Making a Comeback!

Well, it's been a long time since I was in the blog world. Over three years, in fact! But I am beginning my comeback! I hope this will be the start of making my way back to many things in life - good health, good exercise, good outlook, good self-esteem, good connect to God and the other relationships in my life. I will do my best to post and hopefully inspire myself and others to do great and impossible things! More later - for now, over and out!

Grandma Ev

Though Grandma is gone from this world, I know where she is and where I will see her again. Until then, I must keep my memories, but not to myself. I've got to keep on sharing her as I have always done, so that others will feel as though they've met her and are changed by her. So, one of the first ways I'm doing this today, from the comfort of my couch as I recover from the flu and look out the window at the blue sky, fresh fallen snow and healing light of the sun, is by jotting down only a small sampling of descriptors of a great influence in my life: GRANDMA EV!

Generous - Grandma gave all she had: in her wallet, in her soul, through her prayers (as well as through food and transportation). If someone needed something, Grandma would provide.
Real - She was who she was - no frills and no disguises. What you saw was what ya got, and that was very good.
Amazing - Grandma's heart and determination (or was it subborness?) never ceased to amaze me. Grandma didn't let anything stop her. Things could get her down, but her faith always was with her and held her up in those times, too.
New Creation - Grandma is the one who really instilled faith within me. She is the one who would spend hours talking about her Lord with me - how He saved her, how He saved me, and how life is new every day when Jesus is dwelling within each of us. How right she was and is!
Dependable - If there has been one Prayer Warrior I've needed on my side, that person has been Grandma Ev. She's prayed for me since before I entered this world and I know she's praying for me still, even though she's left it.
Mighty - If anyone has been a strong rock, that person is Grandma. God gave her a mighty spirit that she shared fearlessly. She knew her duty as a Christian in this world.
Admirable - I want to be like Grandma Ev.


Encourager - I think I've had this gift passed down to me from her. I love to support and lift others up. Grandma has done this for me, and I know how it has made me feel to experience her encouragement. It's a life goal for me to encourage others in Christ until the day I die.
Valuable - Not only has Grandma Ev been of great value to me, our family, her friends, and those who have heard about her, Grandma Ev is of even greater value to the Lord. He's showering her with countless and endless blessings in her heavenly dwelling place now and forever more!
Blessed be the life and memory of Evelyn G Ulrich!! AMEN!

Slacking Again...

Well, I'm digging myself into a big hole here. Much catching up to do once again. I'm probably going to end up doubling up on blessings, but I guess if I do, I'm extra blessed by those things I double up on! Here goes: (70 more...sigh...) - Hey I got to 80!!! :) So, I'm good through 11/22 (that's a note to self - tee hee!)

• Grape Kool-Aid
• Popcorn the way Mom used to make it when we were little
• The Wizard of Oz (these three things go together in my childhood memories!)
• Sandbox Towns
• Push-Up Pops
• Scarves
• Mittens!
• 10 Minute Solutions Work-out DVDs
• Mini Golf
• Body Scrub
• Road Trips
• Water
• A good book
• The Good Book (I don't think I've listed the Bible yet - shame!)
• Fruity-flavored teas
• Mountains
• The Ocean (any of 'em!)
• Dreams
• God's Groovy Girls (my 4th Grade Small Group I lead)
• Laptops
• The North Shore/Lake Superior
• Camping
• Northern Lights
• Daisies
• Running Pants
• Fun fonts (wish I could have some fun ones on here!)
• Louie and Louella Loon
• Ladybugs (real lady bugs and not those darn asian beetles!)
• Arvo Part and his amazing compositions
• Very Merry Cranberry
• Colorforms (what ever happened to them?)
• Paper Dolls (Magnetic Mary ROCKED!)
• Walks with the clothesline pole (Grandma Ev was always the caboose!)
• Crafts (cheap and cute ones!)
• Stamping
• My viola (have I said that one yet??)
• Charlie Brown Specials
• Dolly Madison Zingers
• Goodsearch
• Extreme Makeover Home Edition - what a great cry every week!
• Lost things being found and returned to their owners
• Every day miracles
• Plethora
• Veritable cornucopias
• Faith
• Hope
• Love
• Kindness
• Gentless
• Self-Control
• Goodness
• Redbox
• QWERTY on my cell
• Debb Evans Hackett - my wonderful English friend
• Shopping
• Socks
• Coziness
• Spreading good cheer and blessings
• Cursillo
• Solo Retreats
• Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
• Shishkabobs
• Time well-spent
• "You've Got Mail" - always makes me smile
• Accomplishment
• Happiness
• Joy
• Kiwi Strawberry Jell-o
• Hiking
• Biking
• Nature (that's rather broad... eek!)
• Friendships old and new
• Pleasant surprises
• Feeling strong
• Strength
• Grace
• Peace
• Endurance
• Persistence

Forgetfulness...

Well, I'm noticing that I left some blessings out. If I'm really going to do this, I'm really going to do this! Here are a couple of days I inadvertently left out from my bloggy-blog:

• Libby, the Jeep Liberty :)
• Fleece blankets
• Sharing candy with kids
• Encouraging words (receiving & giving them)
• Willing souls ready to give (& with enthusiasm, no less!)
• Freedom that is felt from decluttering & throwing out (wish I could bring myself to do it more!)
• Recharging through reflection
• Laughter
• Eternal Life
• Newness in Christ
• Wii-Fit
• Days off
• First snows
• Bartlett pears
• Friends & Family Holiday Sales (this was a particular Caribou Sale - go REINDEER BLEND!
• Unconditional love
• Cleansing
• Majohng Tiles (darn it, listed more than once!)
• Luis Enrique Cedeno - a beloved Compassion International Child
• Glitter - even though it's messy & you find it's remains FOREVER!!

