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. Life is really what I make of it, with few exceptions. God always has a plan.

July 5, 2019

Gratitude
  • My dad passed on 44 years ago on this date.  RIP dad and thank you for all you did for me and the family the years we had you. 
  • My father-in-law’s birthday today.  May he RIP.  
  • My step-son Devin turned 37 years old today.  He was 7 years old when I met him! Happy Birthday young man. ;)
  • Waking up sober and nicotine free another day.
  • My son.  He is pretty awesome.
  • God, as always. 
  • My family.  We had a fun time at Olive Garden yesterday and then hanging back at my brother and sis-in-law’s house later.  I did not stay up to go watch the fireworks.
  • Going to look at refrigerators today. Not looking forward to it but has to be done.
  • My pets.  
  • The day off to enjoy.  Nice weather out there too!
  • Grateful that two years ago around this time I got some things fixed in the house, dining room ceiling and new bathroom for the most part.  It was such a pain at the time.  I really struggled some days but nice to sit in my dining room and not worry about water leaking onto the carpet, table, etc.  
  • Memories of 4 years ago being on the East Coast. Came across some pictures yesterday in my Facebook memories of that time.  It was a good time and will treasure it forever.
  • I only have today and will live it to the best of my ability and work hard to do God’s will.  

July 4, 2019

Gratitude
  • The people that fought and are fighting for our independence.
  • Spending time with my family today.
  • Bible study last night, great as always.  Lovely group of women I have come to consider sisters.
  • Waking up earlier today for a day off and wasting the morning away sleeping.
  • My pets.
  • My son as he continues to forge his way through life and make good choices.
  • God.
  • My Bible and A.A. Big Book.
  • My church.
  • A nice day weather wise.
  • Going to Olive Garden today. Believe it or not, I have have never been there.
  • A job where I get paid even if I do not work the holiday.
  • A nice 9 days off recently.
  • An opportunity to grow in the coming months with practices to be on team for Via De Cristo.
  • Laughter.  It really can be the best medicine.
  • Being sober and nicotine free another day.
  • Refrigerator is going, God help me, but I have a roof over my head.  I am grateful.
  • Prayer.  I do it and we do it at the end of every Bible study.  It really does work.
  • Lessons in life. Some make you think back, but you always learn from them.
  • God woke me up this morning.  I am so very grateful.

June 25, 2019

Gratitude
  1. Grateful for God in my life.
  2. My Bible and A.A. Big book.
  3. My Wednesday Bible study.
  4. A beautiful day on the lake shore after lots of rain yesterday.
  5. Seeing my step-daughter run by my house with her friend this past Saturday as she ran Grandma’s Marathon. 
  6. Friends who are there for me.
  7. My wonderful family.  
  8. My son getting a full-time job.  Complete with all the benefits.  
  9. Being able in the near future to go to single health insurance coverage after 22 years carrying family coverage. 
  10. Going out to a new restaurant for me with a friend after church this past Sunday.
  11. My wonderful church.  
  12. Good books to read.
  13. A roof over my head, food in my stomach and a bed to sleep in every night.  I do not take it for granted anymore.
  14. My in-laws.
  15. The smell of the lilacs outside as I woke up this morning.
  16. I woke up this morning….thanks God.
  17. Time off work to rest and get somethings done. 
  18. Waking up sober and nicotine free.  I looked at the prices of cigarettes and all I can say is WOW!
  19. My pets.  I love those rascals.
  20. Prayer and Meditation in my life.  

