Thankful Thursday

 Things I am thankful for in no particular order:

* The beginning of a new year which seems like a good time for a fresh start.  I know God's mercies are new every morning and we can always start fresh any time, but the new year just seems like a perfect time to make sure all is good between me and the Lord and to remind myself how much He loves me and all that He does for me.  

Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.  Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

*   Bible reading for 2025 - My plan is to read the complete Bible in chronological order.  I think it's been about 2-3 years since I've read the whole Bible through.  I really want to do that this year and I love to read it chronologically.  So we'll see how it goes.  How are you reading the Bible this year?

*  Hubby preached a really good sermon Sunday he entitled, "A Place Called Wit's End."  Here's a pre-recorded version of that sermon. I am so thankful for the truth He teaches us each week.

*  Cousins.  I love my family and I hope us cousins in this picture and the others we have in this area will be able to get together a little more often in 2025.

I plan on being intentionally thankful and to continue with these Thankful Thursday posts for 2025.  I want to always remember to be thankful for all the Lord has done for me like the song below says,

Count Your Many Blessings

1. When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

(Refrain)

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

(Refrain)

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

(Refrain)

4. So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all;

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

(Refrain)

Refrain:

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God hath done;

Count your blessings, name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

That's all I'll list for today. So what are you thankful for? I would love to know.

Cathy

Bits of This and That

 

Good morning.  It's warmed up around here some, but unfortunately, it's very cloudy and raining this morning and it looks like we will have rain around most of the day.  But that's okay.  At least it's not ice!

I know I haven't been around here much lately, but I have been keeping up with reading a lot of your blog posts.  I have just felt like I needed to spend a little more time with the Lord and it's been good.  Sometimes I just have to get my priorities straightened around.

I've been reading some (I'm currently reading Melania's new biography), working jigsaw puzzles (I just picked up 5 more from my sister, who has a humongous stash of puzzles),watching lots of Hallmark Christmas movies with my hubby and spending lots of time at home, which I have been loving.  We've always spent a lot of time running around and eating out and just being busy and it's been nice to slow down some. We still are going into the church office 2 or 3 times a week, and I love that.  But we are both enjoying the time at home (and Lucy loves it that we are home more now too).  Here are the latest 2 puzzles I've completed.

I talked with Colton a week or so ago and he showed me his early Christmas present.  He lot a leopard gecko.  Let me just say, this is one time I'm glad he's not here and I'm not there.  Lizards are definitely not my thing.  lol

  

When I was decorating the tree, I broke one of my favorite ornaments that said Joy on it.  Unbeknownst to me, while I went on decorating, hubby went on line and bought we a new Joy ornament.  What a sweetie and he picked good!

Here's our tree this year

Hubby and I are doing an Advent Bible study called, The Marvel and Miracle of Advent with Lisa Harper and Christine Caine.  I'm really enjoying it.

Last night we picked up hubby's mom and went out to see some Christmas lights.  I didn't take a single picture, but we sure did enjoy it.  Hope you all are doing well and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

 

Good morning:

I try on most Thursdays to make a post of things I am thankful for.  I believe it’s important to be intentional about giving thanks to the Lord, because He is worthy.  So, here are a few of the things I’m thinking about and giving praise to God for.

Music - I love many different kinds of music and I’m so thankful for the joy it brings to me and that we can use music to honor and praise Him.

Laughter - I love to laugh and I love to hear others laugh. A good belly laugh can sure add a lot of joy to my day.

Bible Study - Our fall Bible Study started Tuesday.  It was so good seeing all these ladies again and having some new ones join us too.  We’re studying Luke using this study by Lisa Harper.

Skies - I love beautiful sun rises and sunsets. I love night skies and day skies. I love seeing all the beautiful skies that God gives us. I don’t know how anyone can look up at the sky and then believe there is no God. 

Family and Friends - I am so grateful for my immediate family and my extended family, my church family, my friends and my blogging friends. I feel so blessed having all these in my life.

So, what’s something you are thankful for today?  I’d love to know. Thanks for visiting here.

Cathy

Currently - August 2024 and Wednesday Hodgepodge

Good Morning:  Welcome to the August edition of Currently! Here are the prompts for August. loving, looking forward to, scheduling, buying, and gearing up for.  Click on the blue Currently above to link up with Jennifer.

Loving:  watching reruns with hubby in the evening and crocheting...still working on that pink blanket.

Looking forward to:  the first week of September as hubby is taking a vacation and we plan to do some day trips and hopefully his mom with come with us.

Scheduling:  I need to schedule Lucy a Vet appointment as it's time to get her shots that are due and then I need to schedule her a grooming appointment.

