Adding Value to your Life
Live It Up eNews! February 2009
1. Love, Live, Learn, Give
2. Recipe: Pear and Ginger Tart
Dear Reader
Finally, finally, my email side of things is repaired. It has been quite a lot of work to redo things, and of course when you do that, you begin to overhaul, tweak, correct and improve what’s been done before. A bit like us really! Now that Christmas is past, and you’re full from repast, is it time to tweak and refine, both body and mind?
Now is always the right time to clean up, clean out, and pour honeyed words into your mind.
Take heart, because you are never alone on the journey when you invite others to love, live, learn and give with you.
My heartfelt sorrow goes out to any and all of you who have suffered either for yourself or your family or friends during the recent bushfires and floods. While life deals cruel blows, life also lets you know just how wonderful people are when it comes time to help each other.
Take heart from these charitable deeds of love and know that those who have passed on want you to resume your life with renewed vigour, passion and joy. They are not able to continue the journey of life’s experiences, and you can.
If you or someone you know has been personally traumatised by the bushfires or floods and needs help, then I am making available up to five sessions per person, with my compliments, for five special people.
For further information or to apply for selection, please email via the Email Inquiry with your name and phone number and a short story of what happened so that you have a chance to state your case in 250 words or less. The five selected will be asked to commit to the five sessions.
Until next month, Live Life 2 The Max! Narelle
1. Love, Live, Learn and Give
© Narelle Stratford 2009
Today, I was privileged to attend The Smith Family’s Tertiary Awards Ceremony. The key themes throughout were relationships, family, learning, sharing and giving.
For those of you who don’t know, The Smith Family has a scholarship scheme for students from Grades 1 through to the final year of University or TAFE levels. The scholarship helps buy books, or tutoring, or pay fees, or school trips, and fosters each student to learn while also being supported by a mentor. The results were magnificent!
The students I spoke with were thrilled that someone who doesn’t know them, would provide financial help to an unknown student. That’s love, isn’t it? To come from a space of love and trust, so that it doesn’t matter if they complete their studies or not.
What’s interesting is that when you get to the mentoring side, most mentors I’ve spoken to will tell you that mentoring seems to help them as much as if not more than the student! As a mentor myself, that’s the statement I make too. I am stimulated, woken up, challenged, and guided by the students I mentor just as much as they are. Their attitude is one of learning and gratitude and they want to help others to achieve their dreams because they have been helped.
I spoke with my student’s Mum today, and said, “I’m not sure that I am really doing anything to help…” Her response, “You’re being a role model!” And that got me thinking that often we don’t have to do anything more than give our time (love), energy (love), support (love), knowledge (on occasion) and deliver it with love.
When you are in a space of love, you are living, and you are learning. If you can give love, support, your time and energy, you will surely receive love in return.
We come into this world not always in love, but we can leave this world in the brilliant light of love.
Who could you sponsor or mentor?
A quick Google search reveals there are something like 1800 charitable organisations in Australia. Help someone else and help yourself, you’ll wonder why you weren’t involved long ago.
Master’s Wisdom!
“Food, sleep, running around chasing mysterious creatures… being loved That’s living life 2 the max!”
2. Recipe: Pear and Ginger Tart
Line a large pie plate with your favourite shortcrust recipe
In a large bowl,gently combine pear slices with 1/3 cup sugar,lemon juice and currants.
Fill the pie crust and top with cloves, cinnamon sticks and slivered almonds.
Reserve 6 slices of pear.
Bake until pie crust edges are brown and pears are tender, about 40 minutes.
While pear tart cooks, bring to a boil the left over 1/3 cup sugar,reserved pear slices,ginger and 1/3 cup water. Simmer over low heat and cook without stirring until syrup thickens, for approx. 10 minutes then put to one side.
When tart is cooked and cooling, brush the syrup over the top. Remove cloves / cinnamon sticks before serving warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and icecream. Delicious!