JUNE 7, 2019 FRIDAY

Gratitude
  1. Waking up in a sour mood but quickly able to get out of it. God is so good!
  2. Waking up sober and nicotine free.  
  3. I finished Deuteronomy in the Bible yesterday and am started Joshua.  This is a big deal for me to read the Bible cover to cover as I have never did it before. I will keep reading!
  4. My cat Skeeter decided to join me and my dog Jax in bed this morning.  They are adorable when they are not getting into trouble LOL. 
  5. A day off before a long stretch at work.  It is sunny out too!
  6. My son’s friend helping him get a lawnmower my brother is giving me.  Grateful for them all and their help.
  7. My sister-in-law Patty answering my text back this morning with a sweet message. 
  8. Good coffee.  Yes, sometimes it is the simple things in life.
  9. Watching my son planning his move.  He has yet to look at apartments but is getting an idea of what he needs to buy and what he can take from here.  Proud of him.
  10. Planning my life after son moves out.  I will feel the empty nest and be sad for a bit but overall, I am excited for my future.  
  11. My morning readings.  The Bible, my A.A. Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and a book By Word of Mouth by Diane Noble.  
  12. The quiet of the house. Justin is off getting my lawnmower, Jax is just settling down in his favorite chair and Skeeter is up snoozing on my bed.  Peace…..
  13. Family, friends, coworkers, pets.  Love them all. <3

JUNE 6, 2019 THURSDAY

Gratitude
  1. Grateful for a day off. :)  
  2. My son got a job with the company he had been applying to the past several months.  He starts June 10.  Full time with all the benefits. 
  3. Although I was happy to be able to cover him on my insurance the past almost 22 years, I am looking forward to dropping to single coverage with my health insurance and having a little extra money to stick away in savings. 
  4. Son looking for places to live.  He will get on his own and be more independent than he had previously.  
  5. Grateful for the time I have had him and able to see him grow up to be a wonderful young man.  Especially grateful to have him with me after his dad passed away.  Now he is off to make his own life and I start a new chapter in mine.  There is both sadness and excitement on my part. 
  6. The beautiful lake today.  
  7. My brother letting me have his extra lawn mower.  Our grass is getting too long.
  8. My wonderful girlfriends from Bible study.  They have become like sisters to me.
  9. Time to reflect, read and just rest today.
  10. God.
  11. Waking up sober and nicotine free another day.
  12. A job that pays my bills.
  13. My coworkers.  They ROCK!

May 18, 2019 SATURDAY

Gratitude
  1. I had a good week, other than being sick one day.
  2. Grateful that I have sick time to pay for my day off.
  3. Grateful for good coworkers who are like family.
  4. My son did take me out for Mother’s Day and it was wonderful.  Some Cribbage after, watching him play one of our favorite games on his XBox One and then a quiet night at home after my son went to be with friends.  
  5. My Bible.  I am reading Numbers now.  It is repetitive and hard to read but I see its importance in the Bible. Grateful for the opportunity to read it. 
  6. We are getting rain.  Not crazy about it, other then the wonderful smell afterwards.  And it is better than the grass being too dry.  It make the flowers beautiful that my neighbors are starting to grow.  
  7. My friends and family.  Where would we be without them?
  8. A hunger for learning and reading different things lately.  I have several books I want to read, other than my Bible.  I will pick one and stick with it. 
  9. A roof over my head.  So grateful for that.  
  10. My dog Jax and my cat Skeeter.  
  11. Church tomorrow. I miss it when I work like I had to last weekend.  It fills me up and I am so grateful for the people there and our Pastor.
  12. Once again, being sober and nicotine free another day.  
  13. My husband has been gone 4 years, 8 months and 12 days.  I have not added it up in awhile but have been thinking of him on and off the past few days.  I used to think of him every 6th of the month for the first year and then some.  Not doing that anymore but he will always be in my heart.  Life is going on.
  14. I do not feel guilty about my life going on anymore.  It took some counseling and time to get to that point.  
  15. God.  Always the biggest part of me.  

May 10, 2019 FRIDAY

Gratitude
  1. Mother’s day coming on Sunday.  I work but get off at 2:30.  My son is treating me to dinner after work
  2. This will be the 32nd Mother’s Day without my mom.  I miss her but am grateful for the ones I had with her before she died.  
  3. Dad would have been 104 years old tomorrow if he had lived.  He died  at the age of 60.  I was barely 10 years old when he died but I am so very grateful for the time I had him and how hard he worked to provide for us.  
  4. God.  God is good ALL the time, even when I don’t agree with the outcomes in life.  He is always walking beside me and that gives me comfort.
  5. My Bible.  I have continued reading it and it gives me comfort each day and it is amazing to have God’s record to read.
  6. My friends who lost their dog due to a bear attack.  They are such wonderful people and Christians.  I feel for them but am in deep gratitude and awe of what they teach me and how loved I feel by them even when they are going through a hard time.  I continue to try and love them they way they love me.  
  7. My Bible study lady friends.  One word describes them.  AWESOME!
  8. We had snow Wednesday night, lots of it in Duluth but Thursday it was melting already.  Grateful for that.  
  9. Watching the show MOM today and hearing this.  What a great thing.  Here is the quote. Nora: How’s it going Tammy?

