Counting Our Blessings - Link Up!

I'm sorry that it's been some time since I've done the link up. I always miss doing this but sometimes life gets in the way. However, here we are and I'm so happy to be so. Let's get started!!

51.  I was able to do a bit of "back to school" shopping a couple weeks ago. No, we don't homeschool anymore and I don't have smaller children but I love to shop for school supplies! There's always some really fun things this time of year and I found some adorable things! I went to Office Max specifically for highlighters but found this cute thing!

A poodle pencil case!! Can you stand it? I just adore this little thing and Mitzi seems to think that it's adorable, too, and has tried to steal it quite a few times. lol I have to make sure I keep it out of reach or she runs off with it. Both are so cute!!

52.  I did get my highlighters and was fortunate enough that I was at Office Max when they were having a big sale. See the mechanical pencils? They were only 14 cents! The Owl erasers and gold pens were from the Target Dollar Spot. See why I love this time of year?

53.  I made a tassel for my planner with this fun yarn. I know it's a bit large, but I just love it. When I showed it to my husband, he laughed because it was so big. lol One thing is for sure, I won't be losing it anytime soon!

54.  Our monsoon season has started here. We've had a lot of rain and, one day, we had quite a bit of  hail. Here's a picture after the hail storm. It looks like snow, doesn't it? I was quite worried that it was going to break one of our sky lights, but thankfully, it was fine.

55. Of course, my blessings wouldn't be complete without a photo of Mitzi! She is needing a grooming here but is going in next week, so please ignore her scruffy look. She's such a doll and blesses me beyond measure every day! This is her in the morning as she's just waking up. Of course, she has her Lamb Chop.

What are your blessings? I hope you'll share on the link-up! I would very much appreciate it if you shared my Counting Our Blessings button. As always, I'm so grateful you came by and for your sweet comments!

An InLinkz Link-up

Blessings - Julie

Busy and Cold!

 How many of you watched the first episode of Season Three of, "Downton Abbey"? What did you think?

I had been looking forward to seeing this and I enjoyed it, but was surprised that the wedding scenes were so extremely small! I mean, wasn't this supposed to be the event of the season?! Overall, I enjoyed it, though, and am looking forward to the next episode!

It's been a busy week around here. I had an epidural on Tuesday and then knee shots on Thursday. I've been rather sore, to say the least. lol However, I'm so thankful for the fact that I cana get these shots and help to relieve my pain. It makes life so much easier to live when you're not in horrible pain.

We had snow here again this week and it's so very cold out! We had a couple of days that were rather nice and then this winter cold hit us again. I think the wind is what is so hard to bear. I've never liked the wind.

Here's how our yard looked after the big snow storm...

Isn't that just so pretty? The white snow, with the ultra blue sky and the sun shining. God's creating is so amazing!

I'm making some gifts for some people in my life that need some extra comfort. I won't say here what I'm making, as I think a couple of them read my blog. It's been on my heart to do this and so I went to Hobby Lobby to make my purchase for the projects. As soon as I can share pictures, I will.

Our community has been hit extra hard by this flu bug going around. My doctor told me that both our hospitals are full because of this epidemic! Something really disgusting that happened - a man came in for his appointment to my pain management doctor and had his "barf bag" with him! Bleah! No one there could believe it! I mean, who does that? He probably infected everyone there with his disease!! Needless to say, I was using Purrell like crazy and have been all week. I'm praying none of us get this horrible flu, but I'm not too hopeful, especially since everyone seems to have it at church and my oldest son is in the medical field. I have been feeling rather congested today and hoping that it's not the beginning of the end. :P I'm going to stay in this weekend and try and get past all this.

My Bible study starts back up on Tuesday and I definitely want to be healthy and well for that. :)  I'm very excited about it starting again. It was nice to have the break for the holidays, but now I'm so ready to be back with my group and getting into God's Word again.

Have a blessed weekend, dear friends. Stay well and warm!

