52 Blessings Week 16

This week I am blessed because with friends...both near and far. I am blessed to have friends I have known for 30 years and friends I've only known for a year or so. I am also blessed to have reconnected with many friends on Facebook! Sometimes the internet is a good thing! :) I thank God for my friends! Without them and God I wouldn't be who I am today.

52 Blessings Week 15

This week my blessing is the fact that Jesus gave His life for ME! I am in awe of how much God loves me and was willing to send His Son to earth to die for my sins. AND, that Jesus was willing to do it! How can I not serve Him? We should never forget what Jesus did for us on that first Easter over 2000 years ago.!

I was tagged by my fellow Faithsister Theresa!

Here's what to do:

Go to the photos folder on your computer.
Go to the seventh folder of photos.
Go to the seventh photo.
Put the seventh photo on your blog along with a description.
Invite seven friends to join.
Optional:
(leave me links to see your pictures!!!)

So, here is my 7th photo. It was taken in January of 2007 when we had "snow". This is in front of my house.

I tag:
JackieAnn
Karma
Shirlene
Cheryl
Michelle
Cheryl O.
Laurie

52 Blessings Week 14

This week's blessing is the fact that we got to take a vacation to southern California. We were blessed to have great friends who let us stay with them. Thank you to Dennis and Lynn Barrett and to Mel and Linda Loucks for opening their homes to us. It was more than appreciated!
We had a beautiful week in Escondido at the Welk Resort. It was so great to enjoy God's creation (and beautiful weather!) and be away from the "daily grind". I was able to spend more time in the Word and I also got caught up on His Holy Name Challenges from Faith Sisters!

It was a great week, and I am thankful for safe travels to and from California!

52 Blessings Week 13

My blessing for this week is my friends. I have a very dear friend named Diane, who I got to see this week (March 27 & 28). She means a lot to me, and it was really great to see her. She blesses me by just being my friend. She did something really nice and unselfish for me, and for that, I will be eternally grateful. She made my life a little easier...thank you, Diane!
I have another friend named Dodie that I also got to see on the 28th...thanks to my friend Diane for driving me up to see her! She has such a talent for organization and I'm always learning new things from her. She also has deep spiritual insite to so many things. I am so thankful for her friendship.
These friends were seen because we took a trip to southern California for a week's vacation.

52 Blessings Week 12

This week my blessing is God's creation. I planted daffodil bulbs over a year ago, and they bloomed last year, and now they are blooming again! Spring isn't my "favorite" month, but it's close! I love to see the flowers bloom (especially now that I am in the beautiful northwest and can see His beauty everywhere you look) and just the whole "newness" of what spring means. I thank God for all the seasons He gives us, and I'm happy to be living in the Northwests where I can truly enjoy each season as it comes. Isn't He great to give us seasons? :)

52 Blessings Week 11

This week my blessing is my mom and dad. Yesterday (Saturday) we celebrated their 6oth wedding anniversary! Eleven of us gathered together at The Olive Garden to celebrate this awesome milestone. In this day and age when marriages are so easily discarded when bad things come along, it's great to see a marriage that has lasted 60 years. True, their time together hasn't had its problems, but they committed to stay married to each other 60 years ago (actually on the 16th of March) and they remain faithful to each other to this day. I know it's because of their faith in God, and having made Him first in their lives that this has been possible. They set a good example to their two children by having daily devotions (which they continue to this day). They have never been in debt (except for a house payment or a car payment) and have been able to make many oversea trips, even though they never made a lot of money.
Thank you, Mom and Dad for leaving a great legacy! I love you!

52 Blessings Week 10

I cannot believe week 10 has come and gone...I forgot to post last Sunday! Let's see...my blessing last week...
I'd have to say my blessing this last week was my friend, Jane. I am so thankful that she has come into my life again. We were roommates our senior year in college (a loooooongg time ago!) and we went our separate ways until about 4 years ago. And now, we live in the same town, and we have decided to try and do some outing together once a month. This has been fun. Saturday (the 7th) we went on an outing to look for a Letterbox at Champoeg State Park. We didn't find it...the weather was cold and was threatening rain, and we were still a long way from where the box was supposed to be. But, we had fun, anyway. I am so blessed to have Jane as my friend!

52 Blessings Week 9

My blessing this week is my youngest son, Todd. He is really starting to make a name for himself, and it makes me so happy to see him doing so well! This past week he wrote a blog on the website where he works and Rush Limbaugh was so impressed by it that he read it on the air! Now, I know this may not be a very big deal to many of you, but it is a very big deal to me (and to him!). At 27, he already has thoughts that are worth repeating :) He also got his picture in the Washington Post, but they misrepresented what he and his friend were doing. Can't trust those newspaper reporters! Anyway...I just had to brag on my son! I truly thank God for the gift He has given Todd in expressing himself in the political world. We need more young people like Todd!

