Blessings II

Good morning son. It's a late start this morning, BUT, it's a running start! Well, not literally. Let's just say it's a moving toward a goal start. The sun is beautiful this morning and shining on the turning leaves of reds and golds as they peep through the leaves of green. Autumn is here earlier than usual this year. Not only could you feel it in the air but leaves have been chancing their brilliant coat of many colors for several weeks now. Yesterday on my walk with Jamison the trees on top of the hill in the cemetery looked as though they had been set on fire. I so wish I had the time to preserve some of them in wax to take with me. But alas, I can't do everything. Did I just say that? Besides I packed the paraffin so that's not an option.

Packing is moving along fine once I completed the studio. That's usually the most difficult. The

kitchen is going to be easy. I don't really have to pack anything with the exception of the chickens and the "blue house". Grandma is giving us all of her kitchen stuff because she won't be needing it. Next weekend we're going to have a "free" garage sale. Everything we don't want to take, with the exception of some pieces of furniture, we're going to put in the front yard and on the porch and say, "come and get it". It's a good way to give back and share during these tough times. We've been truly blessed and maybe in some small way, we can share what we have and be a blessing to someone else.

Blessings are amazing events or people in our lives. 

 bless·ing  (blsng)

n.

1. The act of one that blesses.

2. A short prayer said before or after a meal; grace.

3. Something promoting or contributing to happiness, well-being, or prosperity; a boon.

4. Approbation; approval: This plan has my blessing.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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blessing [ˈblɛsɪŋ]

n

1. the act of invoking divine protection or aid

2. the words or ceremony used for this

3. a short prayer of thanksgiving before or after a meal; grace

4. (Non-Christian Religions / Judaism) Judaism Also called brachah brocho

a.  a short prayer prescribed for a specific occasion and beginning ``Blessed art thou, O Lord…''

b.  a section of the liturgy including a similar formula

5. approval; good wishes her father gave his blessing to the marriage

6. the bestowal of a divine gift or favour

7. a happy event or state of affairs a blessing in disguise

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

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bless•ing (ˈblɛs ɪŋ)

n.

1. the act or words of a person who blesses.

2. a special favor, mercy, or benefit: the blessings of liberty.

3. a favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.

4. the invoking of God's favor upon a person.

5. praise; devotion; worship, esp. grace said before a meal.

6. approval or good wishes.

[before 900]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

 

As you can see by the many definitions, blessings come in many sizes, shapes and variations. Maybe that's why we don't recognize them so many times in our lives. Taking all of these definitions into account, I wonder how long it would take us to do what the song bids us to do? 

 

Count Your Many Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

 

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.

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 to your journey’s end.

 

I know that if I ever really did what the song suggests, "count your many blessings, name them one by one", that I would ever be able to name them all. For one thing, I don't know them all. Some blessings we are never aware of. (Sorry about the preposition at the end of the sentence.) LOL  I don't know if it's because we're not paying attention or God intends it that way. If you really stop and think about it, our life is just one big blessing. We wake up every morning

to the brilliance of a universe created just for us. Well, maybe that's just a tad overstated, but not by much. We have opportunities every day that some people just dream about. We have the love and understanding of friends and family. We have the hugs of nieces and nephews. We had the unconditional love of a son that God allowed us to have enjoy for 38 years. We strive to share those blessings with others every day. Our ways may not be huge but the act of sharing our blessings any way we can is something we have always done and will continue to do.

 

Keep God's ear close about your dad's health. He's not doing well right now but hopefully tomorrow the doctor will have some answers. Your dad has been one of God's greatest blessings in my life. God brought Him out of nowhere and it's been close to 43 years of blessings and adventures. We're headed for yet another as we take off across the country in our little Subaru; me, dad & Jamison. We have blessings on the East Coast and blessings on the West Coast and blessings to come in between. We'll be more aware to count them more often and thank the Lord for them daily.

 

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom