Monday Blessings

I had my first cataract procedure on Thursday and it went well. I'm in that weird in-between place as I await my second surgery on the 22nd. So while I can see distances out of the new eye, I can't out of the old one. I can't see up close with the new eye but can with the old one. I'm handling it well enough, but the thing that is the biggest struggle is using the laptop since the distance is not right for either eye. This week is going to be kind of a challenge as I have multiple Zoom meetings all week!

But overall, I am pleased and trying to be patient as I wait.

Mondays are my day to look back over the past week and remember to be thankful. And I do have so many things to be thankful for in my life.

💓First of all, I'm thankful that the weather was decent enough this past week to melt the snow and ice on the streets so I could get out and walk. The week before I fell twice and because I don't want to end up with yet another torn meniscus or broken leg as I had in the past, I haven't been walking. It felt good to get out and move.

💓 I'm thankful for an increase in Etsy orders. I go back and forth with my Etsy shop, but I have so much inventory that does me no good sitting in bins in my house. So I reopened it in the new year and sales have been good.

 

💓 Despite only being able to see out of one eye I'm thankful for a productive weekend. I was able to do many of the things I enjoy such as making sourdough bread.

💓 Each Tuesday a group of local pastors meet together for encouragement and prayer. I'm thankful for these men and women co-laborers who lift each other up. Sometimes we have as many as 30 there, but this week was a smaller group.

💓 Being a woman in pastoral leadership is difficult so I'm also thankful for the women from this group who meet monthly for breakfast. It's been nice to have women who understand and support each other in prayer.

💓 I'm thankful that my son, Nathan, has taken the inititiative to start this coffee time at our church once a month. One of the activities in his life plan was to get out and make new connections and I'm thankful that he has taken that step. His first one was last month and there were 4 individuals who came. 

💓 Because we only have one car and I cannot drive at the moment, I'm thankful that Dan is off from teaching at the college for a few weeks. He's been my chauffeur to multiple doctor's appointments. 

💓 I'm thankful for the wonderful worship service we had yesterday. There was a joyful spirit in the place.

💓 Sunday afternoons in the winter are very relaxing and I'm thankful for that oasis before the busyness of a new week. And this may seem strange, I'm thankful for the fun of watching my favorite team play football and win! #gobills

💓 My daughter does mental health counseling through telehealth and the internet kept cutting out in her new place  since it's out in the middle of the country. That understandably was causing a great deal of stress because she is dealing with people in crisis and it cut out in the middle of a couple of her sessions. I'm thankful that her inlaws were able to give her some private space to use at their house which solved the issue. 

💓 I'm thankful for the Lord's provision with an unexpected increase of a monthly stipend I receive.

and finally...

💓 I'm thankful we are midway through January which means we are one step closer to spring! 😅