Seven Thankful Things.....

I thought I would share just a few things that I'm so very thankful for.....

1.  Friends who pray!!!

Thanks to all of you who prayed for my back.

It's still a bit stiff and sore, but I think I'm gonna live....LOL!!!

2. And, speaking of friends.

I have an awesome blogging friend named Ms. Aritha.

She has a blog at Kostbaar 

(meaning is "Precious")

I won a give-a-way that she had and she mailed me all the goodies below.....

all the way from the Netherlands!!!

That empty packet.....

it was flavored coffee and it was AWESOME.....

all frothy and caramel and delicious!

So much so, I think I'm gonna have to purchase some more on line!!

Proficiat - meaning Congrats!!!

3.  The Shrine Circus!!!

Remember the pic I showed of us at the circus with the three older kiddos?

The lions were one of my favorite parts.

Our grands are some of our greatest blessings.

If you're a grandparent,

then you know exactly what I mean.

I just can't even begin to explain the love we have for them!!!

And, another blessing is being able to spend so much time with them.

(I think they kinda like me, too.....;-)

4.  Retirement!!!

If you've followed me very long,

you might recall my story of how I quit my full-time job back in 2006.

God kept prompting me to quit and I kept telling Him we just couldn't afford it.  Wasn't that just silly?  A total lack of faith.  When I quit, my salary was more than Pappy's.  We survived. Then, Pappy lost his job and we lived off unemployment (and our savings....and we had some great friends who helped us out along the way).  God is so awesome.....if we'll just have faith in Him.  All the time that I was "arguing" with Him about quitting, He kept bringing to mind the verse of scripture, Jeremiah 29:11.....hence, the name my blog!!!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” 

says the Lord.

“They are plans for good and not for disaster, 

to give you a future and a hope.”

5.  And, speaking of "retirement".....

This past Tuesday morning, I just became overwhelmed of how blessed I am that I don't work outside the home.  Oh, I stay plenty busy with grands and my Mom and my brother.....and I ask God often to send me somebody I can help in some way.  But, what a blessing that I don't have to get up and go to work every morning.  I thought about how difficult it would be to have to call in to my former boss that I couldn't come to work because of my back.  She just would not have understood.  She was very difficult to work for.

6.  And, speaking of my former boss.....

when I walk around our subdivision.....

(which I can do now because my knee is improving.....

and it actually doesn't hurt my back).....

I can see the office where I used to work.

As I walked one morning,

I realized how blessed I am that I don't have to drive up that long drive every morning like I did for almost 17 years.  The day I left, she said to me, 

"well, it's been nice". 

 And, that was it.  

Isn't that sad?

She was very upset that I quit.

But you know what.....

she was the one who lost out.

I'm not saying that to be prideful....

but, her world revolves around money.

And, there are so many things in this world that no amount of money can buy.

7.  The Meltdown Challenge.....

And, speaking of the improvement in my knee.....

I think part of that is because I was able to shed a few pounds.

I totally give God all the glory for that because without HIM it just wouldn't have happened.  My friend, Ms. Diane, invited me to the challenge and the goal was to lose 6% of my body weight.....

I lost 8.75%!!!

To God be all the Glory!!!

This list could go on and on.....

but, these are just a few things that are on my heart that I'm thankful for!

Ain't God good?

Oh, yes He is!!!

HOPE y'all have a Terrific Thursday!!!

Breathing in Grace,