Happy Friday, Friends! Another weekend is in front of us, and that means that we’re pausing today to reflect on the blessings of the past week. Today we welcome Nora Daly to this little corner of the internet as she counts the ways God has blessed her during these weeks of unexpected stillness at home.
Nora grew up in Springfield and attended the University of Oregon, where she studied Educational Foundations. During that time, she served as a leader on the middle school team at UFC, leading a small group and planning events. She graduated in December 2019 from Pacific University with her mater’s degree in teaching and was working as a substitute elementary teacher until the schools shut down. When Nora is not teaching, she enjoys game nights with friends and going out for bubble tea and sushi. She is a joy to have as part of the UFC family.
By Nora Daly
As you can see above, I am thankful for music! Although I love to sing for fun all the time, I haven’t played a musical instrument since I was in middle school. That is, until I recently found a lot more time on my hands. I have been teaching myself to play the ukulele that I got for Christmas a few years ago and have sorely neglected until now. It has been so much fun!
I have been so thankful for bike rides! The past few weeks we’ve been trying out all our old bikes to see which are the best (and most comfy). My brother, sister-in-law, and I have been using them a lot, and I forgot how much I enjoy riding a bike! I don’t think I’ve ridden a bike this much since I was kid.
I am thankful for more time spent with my fam! Putting in a garden wasn’t the funnest thing we’ve done, but it was definitely the most impressive thing we’ve done in quarantine so far. We can already see the seeds starting to sprout! We have played many games, started a couple movies, and had family dinners in which everyone is required to making something using a recipe they’ve never tried before!
I am thankful for distance socializing! I don’t know if I would say I’m a true extrovert because I’m not sure people give me energy, but they sure do give me a lot of joy. Although I terribly miss being with people in person, being able to connect with people on Zoom and Facetime has brought me much needed connection, joy, and laughter with friends and family. Zoom allows me to participate in my weekly small groups, have virtual game nights with friends, and catch up with family who live all around the country. And even though some are not in close proximity, such as my friends Cailyn in California and Anessa in Hawaii, Zoom makes it feel like they’re not so far away.
I am thankful for the opportunity to bake new things! I have made homemade soft pretzels twice during quarantine, and they were gone real quick. This week I also made cookies and brownies and delivered them to my small group friends. I kind of felt like Santa Clause. It was pretty great.
Great pictures & ideas for things to do. I’m thinking about my old bike that’s been sitting in the garage so long I no longer even notice it…
LikeLike