    Tammy: Not good. Marjorie….

    Nora cuts Tammy off.

    Nora: Did you wake up today?

    Tammy: Yeah

    Nora: Are you sober?

    Tammy: Yeah

    Nora: Do you have a bed and job and friends?

    Tammy: Yeah

    Nora: Then the answer is AMAZING.

    Tammy: It is. I’m AMAZING! See now why isn’t that on a post it note?.  

    Life really is amazing.  I am sober, nicotine free, have a roof over my head, food, a bed to sleep in, friends, family, a job to go to tomorrow that I like and that pays my bills.  Thanks God and A.A. for giving me this life. :-) <3

May 5, 2019 Sunday

Gratitude
  1. I woke up today.  I thanked God and said good morning to God.  What a wonderful way to start the day.
  2. Grateful for my pets.  I had a friend whose dog got attacked by a bear and the damage was so bad they had to have their dog put to sleep last night.  RIP Bandit.  I am so grateful for my pets.  My cat got outside, due to my lack of pay attention this morning.  Grateful for neighbor noticing as Skeeter is an indoor cat.  Jax was checking out his chances or getting out loose to.  I just happened to be warning my neighbor about the bear when I was irresponsible in latching the inside door.  
  3. My son and my family.  We had a wonderful birthday celebration for my sister-in-law last night.  Good food, good conversation and just hanging with family.  THE BEST!
  4. Waking up sober and nicotine free another day.  :) 
  5. The beautiful sunshine and lake.  I was in my son’s room talking with him and looked out his window to see the boats on the beautiful Lake Superior.  God is so good. 
  6. Breakfast with my A.A. sponsor yesterday morning.  It has been too long.  We agreed to try and get together once a month.
  7. Good coworkers at work.  We were two short this past Thursday and Friday but the two of us made it work and got things done.
  8. Good music.  I am currently listening to Seventh Day Slumber.  I love finding new music for me.  
  9. Good coffee.  A bit of Vanilla Almond milk in it.  Yummy.  
  10. My son.  He is currently working two part time jobs.  Very proud of him.
  11. Starting to read my Bible cover to cover.  I am on Leviticus right now. :)  Loving this. 
  12. Good food the past couple days. 
  13. Waking up and breathing in and breathing out. :)  Thanks God for another day. 

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Gratitude
  1. Grateful for waking up another day. Thanks be to God.
  2. I am sober and I have not smoked a cigarette another day.
  3. My friends from church who invited and took me to a Wycliffe dinner last night.  It was very interesting seeing how much involvement there is in getting bibles translated into so many languages. It was a wonderful dinner also. 
  4. My son treating me to Subway this morning.
  5. Talking with neighbors I had not talked with in awhile.
  6. Meeting so may new and wonderful people through church this past 4 years.
  7. Good coffee. 
  8. A beautiful sunrise over the lake this morning.  I was lazy and did not take a good pic but saw some of it.
  9. My dog and cat. 
  10. Cool temps outside but the fresh air feels nice.
  11. A day off to rest.
  12. Church tomorrow.  Going to the early service for a change. 
  13. That I an have an attitude of gratitude today. 

Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019

Gratitude
  1. The Resurrection of Jesus.
  2. Waking up earlier and not laying in bed like I planned.
  3. Going to church and then a friend’s house for Easter dinner.
  4. My son.  He has a headache this morning.  Poor thing.  I am grateful for that young man in my life, however.
  5. The sun and the beautiful lake this morning.
  6. My church family.
  7. My family of origin.
  8. Being sober and nicotine free another day.
  9. My Bible.  I am working my way through Matthew.
  10. The chance to walk to church today, unless my friend’s pick me up.
  11.  I can enjoy time with my friends today and a nice meal while thanking God for this life.