Slacker, I am!

Well, since I've slacked for almost an entire week, I'd better catch up on the blessings homefront! Yesterday, I sat at a coffee shop (it WASN'T Caribou, so I'm not even going to say where I was - I feel like a traitor, but there wasn't one around!) and jotted down 70 BLESSINGS. See what happens when one falls behind? Anyhow, it was a good day to think about good things. There's been a lot of crummy stuff happen this latter part of the week & I really needed the blessing reflections to bring me up. So... here's what I came up with that I've been feeling blessed by:

• Hot water - especially when I'm otherwise cold!
• Sunshine - I may have already listed it, but it's worth appearing more than once!
• Free coffee samples - when you least expect 'em!
• Gift cards - the best when you find out there's more left on them than you expected - WOO!
• Dollar stores
• Khan's Mongolian Grill
• ABBA
• Christmas Songs - starting to listen to them on November 15th, the annual date for me to begin feeling festive through song :)
• Facebook - a great way to keep in touch and find people I'd lost track of
• Operation Christmas Child & the chance to make Christmas even more special!
• Earth tones - so calming & cozy they are!
• Knowing you've made someone's day & you didn't even try to!
• Verizon & the "in network" - love talkin' for free!
• My Wii Fit Trainer - she's so encouraging!
• Honeycrisp Apples - hope they're around a tad bit longer!
• Smiles
• Waves crashing on the shore
• Fond memories
• Nellie Skordahl - I'm so sad she's gone from this world
• Louisa - a true saint, who I miss greatly
• Leslie - I don't want to lose her, too...
• Warming up
• Double stick tape
• Mr Rogers - his neighborhood, too :)
• Fireflies
• Dad & his never ending knowledge of & connection to people
• Lost things being found & returned!
• Fall colors - long gone right now, but I still am blessed by them!
• Cat naps
• Tigger (speaking of cats!) :)
• Jack-o-lanterns
• Compassion
• Orbit Gum
• Charlie Brown tv specials
• Uncle Joel - he's taught me so much!
• Christmas Cactus from Katy Thurston
• Finding blessings when it's a no-good day
• Freedom
• Slowing down
• Alone time
• Together time
• Falling asleep to the sound of crickets
• Sunny Disposition (stick) from Origins
• Good reviews from supervisors
• Giving
• Play-doh
• Feeding bread/Grandma's Cinnamon Toast to the sunfish
• Coloring
• Massages at a spa... :) ahhhhhh...
• Journals
• Prayer
• A comfy chair
• Health
• Sharing good things
• Saving the best for last
• Facebook flair
• Finding a bargain
• High School Musicals - the "real" kind - even "Footloose"! :)
• Snowflakes
• The first snow
• Shoveling - crazy that I list this as a blessing...
• Majohng - hope I didn't like THAT one more than once!
• Thanksgiving Dinner - yum!
• Flashlight Tag
• My ancestors - go, Native Americans! I love knowing where I come from!
• Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
• Hugs - nice big ones!
• Peanut Butter Banana Sandwiches
• Weight loss - being a CHAMPION & WARRIOR
• GOD'S GUIDANCE FOR MY PATH!!!!!

More Where That Came From...

Here are even more blessings :)

• My SWEET NIECE, EVIE JO!
• Caribou Coffee (Reindeer Blend is on the shelves, people!)
• My JUMP Small Group
• Crunchy fall leaves
• Corduroy pants
• Brown - it's so cozy :)
• Sharpies (but I hate it when they bleed through the paper, ugh!)
• Jon & Kate Plus 8 (the sextuplets are THE CUTEST!)
• My dear, forever friend, Sarah
• Rejuvenating & peaceful sleep - ahhhhhh...
• Libby, the Jeep Liberty
• Fleece blankets
• Sharing candy with kids
• Encouraging words (receiving and giving them)
• Willing souls ready to give (and with much enthusiasm, no less!)
• Freedom that is felt from decluttering and throwing out (wish I could bring myself to do it more!)
• Recharging through reflection
• Laughter
• Eternal Life
• Newness in Christ

Election Day '08 - Blessings #4

Well, happy Election Day! Here are my blessings for day #4 of November '08!

• The right to vote (WISELY, too!)
• Honking Canadian Geese flying overhead (they REALLY are blessings when they flyover without pooping on those of us walking below!)
• Running a 5K every day!
• Cranberry Apple Crystal Light (the Great Value brand from Walmart!)
• Freakishly warm November days/nights (especially when a person can go to sleep with the window open & the nighttime low doesn't get below 50 degrees!)
• Toddlers going to vote with their parents - cutest EVER!
• Gas prices BELOW $2 a gallon! WOW (I'm recalling gas between .99 & $1.29 only a few years back... sigh)
• My friend Wendy, whose words bring a smile to my heart & affirm me in the Lord's work that I do
• Peanut Butter Kisses
• Fun pajama pants (especially if they're pink!)