Friday

Show and Tell Friday

A Starfish Named Samuel

You've probably heard the story of the little boy on the beach tossing starfish back into the ocean.

The Starfish Story

Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?" The youth replied, "throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out.  If I don't throw them back, they'll die."

"Son, the man said, don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?

You can't make a difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.

Then, smiling at the man, he said,  "I made a difference for that one."

 

I met a starfish once ~ his name was Samuel.

Three of us had gone down to the beach to pray for our city.  We were standing at the edge of the water, and a young man came up and asked what we were doing. After we explained, he asked if we would pray for him.  He was down and out, looking for work, and more importantly, direction.  And of course, we did.

 As I was about to walk away, I asked, "may I give you a little money".  We had actually locked our purses in the car and I was thinking I'd have to go back and get it.  But instead, as I asked the question, my hand went into my pocket and pulled out a $20 dollar bill.  Someone had given it to me earlier in the day and I'd completely forgotten about it.  But it wasn't forgotten.  I handed it to Samuel and gave him a final hug and we left him sitting on the beach.

As we walked away I looked back over my shoulder, and could see Samuel wiping away tears.  We really hadn't done much ~ we were just in the right place at the right time ~ but it was meaningful to Samuel.

  Thankfully, we were able to say, "we made a difference for that one."

Counting My Blessings,  xo Susy

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Point of View

Have you ever wondered why tough times happen to devoted Christians?  I have, and I'm sure there are LOTS of reasons.  But one of them is discussed in a letter written by a man named James, who tradition says was the brother of Jesus.  He's explaining to fellow believers, among other things, why trials and temptations occur.  He said, "the testing of your faith produces patience".

In other words, patience is suppose to be the 'fruit' of our adversity.  And apparently, patience is so powerful it will cause us to be "perfect"(spiritually mature) and "complete" (lacking nothing, whole).

So what exactly is Patience? It's often translated endurance and perseverance. 

My favorite definition, however, is "a consistent response".  

When Jesus faced temptation, His 'consistent response' was "It is written".  He countered the devil's temptation in the wilderness with The Word of God.  I don't think we can do any better than to follow His example.  When tough times, difficult circumstances, or the devil himself comes a-knockin', respond with God's word, consistently. Regardless of what it looks like and regardless of how you feel.  And may I add, out loud.  (The devil's a lot of things, but he's not a mind-reader.)

Here's  how I summarize James 1:3

Testings come to find the Word of God operating in you.

Let God's word be a part of your inner make-up, fully functioning, and operating at full capacity.  When the tough times hit, answer back with your own faith-filled declaration:  It Is Written!

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Romans 10:17

Counting my Blessings,

Susy

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