Category Awards
The Sunshine Award
I am honored to receive this Sunshine Award. Thank you, Jay at 52 Sundays for the kind words in your participation here at New Things.
The Sunshine Award recognizes bloggers whose writings “light up the dark corners of our minds” The rules are simple and provided below:
(1) Thank the person who gave you the award in your blog post.
(2) Do the Q&A below.
(3) Pass on the award to 10 – 12 deserving and inspiring bloggers, inform them and link to their blogs.
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The Questions:
Favorite color? Purple
Favorite animal? Sheep…I can relate to them in so many ways
Favorite number? 8–the number of new beginnings
Favorite nonalcoholic drink? Charity’s Alabama Sweet Tea
Favorite alcoholic drink? Pina Colada
Facebook or Twitter? Facebook…have not figured out the Twitter scene yet
My Passions? Faith, Family, Friends, Facebook and Frugality
Giving or Receiving Gifts? Prefer to be on the giving end, but have found myself immensely blessed by receiving from others who also love to give.
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My Nominations:
I’ve been nominated for a major award
Well, it’s major to me…I’ve been nominated for the Liebster Award.
Thank you, Kat and SR for nominating me with such amazing complimentary words. I have come to appreciate both of these blogs, but even more so, the authors themselves, who seem to have a gift for speaking apt words in due season that nourish and encourage my spirit.
Here are the rules for participating with this major award!
1. Post the Liebster award graphic on your site.
2. Thank the blogger who nominated the blog for the Liebster Award and link back to their blog.
3. The blogger then writes 11 facts about themselves so people who discover their blog through the Liebster post will learn more about them.
4. In addition to posting 11 fun facts about themselves, nominated bloggers should also answer the 11 questions from the post of the person who nominated them.
5. The nominated blogger will in turn, nominate 9 other blogs with 200 or less followers.
6. The nominated blogger will create 11 questions for their nominated blogs to answer in their Liebster post.
Okay, so here are 11 facts about me.
1. As a child, I saw angels. When I was older, my mom told me she had a hard time believing my stories at first, but I was only three, and she wondered how I could have made it up and not changed my story. I didn’t. I’ve seen them since, and I know they’ve protected me on more than one occasion.
2. I went to school to be a legal secretary, but have never worked in that field.
3. I’ve lived in two countries and seven states/provinces.
4. I’ve been married to the same man for 25 years.
5. I eat too much, sleep too little, and exercise sporadically.
6. I am a terrible texter…auto-correct ain’t got nothin’ on me! I will press through for the sake of my husband and my kids, (who laugh at my blunders) but I don’t love anyone else as much as I love them, so the rest of you are out of luck.
7. I have four children here on earth, and a couple in heaven. I wonder about those two often, and imagine how life would have been with them here. I miscarried them both within the first trimester.
8. I have a seizure disorder. In Texas, it’s named “epilepsy”, and in Idaho, simply a “disorder”. I haven’t had a seizure since 2007, and seem to have them at the same rate, whether medicated or not. I am careful with my triggers, and listen to what my body is telling me.
9. I need coffee, but drink much less than I did ten years ago. I’m down to 2 cups a day max. I’m working on getting that down to one cup a day. My biggest obstacle is I enjoy it so much!
10. I hated history in school, and find myself interested in it now. I wish I’d have had a teacher that sparked an interest when I was young, how much I missed!
11. I am a proud Grammy. I have three granddaughters, and two grandsons both due to be born next month. My cup is overflowing!
Answers to Kat’s questions for me:
What is the best book you have ever read? The Hiding Place, by Corrie TenBoom. It’s been years, but I still remember the pictures she painted with her words about the horrors of the Holocaust and the beauty of forgiveness.
Do you have a home altar, and what is it like? No. This is something that I plan to do once we are settled somewhere. I have been collecting ideas and have a picture in my mind of how I want it to look.
Which Scripture passage touches you the most deeply? I have several…Isaiah 53, Proverbs 31, Psalm 91…too many to count, but those are three of the top.
What is your favorite quote, Biblical or otherwise? Again…I collect quotes, I have so many. One that has been ringing in my ears lately is from Job…God is questioning Job’s attempt at counseling Him…”where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” And Job’s answer two or three chapters later (I can so relate!) “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
Do you give money to panhandlers with cardboard signs standing on street corners? Sometimes.
What was the best vacation you have ever taken? A surprise vacation to Washington State when I was about 12 or 13. My parents told us we were going on a picnic, and they “missed their turn”. We visited the Yakima Indian Mission where my Dad had ministered years prior.