God bless you - Julie 

Gentle Reminder

It's the end of a weekend, a weekend filled with snow and cold. I'm ready for sunshine again because the cold makes me ache. I told my husband that I could now understand why seniors head for the hot areas of the country! The cold hurts! lol

I kept the news off for the most part. One can be saturated with the horrors of the world for only so long before the brain just shuts down and our heart feels like it's going to implode in our chest. I tried to focus on Christmas shows and movies with a good measure of "Burn Notice" thrown in, as it's my favorite show. I also watched my favorite Pastors on TV like Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah and Charles Price. Thank the Lord for good, Biblical teaching!

I didn't do a lot this weekend - really because of the pain. I did a bit of writing, reading, and cooking. Thankfully, however, I have things in the freezer that I can pull out and throw in the oven. Some days are just like that.

I'm realizing that it's important to focus on the blessings of life. I know that I talk about this, especially on Tuesdays, but I want to refocus on this again. These times are hard. So many of us are struggling financially, in our health, in our emotions, and it's so easy to focus on what we are lacking. When we're struggling to figure out what to cook because there is not enough in the pantry ro we can't pay bills because there is not enough money. When we can't do the things we want to do because of pain or depression, it's easy to give into despair. It it only by focusing on what we DO have rather than what we don't have; by believing in the promises of God and standing on those, that we can even raise our head off the pillow in the morning. It is through the light of Jesus that we can get up and put one foot in front of the other. It is through Jesus that we can set aside our fear of not having enough money and believe that He will provide what we need.

The only way to focus on what we know the Lord promises, is to learn those promises, through his Word. Do you find that sometimes when you are struggling that it can be easy to not be in the Word? I do. It's easy to stay in that sorrowful place of despair and just watch TV or sleep, but it really is in these times, that our Bible needs to be open and we need to be seeking out His promises for our life.

I write this as much for me as for you. I struggle with all these things and this is a gentle reminder to myself of what I need to do. I hope that it has helped you, too, if you're dealing with these struggles. It is good to lift one another's heads to the Lord and to remind each other to keep our eyes on Jesus.

God bless you - Julie

More of Him

I was hit again with illness over the past few days. I got the stomach flu and, honestly, I felt so horrible, I wondered if I would live through it. I'm still very weak but finally feeling like I'm on the other side of it. I kept myself isolated in hopes that my husband wouldn't catch it. I couldn't imagine him having to deal with that nasty virus on top of having radiation. Thankfully, I think he's not going to catch it and for that, I'm very grateful!

My husband has 13 more radiation treatments left and I know that he is going to be so glad when it's all over with. He's very tired and having some other side affects, but all in all, he's doing very well. I so admire his faith through all this and his desire to have faith and hope in God despite his illness. He inspires me.

We had snow on Saturday! I know our weather is always unpredictable this time of year, but I was hoping that we were past all the cold temperatures. Our poor fruit trees will probably be unproductive again this year, which is a bummer, but our irises are blooming despite the cold. I have a vase of the cut blossoms sitting by me right now and the smell is intoxicating. Such beautiful flowers! Our lilac bushes also made it through the snow and I think we will have gorgeous blooms in just a few days now.

Life is a series of ups and downs, but the Lord is always with us. He gives us good gifts - like lilacs and irises - and He comforts us when we need to be comforted. I've seen the comfort my husband has gotten over the past few weeks as he goes through this radiation. I know the comfort and peace that He has provided me. I'm so thankful that I know the Lord but I always want more of Him.

God bless you - Julie

Reflections

 

I think one of the hardest things for me in dealing with this pain I'm in is the fact that I'm not able to do my decorating that I like to do.  It's December 6th and I still don't have a single Christmas thing out, and that includes my tree.  In the past, it wasn't unusual for me to put up my tree for my birthday (early November) and enjoy the decorations for two  months.  It grieves my heart that I have to give up so much.  My family would be more than happy to get things out for me, but both my sons are in the midst of finals and I wouldn't dream of bothering them.  My husband would be happy to help me but he can only do so much.  In reality, this shouldn't be a big deal for me, but it is and a reminder of how much my life has changed.  It makes me sad.  

I've been having really horrible pain again and having a hard time even getting comfortable.  It really just stinks and, while I don't want to use my blog to complain, it is a fact of my life right now and something I need to express.  On the up side, I have finally been getting my knee shots and have had two so far with another one to three to go, depending on what I need.  I have a new doctor doing the shots and it's like night and day compared to my other doctor.  My pain doctor is doing my shots now and his compassion and gentleness is just such a huge contrast to my former doctor.  These shots are going much better.  

It snowed like crazy here over the weekend and there were some times during the day that you couldn't see past two or three feet out the window.  It was like a blizzard out there.  It also stayed cold enough that the snow was on the ground for several days instead of just melting off in a day.  I am happy to report that today it did melt a lot and got a lot warmer out.  I'm glad I didn't have to get out in that horrible snow storm!

We looked out the window the other day to see a huge, huge red-tailed hawk.  It was so large that I've been keeping a close eye on my little Yorkie when she goes out.  She's about the size of a small rabbit so it would be nothing for that hawk to carry her off.  It just gives me chills to even think about this and you can bet we are all keeping an eye on her!

Many blessings - Julie

I'm sitting here looking out my windows at the snow on the mountains!  Our valley, where I live, didn't get snow, but our beautiful mountains are covered in white.  How blessed I am to be warm and cozy in my home and having such a beautiful view of God's creation!

I'm going to start my cross stitch ornaments today.  I have so many things I want to get done.  I like to make special ornaments each year for my tree.  It's so fun to find these ornaments from years past as we decorate our tree.  These are also treasures that I will pass down to my children one day for their trees.  I'm also working on a Christmas scene that I started last year.  It's huge and many thread changes so it's taking me a while to get done!  I'll share some photos of my progress as I go along. 

I'm going to start something new here on the blog - "Show and Tell Friday". I wanted to let you know so you can think about participating in this with me.  I will have a linky at the end of my Friday post allowing you to share your own "Show and Tell" project.  It can be anything from something you made, something you purchased or received, the latest book you're reading to how you're decorating your home.  I do hope you'll join me this Friday for our first installment of "Show and Tell"!

I'm going to get started on my cross stich.  :)

God bless you - Julie



Random Thoughts

I've had a couple of tough days.  The pain is back in full force and I sometimes wonder if I will ever know a day without it? I'm tired of fighting the pain, tired of having the pain dictate what I can and cannot do in my life. Mostly, I'm tired.  Taking the pain pills makes me exhausted.  Without them, though, I'm in so much pain, I can't function.  I know that, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1 and this is my season of pain.  However, I also know that this season can be a season of Spiritual growth, of growing closer to God, of writing, of Bible study, and of just being in rest.  I have to keep my eyes on the Lord or I will, quite literally, go crazy.  How wonderful that "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8 and that I can depend on Him to see me through.  I get sad sometimes because I can't go to church or to my Bible study and it can feel very isolating, however, the truth is, Jesus is with me.  I am not alone because whether I am sitting in a church building or sitting in my chair at home, Jesus is there.  I can pursue Jesus here and be even more fulfilled because that really is what sustains me.  Sometimes when I'm not going through battles, it's easier to be lazy about my pursuit of Jesus but while in the battle, I want and I need the Lord of all to lead me and show me the way.  There truly is a purpose to what I'm going through.

I have been working on my cross stitch again.  I started a project last year called, "He is Not Here, He has Risen".  It's a beautiful piece and I am hoping that I'll have it done in time for Easter.  It's a beautiful reminder of the fact that our Lord lives! I stitch a bit and then rest.  It makes me really tired sometimes and I think it's the rhythm of the stitching and the pills (again, with the pills).  Yesterday, I actually fell asleep, needle in hand, and woke up wondering what in the world was going on.  LOL  I lead such an exciting life!

It's turned cold here again which makes me very sad because our fruit trees have buds on them.  In all the years we've had these fruit trees, we have never had fruit.  I'm hoping we don't get a hard freeze tonight, but listening to the wind blow outside, I have a feeling we definitely will.

I didn't cook today.  I did put a turkey breast in the oven yesterday and then made stove-top stuffing and frozen green beans.  It was a super easy meal and that's about all I was able to do.  Thank goodness, we had enough left overs that I didn't feel guilty about not cooking today. 

I hope you have a very blessed Monday!!

God bless you - Julie