Thankful Thursday

Iris at Sting my Heart has a weekly Thankful Thursday blog event. Click on the image to be taken to this weeks post and to participate yourself.

Here are the things I'm thankful for this week:

I am thankful for my friendships, they encourage me to be myself, but also to be who God calls me to be.

I am thankful that it's gone back to being a mild late spring, early summer kind of weather. The heat we had a few days ago was unbearable. I love the cooler weather in my state. I don't ever want to move again.

I'm thankful both our vehicles have cruise control. This may seem silly, and a bit of a reliance on a modern device, but between driving for our California trip, doing errands, and going to doctor appointments, I've been driving A LOT this month. With how sore my hips (arthritis) are all the time I've gotten to the point where I'll drive using the steering wheel alone. Set cruise control and do any slowing and accelerating with the buttons on the wheel. Since we live out in the country I don't really have the traffic to make driving like that dangerous. And I do keep my feet still near the break but the ability to not have to be moving my feet so much really helps my hip not hurt so bad on all those long drives.

I'm thankful that the summer season is starting at Kevin's work. Hopefully for a couple months now things will be a bit less hectic for him at work, until August and the start of the new school year.

I'm thankful that we have our reservation for a camping cabin for my birthday weekend. It'll be a wonderful peaceful time of friendship and nature. I know my birthday isn't for several months, but with it being in late August I know campsites tend to fill up quick.

I'm thankful that tomorrow Kevin has a half day at work and that we are planning on going to see a matinee showing of the new Narnia movie. I'm also thankful that we can get discounted movie tickets from his work. And that I'll have monday with Kevin too!

I'm thankful that Mica and I have plans to hang out in Monroe on Saturday. I treasure our girl times.

I'm thankful the grass outside is green, it may be way beyond needing to be mowed, but it's still pretty and healthy.

I'm thankful for the food in my fridge and how well we were able to load up on groceries this last shopping trip. So much of what we need was on special so we got a good portion of our shopping list this time.

I'm thankful for my latest Etsy sale and the requests I've had to make more purses for my shop.

I'm thankful for my cats, who remind me to take life slow. They're loving companionship is so sweet. I love how eager Siggy is to snuggle with me in the morning, and how interested Maddie pretends to be with the news when I sit down to the couch in the afternoon. These fuzzballs hold a special place in my heart.

I'm thankful for my husband. He provides for me and tries to keep me happy. He does so much, and then, often he comes home to help more, and I'm grateful for what all he gives since I'm still learning to work past my limitations.

I'm thankful for my doctors, none of them have told me to give up on our dreams to try to conceive. They've been honest with me, telling me all the things I have going against me, but they continue to work towards what is best for me. I may begrudge going to so many appointments all the time, but I do know I'm being taken care of. My hands and feet are already doing a bit better. I have to hope that my doctor is right and in the next half a year we can get my hips and back to be in the same kind of progress.

I'm thankful for blogging. I've moved too many times in my life to stay near many friends, and with this fun option, I'm able to keep in contact when I have time, not be sitting on the phone all the time, and giving myself the time I need to take care of appointments and things around the home. I'm also thankful for the encouraging testimonies of faith, and uplifting stories others share on their blogs, they lift me up and remind me that my life should be focused on God and He will bless me.

I'm thankful for having arthritis in my spine/hips, and for having cysts on my ovaries. Really, If I didn't have to deal with these issues, there are so many people I never would have met. People who have been a blessing to me, and people who, I hope through Christ, I've been able to bless. I may not be able to understand why I have to deal with these things day in and day out, I may get taxed beyond rational thinking, and I may feel overwhelmed by what all I have to deal with, but on my good days I can see the relationships I wouldn't have in any other way, and how those growing friendships are an encouragement. I'm also learning that my home doesn't have to be perfect, just peaceful. As long as we can function that's all that really matters. God doesn't expect me to have a showcase home, He does expect me to live for Him though.

I'm thankful for modern medicine. I may have a bruise on my belly from my latest injection, but I know this is an advantage that generations before me didn't have, and that it has helped some, and will continue to help. I'm thankful for the medications that help control my blood sugar, and the medications that we will soon start to keep my hormones in proper balance. All advantages that we wouldn't have if we lived in a different era.

I'm thankful for my church family. While we were away it effected us both to not be in the peaceful, loving, and supportive community of our church. It made the weight of the world weigh heavier on us. It was such a blessing on Sunday to not only spend the morning at church with our church family, but to then spend the evening with church family at our friends house too. It really recharged us and blessed us.

I'm thankful for weekly actives like this for blogging. Often, if I don't have a topic, I'm not sure what to write about, this gives me focus and a purpose in what I write, and with the focus being on thanks, I hope my reflections show my love and thanks for my Lord and Savior, as I share the blessings He has blessed me with this week.