52 Blessings Week 8

Well, this week I have to say my blessing was my Faithbooking class that I started at church. Friday night was our first meeting and 13 showed up! Everyone seemed real excited about doing something to keep a legacy of their faith. I'm really excited to see what they come up with and share next month! God is GOOD!

52 Blessings Week 7

My blessing this week is my Aunt Betty. She had a stroke a week and a half ago, and is doing remarkably well. I really love my aunt. She's a lot younger than my dad, and she's a lot of fun. I would really be upset if something happened to her...she's too young! She was in really great spirits when my dad and I went to visit her yesterday. I love family and I love my aunt Betty!

52 Blessings Week 6

In continuation of last week's post (which was just posted a few minutes ago!) I want to recognize the blessing of my cousins. David and Randy are my cousins, but they are much closer to me than cousins...especially David. We are only 9 weeks apart in age, and Randy is 9 years younger. David and I grew up together, and we spent many Christmases etc. together. Even though David lives in Anchorage, AK and Randy lives in Oklahoma, I pray that we will always keep in contact with them and that they will feel apart of our family. I will miss your mom, David and Randy. Even though it was a sad time saying good-bye to her this week, it was great getting to see them and spending time with them. There is nothing more important than family here on earth. I am blessed being close to my aunts, uncles, and cousins, even though we may be separated my many miles.

52 Blessings Week 5

My blessing for this week (which is really last week's since I didn't post one then) is my extended family. My aunt (mom's sister) suddenly became critically ill and was taken to the hospital on Friday, Jan. 30. Sadly, she passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2009. I was very close to her, she was like a 2nd mother to me. I spent several summers living with her and her family when I was in college earning money at the cannery. I will truly miss my aunt Anita. Thankfully, she is in Heaven rejoicing with the Saints!

52 Blessings Week 4

This week's blessing is the fact that I've had a lot of subbing jobs this year. God knows we need the money, and He as faithfully provided jobs for me. I'm also thankful that I am getting two days off this week! That's the beauty of subbing...it doesn't have to be everyday. But, I do want to sub as often as I can. I already have a job lined up for Friday, which is really nice! Plus I have my regular Thursday job in a 3rd grade class (of which is another real blessing...to have a steady job at least once a week!). God is GOOD!

52 Blessings Week 3

Today I have to say that my blessing is my dad. Today, he turned 85 years old. He is a WWII Vet and a pastor for 15 years. I am thankful for his Christian example. I am blessed that I now live only 6 houses from him (and my mom!) and have been able to go on many walks with him. I realize that our days with dad here on earth may not be very many more, so I realize that I am blessed for every day the Lord leaves him on earth for us.

52 Blessings Week 2

This week I am definitely blessed to have a two week subbing job! God knows our financial situation, and He has blessed me with a short term subbing job for the next two weeks! PLUS, the school where I subbed today, needs me back on the last Friday of the month. So, I am basically teaching the last 2 weeks of January. Thank you, God, for being faithful and supplying our needs.

52 Blessings Challenge #1
So, this year over at faithsisters.com we have challenge to blog, scrapbook, or journal one blessing a week for one year. I have chosen to blog my blessings each week. If you would like to join in on this challenge, feel free to check it out at
http://faithsisters.com/forum/index.php?topic=7313.15

Here we are at week #1...

My 1st Blessing is my two boys. I was so happy to have my two sons spend Christmas here with us in Washington. Even though getting here and even going home, proved to be a challenge for them (weather and airline problems!), I am truly thankful and blessed that they made the effort to come up here. God has truly blessed me in giving me two terrific boys. My prayer for them is that they will always follow the Lord and make HIM #1 in their lives.

Well, here it is, almost 2009. It seems like just yesterday we were anticipating the year 2000, and now here we are 9 years later! Where does the time go? This past year has been interesting. Last December, Tom had his knee replacement "revised" so, he was off work until the 1st of May. I wasn't working too much as a sub, so times were hard. Then I didn't have any work throughout the whole summer, so that didn't help. In September I got a long term subbing job for the months of Sept. and Oct. so that was good. Then in November I started subbing every Thursday in a 3rd grade classroom at the same private school I subbed for in Sept. and Oct. It's the school that our church is in charge of. I also started subbing as a paraeducator (staff assistant) in the public schools. I've worked pretty much every day that I've been available, but the pay isn't that great. But, it's something. It was great to have both boys here with us for Christmas this year. This was the first time Tim has been up here since we moved up here. The last time he came to visit Grandma and Grandpa was in 2001. Tim went home on the 29th and Todd goes home on the 4th. I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year, and I pray that God will guide you every step of the way in 2009.

Join Faith Sisters for our Birthday Bash Cyber Crop!

Who: YOU are invited!
When: September 26-28th
What: Challenges, Prizes (traditional and digital,) Sales,
Chats, New Goodies and MORE!
Where: www.FaithSisters.com
Why: To celebrate our 1 year birthday!