Counting My Blessings

Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done. –Edwin O. Excell

These lyrics invaded my thoughts this morning, even though I haven’t heard or sung that old gospel song for many years. It must be time for me to enumerate my blessings, and yet I hardly know where to start! Here goes, anyway...

1. I am blessed to serve a risen Savior, who is the giver of every blessing!

2. I am blessed to be an American. As I have been preparing for a missions trip to Uganda this summer I am reminded many times over how much I take for granted living the life of safety, comfort, and privilege that I enjoy in the United States.

3. I am blessed with good health. I have plenty of strength and energy to work, to participate in many ministries, to meet the needs of my husband and our expanding family, and to care for our home.

4. I am blessed with sweet relationships with...my husband, my sons, my daughters-in-law, my grandchildren, my students and their families, my co-workers, and many precious family members and friends.

5. I am blessed to have three sons all walking with and serving the Lord, along with their wives.

6. I am blessed to have two beautiful grandchildren that I get to see often and spoil a little, along with another grandchild expected in July. Although that grandchild will live farther away, I am blessed in knowing that I will most likely be able to see him or her (I’m dying to know which it is!) several times a year.

7. I am blessed to live where I am surrounded by beauty and the change of seasons...reminders of God’s power and exquisite detail in creation. Our pond attracts beautiful birds, and I have plenty of space to grow brilliant flowers and delicious vegetables. I love being a co-creator with God!

8. I am blessed with creativity. What a blessing it is to prepare an attractive and mouth-watering dish, to arrange flowers from the garden, to decorate my home, to design a bulletin board for my classroom, to share God’s love through the power of the pen, er...uh...computer. (“Power of the pen” is so much more poetic. Don’t you think?)

9. I am blessed with some musical ability...at least enough ability to appreciate good music and to entertain myself. Yes, I share my music sometimes, too, but I mostly offer it up as worship.

10. I am blessed by each of you who read this blog and share your thoughts with me. Truly, I am! Each and every moment of our days are so valuable, that I am honored that you deem reading my blog worthy of your time.

If you think that my list of blessings sounds boastful, please refer again to number one.

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
James 1:17 (NASV)

If you think that I must be a saint, or that I have done something to justify receiving these blessings, think again. It is simply God revealing His grace.

But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. Psalm 86:15 (NASV)

If you wonder whether I have ever experienced loss or a broken heart, I assure you I have. In fact, it is only through the murky lens of suffering that I can clearly see God’s purposes and experience His blessings.

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. I Peter 3:14

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. I Peter 5:10

Today I have been blessed by this very act of counting and considering my blessings. I assure you it is a satisfying and worthwhile endeavor. So go ahead...count your blessings, too, and let me know where to find them if you do, so that I can, in turn, be blessed through you. (Did I mention that I'm a poet? Sometimes I just can't help myself!)

In case you can't see the details of the photo at the top of this post, it is my three-year-old grandson, Noah, enjoying his favorite activity...writing numbers on the driveway! Behind him is a long string of numbers, and next to him a "69." We count everything when we are together, and I certainly count him as one of my most precious blessings.