Friday, July 1, 2011

It's not Thanksgiving but I am counting my blessings anyway.....

I am heading out on vacation again - this time with my husband and kids.  Therefore, I figured I would get a blog in before I go so I don't have any withdraws.  haha!

As I sit here with the thunder lightly rumbling in the background, I pray that the lightening doesn't strike my computer!  Hehe, anyway, I have been pondering lately how amazing my life truly is.  God has blessed me tremendously.  It hasn't always been this way.  I have walked a pretty rough path that should have left me for dead, but God obviously had greater things in store for me!

This could get long and winded, so bear with me.  I just need to count my blessings and will try to keep it to the top few!

1. God.  I have to start with the One that has given me breath and has plucked me from self-destruction.  God is real.  If you are reading this and you doubt this fact, hit me up.  I have come from a past of abuse, self-mutilation, occult, drugs, alcohol, anger, hatred, etc.....and the moment God revealed Himself to me that all melted.  He has blessed me in so many ways.  I can write pages of what he has done in my life - everything from the miraculous to the people he has put in my path.  When I think of the love He has for me, I get overwhelmed.  I just want to sit and soak it all in.  You have never felt love until you feel the love of the Creator.

2. My family.  Matt and my kids are pretty awesome.  Matt and I accepted Christ in 2005, so we weren't always living for God.  My kids have seen us at our worst and I thank God he made Himself known to us so that my kids can see what a good life they were intended to have.  Matt is amazing.  I could write an entire blog about him alone.  He has seen me at my lowest, he has shared my tears and has laughed at my antics.  As I belch (it's a talent, truly it is), he merely shakes his head and mutters how he married me for my 'class'.  It took me a long, long time to realize he wasn't going to leave me or abuse me.  That he truly did love me when I thought no one ever could.  He is perfect....well, he will be once he gets a haircut (lol).

My kids - again, I could write an entire blog about them.  They are pretty phenomenal considering what I read every day about things this generation is doing and getting into.  My daughter loves God and animals more than she loves me, and that's ok.  She has such a big heart and wants to save the world.  Someone can hurt her and moments later she wants to drop everything to help them.  I admit, it makes me frustrated that she can be so forgiving....but isn't that how we are suppose to be?

My son is pretty amazing too.  I was making a slideshow for his 16th birthday coming up and got a little teary eyed.  How did he grow up so quickly?  Where did that little guy that was so independent and so quiet go?  I see the boy I once knew in the man that stands before me.  It makes my heart sad - but in the way a mother should feel.  I can't wait to see where God places him and my daughter.  He has great things in store for them!

3. My church family.  I hear people say that you don't have to go to church to be a Christian or go to heaven. I do believe this to some extent.  My father never went to church but I do believe he is with the King right now.  However, I do think it is harder to be a Christian if you do not go.  We are suppose to congregate and worship together and study the word together.  At birth, we were born as soldiers.  We are on the battlefield fighting for a lost world.  How many military's have an army of one or two people?  There is strength in numbers.  A church family gives you strength, encouragement, support and love unconditionally.  Granted, like in all families, some members won't get along or have a spat, but it is still family.  We are family in every since of the word - bound by the blood of Jesus.  Do you have to go to church to be a Christian?  Perhaps not, but ask yourself, if you are a Christian and you love God, why aren't you going?  What are you doing besides going to church? For me, I want to go.  Not going because I "don't feel like it" is never an option.

4. My life.  In general, my life is good.  I have a good husband that provides for us.  I have kids that would rather go to church than sit in front of the TV.  I am pretty healthy (ok, I could lose a few pounds), my kids are healthy, we live in a pretty decent home, we have dependable transportation, my husband has a secure job, I have a church that I adore, I have a God that loves me, I am heaven bound and I am just all around happy.

Now, before you sit and think - wow, good for her (sarcastically).  I want you to know that I don't wake up every day whistling Zip-a-dee-do-da and opening the windows so sparrows can perch on my finger.  There are days I wake up and hate the world.  There are days where everything seems to be going wrong.  There are days our house is in chaos and we are all fighting among each other.  We are human and being such not every day is peaches and cream.  However, I have a God that forgives me when I lose sight of the big picture.  Yes, I am human and as the Apostle Paul said - we all sin and fall short of the glory of God.....but I strive to do better every day.  Ok, so things don't always go the way I anticipate - it's not the end of the world.  Everything will be ok.

So as I watch lightning dance across the sky, I figure my time here on this blog should come to a close.  I guess my point in all of this is not only to remind myself of how blessed I am (and trust me, I could go on and on and on!), but to give hope to whomever reads this.  God wants to bless YOU.  He wants to help you and be there for YOU.  However, you have to get the mindset that He is in control.  Whatever is going on in your life, He is allowing it to make you stronger so you can perservere.  Just give it over to Him and trust that He has it all in the palm of His hand.  Knowing that gives me hope.  When I face a tough situation, sometimes I panic...not gonna lie.  But more often than not, I merely look heavenward and say - "Ok God.  It's me and you."

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