Buying:  I bought 2 skeins of yarn yesterday to make a lap blanket to donate.  I love the yarn and I'm excited to get it started (but I have to finish the pink one first...lol)

Gearing up for:  Ladies Fall Bible Study - we're going to do Lisa Harper's "Luke, Gut Level Compassion".  Has anyone done this study?  What are your thoughts.

**************************************************************************************************************

Click above for the link-up with Joyce

1. What's a task you do on a regular (or semi-regular basis) that feels like it should be an Olympic event? Sweeping the floors.  It feels never-ending!

2. What's in the trunk of your car right now? I don't have a trunk as I drive a van.  But right now, There is an umbrella, an extra cane for hubby, a storage box that has a blanket and re-useable bags for shopping.  I also have a trolley cart as hubby purchased a table for use here at church and I used the trolley to get it inside.

3. Summer foods vs. fall foods...which do you prefer? 

 Would you rather:

watermelon or caramel apple? watermelon

iced coffee or pumpkin spiced latte? Neither

potato salad or sweet potato casserole? both please

barbecued ribs or roast turkey? ribs 

ice cream sandwich or apple pie? Ice cream sandwich, especially since I found a lower sugar one that's really good. 

corn on the cob or candy corn? Corn on the cob

4. August 7th is National Lighthouse Day. Have you visited any lighthouses? I've visited several, but I don't remember ever going inside one.  Do you have a favorite? Nope, no favorites, if it's a lighthouse I like it! Is a lighthouse something you seek out if you're visiting an area known for theirs? Sure, if I know we're fairly close.

5. Light at the end of the tunnel, out like a light, give the green light, a lightbulb moment, in a new light, in the limelight...of the 'light' idioms listed which applies in some way to your life lately? Explain. Out like a light as I didn't get enough sleep last night...I'm sure there will be a nap time declared and observed today! lol

6. Insert your own random thought here. I love this photo Kelli sent me of her and Colton.

Aren't they just the cutest!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll link in to both, Currently and the Hodgepodge.

Cathy

Wednesday Hodgepodge and Thankful Thursday

 

1. The Olympics kick off this coming weekend. Will you be watching? Hopefully I'll get to watch some of it, If you could watch just one event in person, which one would you choose? Ladies' Gymnastics - I would like to see Simone Biles.

2. Have you ever been to Paris? No Is this a city you'd like to visit? Not really. What's your favorite 'French thing'? I have no idea.

3. Macaron, creme brulee, chocolate soufle, mille feuille, or an eclair...your favorite French patisserie from the ones listed? Eclair

4. July 24th is National Cousins Day...do you have many cousins? Yes, I have lots of them.  Are you close to them? Some yes...Love them all, but don't get to see a lot of them very often. Will you see any of your cousins on July 24th? No, I didn't.

5. Last time you went somewhere that felt like 'everyone and his cousin' was there? Probably a graduation party a few weeks ago. Here are a group of the cousins who were there.  These are some of the cousins from my mom's side of the family. 

 

6. Insert your own random thought here. Adding my Thankful Thursday post here.

I am thankful for:

* Visit with daughter:  We had so much fun for those few days. 

* Bible Study:  Just finished the 2nd Bible Study with my daughter. "Gospel on the Ground" by Kristi McClelland. I'm thankful for the chance to actually do the last 2 videos in person. We actually have one more discussion to go to completely finish it.

* Crocheting: I've been enjoying crocheting a lot lately. I'm working on a pink baby blanket.

* Cooler Weather:  We've had a short time of a little cooler weather and I've loved that.

* Crown:  Finally got my crown finished and it feels pretty good. I hope I'm finished for awhile with seeing the dentist.

That's all I'll list for now.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful day.

Cathy

Friday Favorites - Photos

 

I've been seeing Friday Favorites posts for quite awhile now and decided I would join in today. So, I'm linked up with Andrea and Erika. 

Here are a few of my favorite recent photos:

Lucy's new harness. Unless it would come unhooked, I don't think she can get out of this one.
But if she would get out the door, it also has her name and my phone number on it. 
Hope they are never needed.

I love these beautiful flowers on a neighbor's mail box.

Kelli gave me this Bible Study for Mother's
Day...we'll be starting it soon. It's a favorite 
to me to do Bible studies with her.

Roses at church

My favorite tree in our yard and I especially love watching birds building
nests in the bird houses.

Current favorite book I'm reading.

Cathy

Share 4 Somethings - March 2024

Welcome to my Share 4 Somethings Post where the prompts for March are:

things I loved or disliked, 

things I accomplished, 

things I improved upon or something that needs improvement, and 

things I noticed this month. 

The Link-Up is here.  Now here I go.

*Loved:  One of my favorite things I loved in March this year was doing Bible Study with my daughter on FaceTime.  We would each watch the video and then do the homework on our own. Then we would FaceTime and talk about our thoughts about all that we were learning. My daughter brings so much insight when we talk which helps me to grow more in Christ and I think I sometimes I help her also. She is a great Bible Study companion. We're planning to do another sometime soon. She gets to pick the next one.

*Accomplished:  I finished a baby blanket I've been working on for a few months. I haven't taken a picture of the finished project yet. I'll try to do that sometime soon. Anyway, I always feel accomplished when I finish a crochet project.

*Improved:  I switched the furniture around in my little office at church and I really am enjoying the way it is now. I now face the door out to the sanctuary, so I see hubby most every time he leaves his office, and I can holler a hello or something similar to him throughout the day. I love that we are together so much since I retired.

*Noticed:  With the rain we have been having, our grass has greened up so much and it looks wonderful. I'm also seeing so many spring flowers and trees blooming in the neighborhood. I do love this time of year.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Cathy

Currently and Wednesday Hodgepodge

Today is the time for the March edition of Currently where we are talking about what we're currently loving, looking forward to, planning, wearing, and eating.  I hope you make plans to join us! Jennifer is our host and you can link up here. 

Loving - Bible Study with Kelli.  We each do the lesson part and watch the video on our own and then we do a FaceTime together.  It has been so fun and so thought provoking for me and I hope for her too.

Looking Forward To - Doing the same Bible Study with our Women's Group which will start again on March 18th.  

This is the study.

Planning - No big plans in the works right now.

Wearing - Right now I'm wearing black pants and a printed top.  I'm starting to incorporate some of my summer/spring clothes as it's been pretty warm these last days.

Eating - This morning I had a Steak Tips Omelet from Bob Evans that was delicious!  Lots of veggies in it and covered with salsa and some cheese.  Yum!

Now it's time for the Wednesday Hodgepodge and you can link up here with Joyce.

1. Has March come in like a lion where you live? No If not a lion then what animal would you use to describe the weather in your area this first week of March? Kangaroo as the sun is hopping in and out and the temperatures are hopping up and down.  Does the weather affect your emotions?  Sometimes if it's rainy and gray for too many days, it can get me down a bit.  But really not that bad.   When did you last feel 'under the weather'? I haven't been really sick since last summer.  I may have a day that I don't feel at my best, but that's not really sick to me.

2. Do you know what your name means? No, I didn't know but I googled it and a website says it means Pure and Clear.  Does the meaning of your name fit with your personality? I don't know.  Do you like your name? It's fine.  If you have children did you consider the meaning of their names before choosing them? No we didn't.  Since they were adopted they already had names, but we did change them (as recommended by our agency), but tried to keep part of their original name for them.

3. It's National Sauce Month...what's your favorite sauce? Last thing you ate that used a sauce? Salsa, which was on my breakfast omelet today.

4. Something you've seen, tasted, done lately that you'd describe as 'awesome sauce'? I recently watched the first 3 seasons of The Chosen again and it's pretty great!

5. What kinds of things do you love to collect? I'm really not much of a collector any more as I'm trying to downsize our "stuff".  I used to try to collect books by authors that I love.  I still do that some, but they are Kindle books and not regular books.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

I love this truth!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day!

Cathy

Thankful Thursday

Things I'm thankful for:

* Some beautiful sunshiny days up in the mid 60's and I can't wait to have some more - I see some blue skies this morning, but it's only going to be in the 40's today, but that's okay too since it's not raining

* Some quiet evenings at home with hubby - and today we're heading out for lunch and some errands and then back home for the rest.  I think we're going to Cheddars for lunch...yummy

* Crocheting another baby blanket...I have 2 in progress...I'm trying to use up some of my stash of yarn. I'm so glad I learned to do this many years ago and it's fun doing this with my sister and friends.  My sister and I were both crocheting at the hospital during her husband's surgery.  It sure helps to pass the time. By the way, I'm thankful her husband is doing better.  The first couple days were a little rough, but he should be coming home today.

* Enjoying a cup of hot chocolate while doing some Bible study yesterday and I enjoyed both.

My favorite cup

* Trying a new to me type study called verse mapping...my daughter got me a journal type book for it and I did my first mapping yesterday...I'm just trying to figure it out but I'm not sure it's something I will like, but you never know until you try it.  Have any of you done verse mapping? If so, what're your thoughts and suggestions?

* I'm thankful for Jennifer who hosts Thankful Thursday each week.  You can link up with her here, if you'd like.

There are so many things I am thankful for, but when I sit down to write a post, I seem to have trouble remembering them.  Maybe I should start writing at least one down each evening before bed.

Thanks for visiting.  

Cathy
 

 

Thankful Thursday

Link up is here.

