Don't Count your Blessings. July 23, 2015.

July 23, 2015

I got this really cute little devotional from the Claybaugh Family, I was reading in it today about “Counting Your Blessings.” This is a classic Hallmark phrase we’ve heard all the time and I can only speak for myself but I’ve never really given it much thought. Anyway the devotional kind of surprised me in that it doesn’t go the classic Hallmark route about the importance of counting all your blessings, instead it goes, “Uhm hello, even if I counted for a week I couldn’t list them all!” I was really pleasantly surprised by this approach. It’s so true though! It would be overwhelming to list off every single blessing starting with the fact that I’m CURRENTLY DRAWING BREATH.  It goes on to say it’s okay to take your time to rejoice in the big blessings and not spend all your time trying to thank God for every single blessing, instead take time to bask in His love. David didn’t even attempt to thank God for every single thing in one of His hymns. It was the fact that He focused on adoring and loving God, real gratitude comes from God’s nature and so in us loving Him more we are more grateful. Are you tracking with me here?

So I’ve been a little overwhelmed with all the blessings that have surrounded me the last few weeks, not to mention just the blessing of my entire life. I started to get a little stressed, like oh geeze how am I ever going to show enough gratitude, and oh geeze a Facebook message to people isn’t enough, they won’t think I’m truly grateful. So I started writing all these cards and then I just stopped. I could spend days writing hundreds of thank you cards to everyone, DAYS. After reading this devotional I kind of realized that there is no way I can, in my human strength, human terms, and human understanding show my gratitude. So instead I am choosing to relax, and bask in the love you have all shown me. I am grateful, so grateful and you know that, so with that I am going to rejoice in the blessing of life, rejoice in the blessing that with all your combined efforts you are saving my life. So thank you.

On the gratitude note though, let’s act like every day is Thanksgiving shall we! I don’t know if it’s the era, the generation, or the country we live in, probably a mix of them all, but man are we ungrateful people. It’s baffled me being here at camp how many kids are being raised to take take take and just expect things handed to them on a silver platter. Not just here and not just kids though, it just seems to be the norm in the majority of the population. I want you to pause for a second, hold up ten fingers, and think of ten things you can be thankful for right at this moment, reading a blog written by a girl you may or may not know, on a computer, tablet, or laptop, in the comfort of your home, using wifi that you have the money to pay for. Now be honest with yourself, how many times have you stopped to thank God for these simple ten things? How many times have you thought, wow how grateful I am and what a privilege and blessing it is to have these things! It’s humbling to see the things you take for granted sometimes. That’s one thing Cancer has forced me to see, how many things I truly take for granted. I’m holding up my 10 fingers right now. 1. I’m thankful for my beautiful friend Kelsey who took me to get this Shellac on these ten finger I’m holding up. 2. I’m thankful for the scenic forest I see when I peer over my laptop and out the window. 3. I’m thankful for my Aunt Tonyia because she got me a massage today which made my day begin on a wonderful and relaxing note. 4. I’m thankful for the yawn I just yawned because I was able to take a long and enriching nap. 5. I’m thankful that I get to write a blog where I share my feelings and thoughts and people actually read it. 6. I’m thankful for the parent’s I have who bought me the vegetables to make the juice that I just drank. 7. I’m thankful for the fuzzy socks my feet are cuddled up in and for Nicole who sent them to me. 8. I’m thankful for the joyful noise of kids outside, laughing, and playing. 9. I’m thankful for the country we live in where I can write and not fear for my life. 10. I’m thankful that I woke up today and was able to put on a shirt without needing anyone to help me. That was easy and I could have gone into the thousands. I encourage you to look around you, everything surrounding you came from something, somewhere or someone. Don’t pick the ten easiest, “Thanksgiving” answers, challenge your perspective and find new things to be thankful for. Love ya!