Friday's Fave Five #820

. 

Welcome to Friday's Fave Five. We're intentionally looking for our blessings in our every day lives, whether big or small. Whether it's been a good week or a difficult week. Looking for those moments God has sent us good things to lift us up. Won't you join us?

~ crockpot meals ~ Sunday was the first Sunday back to church for me since my Mom went into hospital at the beginning of December.  It was a hectic morning trying to get back into Sunday routine.  Days like this I'm so thankful for my hard working crockpot who cooked us up a fine meal of bbq pork chops while we were away at church.  In the winter months my crockpot gets a good workout as it's used quite frequently because it's such an easy way to have a great meal ready at the end of a long day.  Basically just toss, season and go.

~ tea ~ I always know when I'm coming down with something is when this coffee loving gal turns her nose up at coffee and seeks out the tea cupboard, even in the morning.  Such was the case this week as the weekend's "feeling off" turned into a winter cold.  There is something so soothing and healing about a hot cup of tea when one isn't feeling well.  I've got a good stash of them, both herbal and black teas, so I just went with whatever my body was craving at the moment.

~ organization ~ I have had a to-do list of getting certain areas of the house organized and cleaned up, but it has been on the back burner for so long.  Finally this week I took the plunge and got started.  Though it was tough going at first the longer I spent at it the more motivated I became.  It felt so good to finally be dealing with all the chaos.  By the weekend hopefully I'll have made a good dent in the dayhome storage room which has blown up with all sorts of stuff that has nothing to do with dayhome.  

~ cozy lounging outfit ~ my friend gifted me a cozy outfit to lounge around in for my birthday.  I don't usually have separate clothes to lounge around in but this comfy outfit now has me questioning why not?!  It's so soft and warm and comfortable.  Perfect pairing with a good book.

~ sunshine and fresh air ~ December was a month where I was not able to get out much so it was a pleasure to be able to get out into the sunshine on a beautiful day yesterday.  What a blessing the crisp air was with the warmth of the sun.  So thankful for those moments.

What were your favorite blessings this week?

Friday's Fave Five #819

Happy New Year!  Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  It's a fresh new year, one of many great possibilities and blessings to be thankful for.  I feel like I have been away forever and I am still getting confused as to what day it is.  December of 2024 was one of the hardest months of my life ever but still there is much to be grateful to God for.  One day I may be able to put it into a post but for today I will stick to the theme and share 5 blessings from my last week.

~ quiet New Year's ~ I am no longer a big New Year's Eve partier, preferring to just spend it with family or really just at home.  Driving home after midnight in the cold while tired no longer appeals to me as fun.  LOL.  I spent it a home this year drinking hot chocolate in my new birthday jammies reading my book and watching movies.  It was blessedly peaceful and quiet.  

~ birthday blessings ~ my birthday was last week and I was so spoiled.  A lovely dinner out treated by my son at one of my favorite restaurants topped it off.   I decided to go bold and change up what I usually get and try something different and I wasn't disappointed.  Phone calls from my girls and some very thoughtful gifts from them and my hubby left me feeling very spoiled and was a truly blessed way to wrap up the hard month.

~ meal train ~ a lady from my bible study group organized a "meal train" for me after Mom passed away.  At first I was going to say no but decided it might help with everything that needed to be done.  It was extra busy as not only did we have to deal with service preparations but Christmas and getting all Mom's things moved out of the supportive living facility because it was the end of the month.  What a blessing it turned out to be!  There was so many things to think about and do it was nice not having to also have to think what on earth to make to eat for supper after a busy day dealing with every thing must do when a family member passes away.  

~ dayhome "reunion" ~ while shopping with my daughter she texted me from another part of the store telling me a certain mother and son were in the beauty section talking to her.  I knew who they were right away and went right over to say hi.  They were a little boy and mom who used to come to my dayhome.  Except he was no longer the little kindergartener who used to arrive and sleep on my couch so early in the morning.  He was a full grown young man.  And what a personable young man he turned out to be.  It was so fun getting caught up with them and where life had taken him.  What a blessing to see the fine young man he has turned out to be.

~ house back to normal ~ I love Christmas and all the fun and festive decor that comes with it but I'm always glad on January 1st to get my house back to normal.  It almost gives "breathing" room to get all the decor packed away.

What were your favorite blessings from the week?

Friday's Fave Five #818

Welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  Once again I will be putting up Mr. Linky for you all.  Mom's Celebration of Life and interment is today.  My heart is just too full of all that we must face today.  Please go ahead and join in.  Thank you so much for sticking with me through this difficult month and we'll be back to regular scheduled programming in the New Year.  And in the words of my Mom:  "I wish you all a Healthy and Happy New Year.  God Bless You!"

Friday's Fave Five #817

Hi everyone.  My sweet Mom has passed into the arms of Jesus.  And while I am heart broken that on this earth I will not get to hug her again and will miss her greatly, I rejoice knowing that because of Jesus I will see her again.  It was not a forever goodbye.  So once again I am putting Mr. Linky here for you all and will not be joining due to time constraints of not only Christmas but now planning a funeral in the middle of it all.  I have lots to be grateful for even in the midst of the pain but not the time to do up posts.  But please go ahead and leave your FFF link in the Mr. Linky.  I wish you and your families all a very Merry Christmas.  Love on them an extra bit and hug them tight.

I'll leave you with my favorite Christmas song this year, the one has been on repeat for me as we've gone through the last couple of weeks.  It's from a powerful and beautiful Christmas concert you can watch the whole of here:  The Birth of a King: Live in Concert.  But meanwhile here is Noel.  

Friday's Fave Five #816

Hi everyone!  Welcome again to Friday's Fave Five.  Once again I will be leaving Mr. Linky for you and I will not be able to join in.  Thank you for your continued prayers for my family as we face saying goodbye on this side of heaven to my precious Mom.

Friday's Fave Five #815

Hello and welcome to Friday's Fave Five.  I am putting Mr. Linky up for you all.  My Mom is in hospital and all my spare time has been spent with her.  I don't know if I will be able to join in this week but I will try.  Please enjoy each other's posts of thankfulness!

A Cup Overflowing

What a wonderful weekend it was.  I took the day off on Friday so that we could head up to the big city, not to shop Black Friday deals, but to work a shift at the Operation Christmas Child processing facility.  It was a cold and foggy morning when we got up, had been for a couple of days.  So as we drove this is the stunning scenery we were soaking in:

And it was no less incredibly beautiful within the city.

We all would comment over and over how we couldn't believe how thick the hoar frost was. 

Saturday we headed to the Processing Center. So much fun getting all those precious boxes inspected and taped and packed for shipping to all the wonderful children around the world.  They announced that the day before they had processed 28,825 boxes.  We were ready to add more!  The process boxes 6 days a week, about 11 hours a day for about a month!  That is an amazing amount of Canadian packed shoeboxes!  And that is not even the ones done online!  

It is such a blessing being able to be involved in so many steps of those shoeboxes reaching their final destinations and being placed into the hands of excited children!   We sadly gave up our table after our 4 hour shift was done. 

Waiting for me at the doors was my friend who I have not seen or given a hug to in 10 years.  We had made a point of setting this time aside while I was there to have a coffee together.  She had moved to another province and eventually made her way back.  What a thrill it was being together again.  As good friends do, we picked up as if we had never been apart. Then it was on to a nice birthday meal (#3) for Hubby at his favorite restaurant to go to in Calgary, The Spaghetti Factory!  A great meal was had by all as we headed home to just relax and and be together.  

 

My cup was filled to overflowing this weekend!   How was your weekend, a holiday one for my U.S. friends?  Did you brave the malls for a deal?