Sorry, I've mostly been MIA this week.  I just haven't had much to say.  I've had a good week, but just have kind of lost my blogging mojo.  But I still want to take time to be thankful.

*  I am so thankful for my sister.  We spent a few hours together on Monday.  We went to Hobby Lobby and Whole Foods Market and then to Kroger and had lunch at Taco Bell.  It was just a few hours, but I had so much fun.  

*  I'm so thankful for both of my daughters.  I've talked to both of them several times this week and I so love that.  

*  Kelli (the oldest) and I are doing a long distance Bible Study together called, "Jesus & Women in the First Century and Now."  So far it has been very good.  I feel like I'm learning and stretching and growing closer to God and also to Kelli.  She brings in so many insights that I would never think of and I hope I'm doing the same for her.  Oh and this will be the same study I will be doing with our Women's Bible Study starting in mid-March.

*  I would also like to show you a photograph of my daughter's latest painting.  I showed it last week, but I had stolen it off of Instagram.  Kelli sent this one to me, so I think it will be a bit better quality.  I am so amazed at her talent and how she's getting better and better all the time.  Here is a link to Kelli's art page on Instagram  @klsg.art is the name.

Gilded Transcendence 

I also love this doodle she sent me back in 2009.

There are so many things I'm thankful for:  warmer weather, some days of blue skies (though not today), good books I'm reading, evenings at home with hubby and so much more.  God has been so good to me.

Well, I'm going to stop here.  Tell me, what you are thankful for today.  Thanks for visiting.

Cathy

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. Did you watch any coverage of the 9/11 services on Monday? How do you feel on this day some 22 years after the events occurred? Share more if you want to share more. No, I didn't watch.  I hope we will never be attacked like that again.

2. September 13th is National Peanut Day...do you like peanuts? Your favorite dish that contains peanuts? Yes, I like Peanuts.  I'm not sure I eat them in a particular dish.  I just like to eat them plain and also in candy bars such as Snickers.

3. Something you're currently 'nuts' about? My youngest daughter.  She turns 29 today.  

Happy Birthday!

4. Your favorite Peanuts character? There are several quizzes online if you're curious...I took two and got the same character for both so I'm sure it's accurate lol. (Click here for the link) 

Linus is probably my favorite.  I took the quiz and it said I was Charlie Brown.  Sounded fairly accurate.  

5. Tell us about a job you worked 'for peanuts'? The job I ended up retiring from.  When I started minimum wage was $2.50 and I probably didn't make much more than that.  That didn't really bother me too much because I was only 19 and still lived at home.  But eventually times changed and I ended up doing okay.

6. Insert your own random thought here. We started a new Bible Study last night called "When You Pray."  One of the quotes from Jennifer Rothschild really stuck with me.  She said, "Prayer is not a performance, it is a conversation with God."  I think it's so important that we know this.  He's not ticking off a box for all the things we say being just perfect, He is more interested in us being in tune with Him and being authentic and just talking with Him about our worries and cares and praising Him for all He is.

Happy Blogoversary to me!  On this day in 2008, I wrote and posted my first blog post.  Who would've dreamed I'd still be here 15 years later!  I'm so glad I answered the challenge put out by my co-worker.  So how long have you been here in this blogging universe?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a wonderful day!

Cathy

Currently

Today it's time for the August Currently Post.   You can link up with Jennifer here, as she is the hostess.  In August, we are talking about what we're currently loving, looking forward to, starting, thinking, and wearing. 

Currently I am:

Loving: Being home from Texas.  I loved the trip and being with both my girls and their husbands and grandson and all the wonderful new memories we made together.  But I'm really glad to be back home.  

My sleeping grandson.  He plays hard and sleeps hard.

Kelli, Kerri and Rafael

These 2 took great care of me.

Mommy trying to get Colton to dance with her.

Beautiful venue for sure!

Looking forward to:   Our annual trip to Myrtle Beach in November.

Here we are last November
 in Myrtle Beach

  

Starting:  First, I'm trying to finish the baby blanket I'm making.  I have about 10 rows left and then an edging around the whole thing.  Then I'll be starting a new one for my friend's great-grandson due in September.  

Thinking: Trying to figure out which Bible Study our ladies' group is going to do this fall.  One called "When You Pray" by Kelly Minter, Jackie Hill Perry, Jen Wilkin, Jennifer Rothschild, Jada Edwards and Kristi McClelland or Lisa Harper's "Luke Gut Level Compassion."  Have you done one of these and if so, what did you think about it.

Wearing: I seldom take photos of what I'm wearing, but here is one of the outfits I wore in Texas.

Kerri, me and Kelli,  Two of my favorite people.

That's it for today.  Thanks for visiting and I hope you have a great day.

Cathy