Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!
This has been my table decoration:

This morning at church we sang the amazing hymn:
"Praise to The Lord, the Almighty the King of creation"
A brilliant hymn written by Joachim Neander (1650-80) and translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-78)

The last few lines of one of the verses to this hymn seemed particularly poignant to me this morning, Valentines Day:

"Ponder Anew,
What The Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend Thee."

I think I had previously sung the words If to the end He befriend thee.
I really really liked this translation today...

To ponder anew, think afresh, gain fresh understanding, to look with new perspective.
Fresh insight.
I love the word ponder too.
Probably because I am a bit of a natural day dreamer!
Pondering was good enough for Mary, though, wasn't it when she pondered on all the things that were spoken to her with the birth of Jesus.

It was this line that I really liked today:
If with His love...
It reminded me of His loving kindness that draws us close to Him.
The freshness of Him befriending me, drawing alongside to be a friend with Luci.
It has such a simple, a lovely childlike quality don't you think?
Friendship works both ways doesn't it?
He chooses to befriend me and I choose to befriend Him.
I am glad we are friends.

The rest of the day has been great too.
Yummy food and great friends.
9 of us this time:

A meal with Abbie and Tim, Emily and Jamie, Anna, Jenny, Ralph, Beefy and last but not least - me!
A brilliant chance to use my New plates.
I snuck in a mini bag of malteasers and magic stars into each napkin bag and tied them with raffia!

The meal was, as usual, a collection of amazing contributions from each of us.
We had this yummy Moroccan salad for a starter with bread from Abbie and Tim.

Then we had the Beef Burgundy with baked potatoes and sugar snap peas.
Apple and Blackberry crumble, yummy lemon pudding,chocolate gateau was all delicious too. Thanks Beefy and Jenny.
The meal was all washed down nicely with some rather nice red wine! Thanks Ralph and Emily and Jamie.
We rounded off the meal with tea and coffee and ginger shortbread.
Thanks too, Ralph and Tim and Beefy for doing all the washing up!!!
you guys are great.
This smiley face, Ralph, :-) is for you - as I know you didn't know how to write one earlier today - and apparently can't do one on your blackberry.
:-) or should that be :-(
Thanks friends.
Thanks for the food and the laughter.
It has been a good day.
Thank You God for being my friend and Thank You for my friends too.
Happy Valentines Day, bloggy friends.
xxx