July 24, 2007

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed
And you are discouraged thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done.

So amid the conflict
Whether great or small
Do not be discouraged
God is over all

Count your many blessings
Angels will attend
Help and comfort
Give you til your journey's end.

Count your blessings
Name them one by one...
Count your blessings,
See what God has done.
Count your blessings.
Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings
See what God has done!

---Rev. Johnson Oatman, Jr.

No matter how heavy your burden, no matter what weighs heavily upon your mind, if you will stop and begin to count your many blessings, you will soon find your heart lighter and the load you are bearing will not seem so great after all. Today I am so grateful for ALL of the many blessings in my life:

*My wonderful husband who has loved me and cared for me, protected me and stood faithfully by my side for 34 years;
*My firstborn and only son who I love with all my heart;
*My precious daughter who has always been a joy;
*My favorite son-in-love who has been not only a blessing to our daughter but to our family as well;
*My favorite daughter-in-love who has brought out the best in our son and is also a blessing to our family;
*My precious, beautiful, adorable angel baby...my granddaughter....who is my sunshine;
*My wonderful mother who has loved me as only a mother can, always giving, always caring, always there. who sacrficed so much for me;
*My sweet mother-in-law who accepted and loved me from Day #1 and who has been such a joy and delight to our entire family;
*My friends of 30+ years who are such a joy to my life and who are always there to share in the joys and the sorrows of each other's lives;
*Tom Murray, who is now with the Lord, but who taught me So much about Christ, about parenting, about LIFE!
*My health, though I am painfully aware every day of the aging process, I am not in constant pain, I am not in the hospital, I am not battling a disease, I still have most of my mind (though my kids would argue that point), and I am able to care for myself;
*My five senses: How thankful I am to be able to SEE the beauty that God has placed before me....

**the many shades of blue in the morning sky and the puffy white clouds that puntuate it;
**the many beautiful flowers that are blooming in so many different colors;
**the gorgeous butterflies that skirt from flower to flower;
**my granddaughter's beautiful smile and the look of wonder as she discovers her world;
**a rainbow in all its spendor after a summer rain;
**to be able to read God's word
I am thankful to HEAR...
**the birds singing all their different melodies throughout the day;
**my children's voices on the phone;
**my husband say "I LOVE YOU"
**my granddaughter say "Mimi" and her latest "A-men!"
**conversations with my friends and family and not be cut off or left out;
**the sound of rain;
I am thankful to SMELL...
**tube roses blooming by my back door;
**my husband's cologne;
**the woods;
**bread as it comes from the oven;
**my granddaughter after a bath....I could eat her up!
I am thankful to TASTE...
**anything after losing my sense of taste last year. It is still not completely right so this sense really has become so important! My favorites are :
**chocolate;
**salty fries;
**homemade ice cream;
**key lime pie;
**barbeque;
**spaghetti;
**rattlesnake pasta;
I am thankful to TOUCH...
**not to be paralyzed;
**to be able to feel my hands and feet;
**to hold hands with my husband;
**to sense hot or cold;
**a hot shower or a relaxing jacuzzi bath;


Other blessings include:

our home
food on the table
transportation to get where we need to go
money to pay our bills
jobs to provide for our needs
freedom to go and come, to worship, to read our Bible, to enjoy life
America, land that I love
a great neighborhood
seeing my children happy and blessed
my Bibles...yes, plural. I am blessed to have one and doubly blessed to have several and access by internet to many translations.
books that have challenged and inspired me
my children not living hundreds of miles away.......

No I cannot begin to name them ALL............I have not scratched the surface of the many ways God has blessed me. He daily loads me with blessings too numerous to count. It does me good to stop and try to count those from time to time. Counting our blessings helps to put things in perspective and to realize no matter what may be going on in our lives, we are still truly BLESSED beyond measure!!!!!!!! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!