Why I am Blessed @ primodonna.blog-city.com

Why I Am Blessed - Reason #8

Donna — Fri, 23 May 2008 12:45:00 GMT

When we moved up here, we started looking for a church home. Actually, we visited a few churches even before we made our move. We visited Presbyterian and Methodist churches close to us. You know, sometimes it is hard visiting a new church every Sunday, but we kept looking.

In early September, we attended the Sunday morning worship at a Methodist church in the next town. Everyone was so friendly, and we liked the minister. So when the next Sunday rolled around, we decided to go again. Then we went the next Sunday and the next and so on. Once I said to Bill that maybe we should try another church. But we decided we didn't want to miss the church service at First United.

A month or so later, I said to Bill that if we were going to keep attending that church, we should take the next step and go to Sunday school. So we did. A guy named James that we had met during the morning worship was out front. We asked him about the Sunday school classes, and he directed us to the one that he attended. Wow! They were so happy that we had come to their class. Everyone (about 14 people) introduced themselves, and someone handed us a Sunday school book. What a joy to be welcomed like that and to draw strength from the lesson. Now we didn't want to miss Sunday school class!

Our search was over. On April 20, we joined the First United Methodist Church. When you join a Methodist church, people can stand up front with you. We asked our Sunday school class to stand with us because they have played an important part in our decision. When we went down front, everyone joined us. They weren't the only ones to join us. Several people from my Bible study class and a couple others that we had met stood with us. I think there were over 20 people. The minister made a comment about half the congregation coming down to the front!

The church has been there a long time. In some families, three generations attend the church. You would think that the members would be cliquish or snobbish, but that is not the case. There are several ladies that I really, really like. One has sort of taken me under her wing.

I go to the weekly Bible study and to one of the women's circles. Bill attends the men's group. The other day, he helped mow the city cemetery, a project of the men's group. We've attended two Sunday school potlucks and played dominoes. We had a good time.

#8: We have found a church family.

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The LORD will give strength to His people;
The LORD will bless His people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

Why I Am Blessed - Reason #7

Donna — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:23:00 GMT

Now that the holiday season is over, I’ve had a chance to think about the last five weeks or so. My husband and I spent a lot of time with family. We were able to do that because we are now living near our son and daughter and families. I say “families” because our son recently became engaged to be married! I really like his fiancé (I’ll call her MK). And I need a daughter-in-law to love.

It all started with Thanksgiving dinner at our daughter’s anti-in-laws' place, then continued with going shopping, having a party with my ceramic class (taught by the anti-mother-in-law), celebrating our son’s birthday at Olive Garden, celebrating our oldest granddaughter’s birthday with ice cream and cake, going to see lots of Christmas lights along Joe Pool Lake, having breakfast with our daughter before going shopping, going to our regular nail place with daughter and granddaughters, having lunch with son and MK, going to see “Alvin and the Chipmunks” with family, twin sister and family spending the night, having Christmas Eve dinner at our house including MK’s dad, celebrating Christmas day at our daughter’s house, and eating black eyed peas on New Year’s Day at the anti-in-laws’. Also included in all that is our open invitation for lunch at the anti-in-laws’ house every Sunday to eat delicious meals made by a fabulous cook.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that one of my nephews and his family have moved to the area. They live about an hour from us. In fact, they are coming to dinner this Saturday along with our daughter and family and our son and MK!

#7 - I am blessed because I live near family.

P.S. If you want to see the other six reasons why I feel blessed, click on "Why I Am Blessed" under my catagory list located on the right side of this page.

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Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Why I Am Blessed - Reason #6

Donna — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 06:00:00 GMT

Its been awhile since I've written a post on why I consider myself blessed. Since I retired last April, it seems as though I spend more time driving because I'm going here and there and doing this and that. That gives me time to think and pray. The other day while I was driving to an activity that I was looking forward to, I was thinking about one of my friends who is seven months younger than me. She would like to retire like me, but feels like she can't because when she retires she has to pay for all of her health insurance premium each month. While she is working, the company pays the bulk of the cost, but that will change once she retires. The cost of my health insurance premiums did not change when I retired. That is one of the many things that made it possible for me to retire when I did. With my retirement, I've been able to do things that I couldn't do while I was working and to spend more time doing the things that I've always enjoyed. There are other benefits to being retired, but if I listed them, this would be a really long post and you would be very bored.

#6 - The ability to retire when I did and enjoy all the things that go with retirement.

Note: Here are the links to the first five reasons why I feel blessed. No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5.

Why I Am Blessed - Reason #5

Donna — Tue, 02 May 2006 06:00:00 GMT

Because my husband had his knee replaced a week ago, I’ve been thinking about medical technology. An artificial knee of plastic and metal is a marvelous thing! If not for it, my husband would have to live the rest of his life with pain and discomfort and would be unable to do some things. He is having physical therapy right now to strengthen his leg muscles and tendons. When the bone has grown around the artificial knee and the muscles are stronger, he should not have any pain and ready to get his right knee replaced.

#5 - There is medical technology to help my husband.

Why I am Blessed - Reason #4

Donna — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 06:00:00 GMT

This morning as I was putting on my socks, I suddenly had the following thought--I'd glad I have socks to put on my feet. Then I thought about the people affected by the hurricanes this year and the grass fires that we are having here in Texas that has destroyed homes and killed five people. I started thinking about others things I'm blessed to have. The following list is not complete; I could go on and on.

- Shoes to wear and not just one pair.

- A warm blanket to put over me at night.

- A coat to wear in the winter.

- A house with heat and air-conditioning, hot water, and a bathroom.

- A washing machine and dryer and other applicances that make my life easier.

- A chair-and-a-half to sit in while I watch TV.

- Lights so I can read at night.

#4 - I have physical comforts.

Why I Am Blessed - Reason #3

Donna — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 06:00:00 GMT

Because of my husband's birthday celebration today, I've been thinking a lot about my family--my parents, my sisters and their families, my husband's sisters and their families, cousins, aunts, and uncles. I am blessed to have a wonderful family who I enjoy being around and spending time with. I am so blessed; words cannot express how I feel.

#3 - I have a family to love.

Why I am Blessed - Reason #2

Donna — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 14:25:00 GMT

My co-workers were talking about health problems they had had in the past, health problems that their parents have, and health in general. It made me realize that I hadn't had any major health problems in the past and don't have any now. I don't take any medications, except for sleeping pills. I don't have any major aches and pains. My left shoulder hurts once in a while and my knees don't want to work sometimes (but I have no pain). I have minor headaches once in a great while and film on my eyes because I am allergic to Texas! So here is the second reason that I feel blessed.

#2 - I am healthy and feel good.

Why I am Blessed - Reason #1

Donna — Tue, 26 Jul 2005 11:46:00 GMT

I've started a new category that was inspired by an e-mail that I received from my daughter this morning. Her e-mail bought tears to my eyes. I thought to myself, "How nice of her to say that! I am so lucky to have her in my life." I use the word lucky because of the lack of knowing a better word. The word will not always be the exact word to be used, but I think you'll understand what I am saying. The entries probably won't be very long--short but sweet. So here is the first reason that I consider myself a lucky woman.

#1 - I have a daughter who tells me that she loves me!

Update: I changed the category name because of feedback from family. I'm glad that they thought of a better word. I think that the word blessed will fit any and every reason.