All posts by Karen Teig

About Karen Teig

I am a 58 year old Native Minnesotan. I work as a Storekeeper at a local hospital here in town. I have been sober since April 18, 1982 and have not smoked since September 8, 2005. I am a Born Again Christian who loves Jesus and am grateful for each day I wake up. I have found that even in the hard times, like after my husband's suicide that I can still find things to be grateful for, even if they are little things. God always has my back.

Today

I awaken with a great sense of gratitude.  

I realize how fortunate I am to be alive and relatively healthy.

I can enjoy using food as a fuel for my body and not a crutch or something to eat when I am bored/sad/happy.

I can enjoy new music to me.  Thank you shadisamy.  

I can stay focused on things today.  

I can enjoy a wonderful church service.

I can like/love Karen.  That has been a struggle off and on in my life.

I can work out at the gym yesterday without being in pain minutes into the working. Thankful for my Ortho doctor for my new hip and also thankful I kept up the PT for 11 weeks.

I can enjoy the sunshine even if it is chilly out.

I am sober and nicotine free.  LIfe is good.

I can enjoy time with my family

Last, but never least, God in my life. 

 

December 11, 2023

  • Another year is almost over.  Lots of recovery with teeth and new hip, but grateful for the healing and being more mobile.  
  • God. :)  
  • Family and friends.  
  • Reasonably nicer weather for this time of the year, but still wanting snow for Christmas. 
  • Memories of family past.
  • Being sober and nicotine free another day.  Neither do I take for granted. 
  • The quiet of the morning at my house.
  • Every other Mondays and Tuesdays off now.
  • A good up of Peach tea.
  • My ears are ringing but it doesn’t bother me the way it did when it first started over a year and a half ago.
  • A good night’s sleep.
  • That although I live alone, I don’t have to feel lonely.
  • My job.  Always learning something new.  Good coworkers. :)
  • A new year ahead and all its possibilties.
  • I woke up today and Thanked God as my feet hit the floor. Thank you again God for another day. 

Good week

  • Lots of variety in my job.  I did not get bored, that’s for sure.
  • Family.  My side of the family and my in-laws
  • God, as always.
  • People willing to help me learn at work.
  • Teamwork.
  • Two days off in a row. 
  • A nice warm bath.
  • The breeze in the air. 
  • Comedy on t.v.  
  • The willingness to learn new things.
  • Sobriety and being nicotine free.
  • Learning new religions.
  • Good, supportive friends.
  • The ability to thing outside the box in a project.
  • Today.  It is all I am really guaranteed and I will enjoy it. 

The joys of life

  • God
  • Family.  Looking forward to getting together with my side of the family on Thanksgiving and then my inlaws the day after out of town. 
  • Learning the new hospital at work.  It was a bit scary for me at first, but I feel I will be okay.
  • Watching videos on Buddhism.  I am a born again Christian, but like to learn other religions and ways of spirituality.
  • A day off.  My work schedule has been a bit goofy, but thankfully, I have not worked a long schedule in a bit.  Just getting used to one day off, instead of two in a row. That will change.
  • Good music.
  • Getting together with friends for the Christmas City Of The North parade this coming Friday.
  • The ability to make friends and meet new people without it feeling stressful.  
  • Prayer and Meditation.  
  • Reading good books. 
  • Pleasant weather the past couple days. 
  • Beautiful sunrise pics from the hospital.
  • Waking up and feeling off, but working out of it and enjoying the new day God has given me. 

BACK TO NORMAL LIFE

Getting back to a regular sleep schedule. :-)

Loving being with my coworkers again.

Dealing with the stress of learning new things but knowing it will all be good in the end.

My stamina is getting better after my third week back to work.

Getting used to what is priority at work and what is not again.

A roof over my head after witnessing a man sleeping in one of our transit centers this past week. The smell of urine and garbage all over the place really made me happy to go to a warm home.  The temps are dropping now and there will be more people sleeping in the city skywalk that connects to my work. 

My Bible study sisters.

A chance to make new friends this coming week.

When I falter, I know I can get back up.

My family, friends and always God. 

My eyesight. Although I have needed glasses a good portion of my life, I am grateful I have not had to deal with going blind in one eye and losing it the other like my husband did.  May he RIP. 

Good books to read, good music to listen to and just living a nice life in general.  Thanks again, God. 

Good Week

  • Back to work and grateful for a great team. 
  • I made 20, 000 steps a couple times this week.
  • Good conversations with people whom I regularly ride the bus with in the mornings. 
  • Getting to work early because of the bus schedule change.  Nice to not having to rush through skywalks.
  • My hip held up well.  Knee was a bit stiff and back still a tad sore, but grateful I could have help or it might have been worse. 
  • Early mornings.  I forgot, I actually enjoyed them, even though it took a minute to get used to getting up early. 
  • Nice welcome back from my managers and coworkers. 
  • Not dreading walking to and from bus stops or walking further to get the bus downtown.  
  • God was with me each day. )  
  • My 32nd wedding anniversary coming and going and it was less painful.  May hubby RIP.
  • My mother-in-law turned 90 years old.  God bless her!
  • I was exhausted and people were so kind and told me to give myself some grace.  It is the first week back. 

NEW WEEK AHEAD

  • New week to work, grow and advance.
  • God is with me each step.
  • Seeing my coworkers.
  • Having a heart to heart with my manager, expectations, etc.
  •  Being kind to myself.  I won’t be 100% coming out of the gate and that is okay. 
  • Getting a set routine daily routine again.
  • Getting my sleep back on schedule.  This will be good!
  • More exercise.
  • Losing weight as my job is physically demanding. 
  • I am alive.  :)

Weekend

  • Family time before I go back to work.
  • Church.
  • Cold weather but I can stay warm.
  • Good music list set for the weekend and the new work week on my Spotify.
  • God.  So good to me.
  • My back is feeling better.  About 95% healed. Just in time for work.
  • The beautiful sunrise this morning.
  • The air got colder than the lake so there was a little lake fog on the horizon this morning. 
  • Gas prices going down.  Good for my heat. :)
  • This site.  Glad I can always find my way back. 

FRIDAY

  • Grateful for another day.  God is so very good to let me see it.
  • Missing my cat, Skeeter, but also grateful for less responsibilities during my recovery.
  • I go back to work Monday.  The more I think of it, the more it will be good to get back.  
  • 48 degrees on the lake sore this morning and 64 in the house.  Grateful I can handle that temp.  At some point, I will have to turn the furnace back on. :)
  • Comedy.  It does wonderful things to my mental health.
  • Nice warm blankets to cover me on the couch when needed.
  • My Amplified Holy Bible that came in the mail today and has large print.  
  • The sunrises when I can see them over the lake. 

Today

  • I am upright, breathing, walking and talking.
  • The beautiful, fresh air outside.
  • Blessed Bible plans.
  • Laughter.
  • Relationships with my in-laws nine years after my husband’s death.
  • Beautiful sunrise over the lake.
  • A nice nap.
  • New vacuum cleaner.  I just need to use it LOL!
  • My honest and loving sisters in Christ.
  • Good music and books.
  • GOD
  • Time off still to get ready to go back to work.