616770_Count-Your-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.

Someone said “I count my blessings everyday” in a conversation the other day and it got me thinking.

Do I count my blessings? Do I actually sit down and mentally list all of my blessings?

I know I have never jotted them down on paper and as a writer – that should be the first place I go. But mentally listing them? No. I have thanked God for many things, my home, my husband, my dogs, my church family. I thank him for each job he sends my way, each story idea he helps me with, each time something goes well. But I have never actually counted my blessings.

How many are there? Ten? Twenty? Do I count each dog that adores me separately? Do I count my husband once or do I count each generous thing he does separately? Do I count my church family as a whole or each amazing individual? Do I count a successful business once or do I count each wonderful client?

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What are the rules for counting your blessings? My thought is that you count everything separately because then you will see your blessings are overflowing, but is that padding the ballot?

And what of the blessings that come at a cost?  A painful experience that changes you into someone who can count the blessings of life and friendship in a whole new way? Would the death of a loved one that opens your heart to appreciate the ones left behind, be considered a blessing? Is a no-sale-day a blessing if you choose to look on the bright side and count each inspired child as a blessing?

Count_your_BlessingsSo while I go over my list, counting, adding, questioning, considering a deletion and then deciding on adding more I realize one very important thing:

It’s not about the end quantity – it’s about realizing all of the wonderful aspects of your life that God has given you and cherishing them all!