Thursday, March 3, 2011

Count Your Blessings Name Them One by One

What a week this has been.  All week I have been extremely busy, stressed, and the babysitter has made out like a bandit.  It has been a week of ups and downs dispersed between moments of pure joy.  I am thankful for all the trials this week has held, as they ultimately make us stronger.  While sitting in the doctor's office with my Mother-in-Law, I was quickly reminded of how our obstacles are mountains to us, but someone else is climbing a much steeper mountain.  It is in this time, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn from the challenges and look for strength from the Lord, and count my blessings.  Here are a few blessings I will share with you.

1. My Family.  As crazy as life seems, I have a wonderful family.  We all have our moments, but I thank the Lord each and every day for my family and my two wonderful children.  No matter how stressful life becomes, they love me unconditionally and always seem to keep me on my toes. 

2.  My Health.  Even though I woke up with a sore throat and nasal drip running down the back of my throat, I am healthy.  I am not dealing with a condition that I will live with the rest of my life.  Many loved ones and friends are dealing with issues that surround their health, and it is in these moments I pray for healing and strength for them to deal with their illness.  Caring for those loved ones becomes difficult at time, but it is in these moments, I know that God won't give me more than I can handle.

3.  A Safe Food Supply.  Might not be on the top of every one's list, but as American's we have the safest food supply in the world.  I am thankful for the farmers and ranchers that work every day to make sure that we all have an abundant amount of food.  Grocery prices might be climbing, but we have more than enough, and should be grateful that the shelves are full, and food is available.  We still pay less for food than most parts of the world.

4.  Dependable Transportation.  I might not have the best car out there, but I have one that has four wheels and will get me from point A to point B without a detour in the middle.  I am thankful that my older model vehicle has over 175,000 miles and still starts when I ask it to, doesn't overheat, doesn't use oil and most importantly, is paid for!  I say this because today, I witnessed a person who had car trouble.  They were getting assistance from another with steam billowing out from under the hood.  The feeling of being stranded is not a pleasant one, and even though I have experienced it in the past, it is not one I would like to revisit any time soon.

5.  A Comfortable Home.  It is easy to want a larger home, nicer fixtures and maybe a change of scenery.  I too would like a house that we are not busting out of.  As we visited the museum on Tuesday, I can't imagine not having running water or only one room!  I know I could make it, but our lives would be different.  What would it be like to have to use a washboard and the river to wash clothes?  Cook over a wood-burning stove?  Go outside to use the restroom in the middle of the night?  It was not that long ago that the majority of Americans lived this way.  To think that electricity was not a fixture in most rural homes even 70 years ago seems like bad nightmare!  We can't imagine living without cable TV, much less without electricity.  When the power is out for even a few minutes, we all become nervous.  I am grateful for modern conveniences!

These are a few of the blessings that came to my mind instantly.  The Lord has blessed us all with so much, it is easy to take things for granted.  There are circumstances that happen each and every day that might put us in a horrible mood.  Just remember, you are never alone, and God is a gracious God.  He wants what is ultimately best for us.  All things come in due time, and we need to keep focus on Him.  When he is the Lord of our life, all other things fall into place.  Those things that seemed so dire yesterday, are no longer important.  I leave you with the classic hymn...Count You Blessings.

Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah


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