Counting My Blessings
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 3:1
Living with chronic illness has taught me that well intended plans can change overnight. You would think that since I have been living with chronic illness for 25 years I would be accustomed to my plans changing and accept the changes with grace and dignity. Apparently this year I have failed big time!
In the early part of October I had suggested to my Aunt that we combine our Thanksgiving celebrations. She was ecstatic and offered her home. I was truly looking forward to celebrating the holiday with extended family for the first time in decades. A couple weeks after our conversation I became ill with viral bronchitis which in turn caused my chronic illnesses to “flare-up”. My muscles, tendons, and joints etc. throughout my body are in great pain, even more so in my left leg that I can no longer walk due to the severity of knee pain of which I may not know fully why and what can be done for several more weeks. On top of all this my doctor has given me orders not to put any weight on that knee and to basically “stay put” until further notice in evidently meaning a change of plans for Thanksgiving.
Instead of accepting this set back with a positive attitude of a possible lesson to learn, I threw myself a “pity” party instead. I began to dwell upon all the things I cannot do, wish I could do, and even started thinking about all the things others could and should do for me or have not done to my satisfaction. As I continued to dwell upon these things I began “inviting” others to my “party”. If I was going to be miserable I wanted to make sure others were miserable too! Let’s face it, misery loves company – right?
Well the past few days the Lord has brought simple reminders my way to open my eyes and heart reminding me once again just how blessed I truly am. As I was preparing for today’s Thanksgiving devotion I came across previous posts I had written in past years regarding being Thankful. One post in particular I had mentioned keeping a Blessings Journal. Then on Monday as I was listening to my sister’s Blog Talk Radio program, Grace Café, she mentioned a box she found that had Blessings written on it. She gave the box to one of her daughter’s who said she will use the box for her family providing them pieces of paper to write ways they have been blessed throughout the year and place them in the box; when any of them needs a reminder of just how blessed they are they will go through the blessings box and read each blessing out loud. On Tuesday morning I visited a blog where the post title was of all things, “Count Your Blessings”. At the end of their post they had the words to the hymn, Count Your Blessings; I immediately said, “Alright Lord, I know, it’s time to end my pity party and begin Counting My Blessings.”
How about you, has life’s trials been so overwhelming lately that you too need a reminder to Count Your Blessings?
Blessings
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won’t survive the week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world.
If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world.
If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful, you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
If you can read this message, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read anything at all.
You are so blessed in ways you may never even know.
by Stephen Eardley
“Reconnections & New Directions” 2003 Conference
Lester B. Pearson College
There is not enough paper in this world that can contain how blessed I really am! Thank you Lord for reminding me this week of all the blessings you have bestowed upon me. Yes, Lord, I am truly blessed!
Michele, you are an inspiration. It is very normal to ‘sink’ after a disappointment, but you didn’t stay down long. You listened to the gentle voice of our Father, and now you are a light for us all. Thank you and have a glorious day.
Andie
It is so true that when we do not feel good or things are not going our way, we like to throw ourselves a pity-party. I have been there. Thank you for the reminder that we are blessed; we are His redeemed and He loves us beyond belief.
Thank you for the reminder to count our blessings.
Michele, I’ve thrown a pity party or two more recently than I care to admit. Thanks for the reminder to count my blessings instead.