I give Thanks... Past, Present and Future!

I wrote this blog entry first for www.sparkpeople.com and decided to share it here on my personal blog. If you would like to know more about Sparkpeople.com then click on the above link. It is a site that motivates people to good health. Here is what I shared:

During this week of American Thanksgiving to God for His provision, I want to give thanks to Him and others for my blessings.

Past:
I thank the Lord that at age 12 He accepted me as his child when I believed in Him.
I thank God for leading me to serve him abroad and for keeping me as I have lived overseas since 1975.
I thank the Lord that I live in an African country that is peaceful, beautiful and has friendly people.
I thank the Lord for the many American, Dutch, Canadian and African colleagues that I have worked with over the past 36 years.
I thank my cousin Roxanne for inviting me to SparkPeople in January 2008.

Present:
I am thankful for health. Even though I have various chronic "conditions", I am rarely sick.
I am thankful that I have had the privilege to help start a 158 bed teaching  hospital that started as a very small African dispensary. I am thankful that I still work at that same hospital.
I am thankful for electricity, water into my house, telephone, internet, satellite TV, a comfortable home and a car to use. I do not take these things for granted because I have lived many years without some of them.
I thank all my SparkFriends for their support during these 3- 3/4 years.

Future:
I am thankful that it is time for my six month Home Assignment in the States. I'm tired and do need this break. I will do lots of speaking but it will be a change from living on the equator. I leave home here Nov. 30 to arrive in Omaha, NE on Dec. 3rd.
I am thankful that a couple has offered me a two bedroom townhouse to use during the next six months.
I am thankful that I found a van that I can lease at a reasonable price for my time in the States.
I am thankful that I will  continue to receive support from SparkPeople and Sparkfriends. I will NOT give up my quest to become healthier!

This & That !

I'm going to ramble a bit today....

It's Sunday and I went to Nzoundou Chapel for church this morning. I took three American visitors along so they could see a this small African church.

I watched "Top Chef" on TV as I ate lunch. Now I'm doing a SP blog.

I have just a bit over three weeks before my trip to the States and I have a long list of things to do. This afternoon I'm going to look through my freezer and see what I will use up and what I will sell or give away. Since I'll be gone for six months, I'll completely empty out my freezer and fridge and not leave them plugged in for that time.

Last night I had a dinner party for Dinah, a nurse who studied Midwifery with me and who finished up in September. I had just not given her the Certificate yet. After eating we all watched a movie in French, a comedy. I'm glad to have finally finished with all the classes and paperwork for the three midwives who have studied with me this past year.

My class on Obstetrical Pathology will finish in about ten days or so. I have a few classes to give, one set of exams to correct and the final exam to write, give and correct.

I'm having guests for dinner again tomorrow night. My plan this time, meatloaf. Don't know what I'll fix to go with it.

I'm designing a prayer card, type of business card. I would like to order them so that I'll have them when I arrive in the States an start doing speaking in churches. I'm going to use one of my new profile photos on it. I'm now downloading a free publishing software so I can design the card and then I'll order them online.

Well, I should get up out of this recliner and get to my freezer!!

Have a good day.

Photo Shoot!

In October I had a "Photo shoot" done by Alicia Lewan. Here are some of my new profile photos.