Are you a cat person or a dog person? Neither. I don’t mind other people’s animals, but am not eager to have that responsibility for myself. If I had to choose, I’d choose a cat…as long as he/she did their business outside and I didn’t have to maintain a litter box.
How long have you been blogging, and why did you start? I have been blogging off and on since 2005. This blog turned two last month. I started blogging the first time while caring for my terminally ill parents in 2005. I lost almost all the content from that blog when we lost our server. I did not have it backed up, but thankfully had emailed some of the best stuff there and was able to retrieve it from my sent email file.
Are there icons in your parish church? I’m sure there are, but I am not there long enough to notice them.
And, here are my answers to SR’s questions:
1. Do you have any pets? My daughter has a dog; she is 1/2 American Bulldog and 1/2 Catahula.
2. Do you live in the country or city? Neither, I live in a small (very very small) town.
3. What is your favorite hobby? Hm. Reading. No, blogging. No, wait…cooking. No…gardening…I don’t think I have a favorite, I like all of these the same.
4. What do you get out of blogging? Lots. Mostly, I use blogging as a way to process my thoughts. I am a verbal person, and can’t just think quietly…and I get myself in loads of trouble (and lose all my friends) if I process out loud, so writing is a way for me to figure out what I really think and believe, (without actually talking out loud to myself and causing people to worry about my sanity) and firm up my opinions without isolating myself completely.
5. Do you like indoors or outdoors? Yes. I especially enjoy indoors when it’s too hot or cold to play outdoors. I enjoy being outdoors when the weather is temperate.
6. Do you like your own company, and if so why? More and more all the time. I get me. I have come a long way, and I actually “like” myself most days. I can say anything to myself, and I understand exactly what I mean, and I am never offended at myself. I am learning to be my own best friend.
7. If someone took your computer away and you could never have one again, would it throw you into despair? “To despair is to turn your back on God”, but I would be seriously bummed until you told me you were only testing me!
8. Do you text message while driving? No. I can barely carry on a verbal conversation while driving. I don’t text, or talk on the phone while I drive.
9. Do you like to read? Yes, ever since learning how to.
10. What is your favorite place to go and eat? La Casa Lopez in Moscow, Idaho.
11. If you could do one thing to make the world a better place to live, what would it be? Effectively teach and train people in 1 Thessalonians 4:11.
My nominations:
1. Annie has a sweet blog where she talks about God’s love and care through her own medical issues. She writes with such a sweet spirit and love for the Lord, I had to nominate her. Check out Dyslexic Chic and tell me if you don’t agree.
2. Heidi shares the ups and downs of life, and focuses on the positive. God has blessed me on more than a few occasions with her insight and optimistic faith in Him, even when we don’t understand. Find out for yourself over at Heidi Girl.
3. Laurie has a family recipe blog. Check her out at Laurie’s Kitchen.
4. Pennies and Pancakes—another good blog for recipes, with a focus on frugality. My two favorite subjects!
5. Charity has a thoughtful, encouraging blog, where she shares her writings and words of hope for hurting people. She is working on part two to a short story, you can read it at A New Hope Through Christ.
6. Kathy at To Talk of Many Things has been blogging for ten years. I love her matter-of-fact style, and have learned so much from her about parenting, teaching, and Christ-following.
7. Pilgrim Chronicle is a blog that Kevin started to answer questions posed by family and friends about his new Catholic faith. I love his style, and have learned so much from him. He’s been my greatest encouragement in my own blogging, and helps me find words when they elude me. He’s put up with me for over 25 years, I think he deserves this major award more than I do.
8. Sylvia at Christian Homekeeper writes about simple living, Titus 2 and Proverbs 31, Keeping house, cooking, gardening, and old fashioned skills. She has a wealth of knowledge and information, and I have enjoyed her sweet spirit for more than a decade now. Bookmark her site, there is always something new to learn at Christian Homekeeper.
9. Catholic Cuisine has recipes for celebrating the feasts and seasons of the liturgical year. I love it!
Okay…now for my questions for you nominees to answer:
1. When’s the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone and obeyed God when it didn’t make (earthly, human) sense to do so?
2. What’s your favorite healthy snack? Will you share a recipe?
3. Give me a tip for keeping my electric bill down in the summer.
4. Will you share your conversion story?
5. How did you meet your significant other?
6. What’s your greatest accomplishment?
7. What’s your greatest fear?
8. What is your most significant loss?
9. You have both money and time to spare. You can do anything you want to do…what will you do with it?
10. Are you a Bible marker? Do you write in your Bible, or prefer to keep it unmarked?
11. Share your top 3 favorite Bible passages/verses/lessons.
ABC’s of me
I’ve been nominated! Wow! Thank you, Kat of To Talk of Many Things for the sweet compliments and the honor of being nominated for this award. I’m settling into somewhat of a routine here in blogland, and have come to love this outlet of the Body of Christ, where we can share with and encourage one another in our faith.
Rules for this award:
1. There is no limit to how many fellow bloggers you pass this on to. You may post the ABC sign on your blog.
2. Share some things about you, but alphabetically, just a word or two starting with each letter of the alphabet.
1. I nominate S.R. at To Have Her Heart and Camila at God’s Creation Through My Eyes. Both of these blogs have been an incredible blessing to me. I can’t count the number of times their posts have spoken directly to the heart of a matter in which God was speaking to my heart. I am blessed by both of them daily. I hope you’ll check them out and be encouraged as well.
2. Kat and I have this in common, asking me to write one or two words about anything is like tying my hands and expecting me to be able to talk. It don’t happen. I’ll try to be brief, but 1-2 words would be impossible. Here goes:
A. Accordian – I have been complimented often that I march to beat of my own.
B. Blog – My new best friend. I actually blogged through the grief of losing my parents back in ’05 and ’06, and lost everything when our server crashed. B is also for BACK UP…’nuff said.
C. Christian, convert, Catholic, Canada – Just a few of the Changes that have occurred in past few years.
D. Daughters – Kaitlyn, Briana, and Kristin. Three of my greatest treasures. I was the first of two girls in our family after four boys. I thought for sure when I had kids, I’d have a houseful of boys like my Momma did. God had other plans, and has shown me so much about myself through raising these beauties. I am so thankful!
E. Easter – Holds so much more meaning since 2010. My favorite holy day.
F. Favorite things: Faith, Family, Friends, Frugality.
G. Granddaughters! Grace, Rowyn and Ryann. I am 3x blessed!
H. Happy – If Momma ain’t, ain’t nobody! I’m learning a whole new dimension to the difference between Happiness and Joy. I choose joy.
I. Idaho – Where I left half of my heart.
J. Joshua – my firstborn and favorite son. He’s a 2Lt. in the Army Nat’l Guard, now, they call him “Sir”.
K. Kevin – The best 24 years of my life have been spent with him. So thankful for God’s hand and his wonderful matchmaking skills.
L. Lottery – You can’t win if you don’t play. I heard that LottoMax in the states is up to over $600 million. My brain cannot even fathom. I hope Kaitlyn or Josh have picked up tickets 🙂
M. Momma – the sweetest word in the English language.
N. Never say Never. It’s amazing to me how many of my “nevers” God has challenged and walked me through. “My child will never see the inside of a public school”, “I will never work outside the home while I have children”, “I could never move back there!”, and my most recent “we are never going to make it through this one!“.
O. Ontario, Oregon – My birthplace. The same doctor that delivered me in 1968 retired the year after he delivered my first-born in 1988.
P. Pessimistic – I am finding myself more and more this way lately. It is such a weird role reversal, with Kevin finding the silver lining, and me hanging out under the dark cloud of gloom. I’m ready for a change, but I have a feeling there are some deep truths under this cloud that I have to learn first, so I keep trusting God and waiting for Him.
Q. Quotes – I collect them. Share your favorites with me 🙂
R. Reuse and Recycle – Learning how to in this season of little. I’ve adopted the motto: “Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without.” I’m actually pretty good at it. Who knew?
S. Seizure disorder – diagnosed in 1991 after 3 seizures, all six years apart. Numerous tests were inconclusive as to the cause. Haven’t had one now since 2007.
T. St. Therese of Lisieux – another new friend. Funny, the communion of the saints was one of my big hurdles in coming to the Catholic faith. It’s now one of my favorite subjects, and I learn so much from the lives of those that have gone before us.
U. United States of America – How I miss you!
V. Vocabulary – I need a larger one for memes like this.
W. Walmart – We have some HILARIOUS memories there, my girls and me!
X. eXample – of my statement in “V”. Xing, Xmas, and Xylophone are the only words I know that really start with X, lol. I’ve never been a Xing guard, I don’t like to X Christ out of Christmas, and I have no knowledge of the xylophone, except that Christmas carols played by a skilled artist are beautiful! I talked more about what I don’t know than any of the above with personal knowledge, lol.
Y. Year – We’re coming up on one the one year anniversary of leaving Idaho and moving to Canada. In some ways it seems like yesterday, in others, it feels like much longer.
Z. Zany – describes my personality, as well as the state of my brain after this exercise. I love to laugh, and even more, to make people laugh. I can be serious if I have to be, but tend to look for and find the humor present in the situation at hand.
New Things 