Count Your Blessings

Count your blessings, name them one by one.
We all know the song and have sung it many times. But who here as actually applied it? Who has counted their blessings? Whose named each and every one of them? I know I sure haven't. Lately I've been so focused on the stress of my life that I have failed to see the joy and beauty that comes with every bit of hardship we face or trial we go through.

So here I am. Taking the time to count my blessings. Taking the time to name each and every one of them. Because if I continue to dwell on what it is that is bothering me, I'm going to miss out on what it is I could be finding joy in.

1. Family. This is always and forever my number one thing to be thankful for. I don't know how or why God has blessed me with so many loving and funny people in my life, but he did and it's truly amazing.

2. GOOD friends. Old and new. People for fun. People to talk to. People to confide in and share my life with. People to understand and be there, even when I have the weight of the world on my shoulders and think I'm all alone. It's at those times that God shows me who my good friends are. It's the simple things, like sending me a text saying "Hey, it'll all work out in the end" Or "I'm thinking of you" Or even "what's up?" These people are there when I need them.

3. Life. It's easy to forget how fragile life truly is. It's easy to forget that we are not guaranteed tomorrow. I put off telling those I love that I love them, because there is always tomorrow. But there's not. That's not a guarantee. Nothing is. The only thing that is gauranteed is God's unending, unconditional love.

4. I'm thankful for school. I am stressed beyond belief with finals and this new game of catch up I am playing. But I'm thankful for it. 1% of the population actually make it through college and have the opportunity to further their education. I live in the dorms. I go to school for less than $10,000 a year. And I am involved in an amazing Bible Study with amazing people in my life.

5. I'm thankful for every little thing that causes me stress. I am thankful for every thing that causes hardship and I am thankful for every heart ache that is caused by those in my life. Because with every problem comes an opportunity to learn and grow as a well rounded individual. "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)


So, there you have it. Everything God gives you is a blessing of some sort. Even the hard times. Even the times where you just can't seem to find the strength to get up in the mornings. He's there. He's there, He's watching, He loves you and He is going to take care of you. Don't sweat the little things. Hell don't even sweat the big things. I read this quote the other day and it is pretty awesome. "If you can't change the outcome, why worry about it? And if you can change the outcome, why worry it?" -? And I think this needs to be my new philosophy in life.