I Am Blessed!!!

I am a blessed woman.  I am a very blessed woman.  I have been blessed all my life.  Oh, my life hasn't been perfect, but it sure has been blessed.

When I think of the blessings I have experienced in life I can list the big ones without any problem.  The first one that pops into my mind occurred when I was a young child.  I was very ill and had an allergic reaction to medication.  I had to be rushed to the hospital where I nearly died.  However, the Lord spared my life and I am here, nearly 67 years later, to tell you about it. 

A couple or three years after my swipe with death, I accepted Jesus as my Savior and was saved.  That was, and continues to be, the greatest blessing of all.  Through my acceptance of Jesus I am promised eternal life.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I have done plenty of sinning in my life.  I have not been the Christian I should and could be.  I pray daily that God will forgive me of all my sins, which is a boat load.  And, He has promised that if I ask in His name He will forgive me.  I feel His forgiveness and what a blessing that is to know. 

Another huge blessing that I experienced is that God sent a wonderful guidance counselor into my life when I was a senior in high school.  Had it not been for her, I would never have gone to college, gotten a degree, and then worked for nearly 32 years with juvenile delinquents.  I know my work with young people at risk was my calling.  And, it is actually amazing how God worked in my life throughout my career.  

I consider my marriage of nearly 25 years a major blessing.  Yes, it ended in divorce and even through that I saw God blessing me.  But my marriage gave me the opportunity to experience true human love.  I would have hated to have lived and died and never experience such a strong and compelling emotion.  

I guess the last "big" blessing from God occurred recently.  As a matter of fact this happened just a few weeks ago.  It has taken me a little while to realize what a wonderful blessing it was, but with a little time I see things more clearly. 

My dad and stepmother's air conditioning went on the blink.  This was during a time of extreme heat here in Knoxville and there was no way they could stay in their home.  They are in their mid to late 80's and therefore a more dire situation than it might have been if they were younger.  It is a long story as far as the repair of the air conditioner, but they ended up spending 13 days/nights with me.  Yes it was, and they will tell you this, 13 long and stress filled days/nights.  The three of us, and my two baby dogs, co-existed in my two bedroom condo during that time.  And, to be honest, it is not something I would like to do again any time soon, but I would if I had to.  That being said, we survived and did so without anyone dying or getting seriously injured!!!!

Now you might ask what in the world could I have found one blessing, let alone several blessings, from that most stressful two weeks period of my life.  Well, I got to spend time with two people I love more than anything.  I got to spend daily living time, not just passing time.  We did everything together for two weeks that is routine for a family, but not so much at our ages and at this point in our lives.  God blessed me with that time, I have no doubt.  As is so routine for God, He is able to take that which might not be so pleasant for us humans and make a big, wonderful blessing out of it.

As I have said, I have had big blessings all my life.  I have also have had, and continue to have, those little daily blessings that I too often take for granted.  I am real bad about not remembering my good health.  That is a daily blessing that is so easy to forget.  My newly pressure washed driveway is a blessing, My getting to sit out on my screened in porch and enjoy nature has been such a blessing this summer.  Getting to cuddle with my baby dogs on the couch almost daily blesses me so much.  Getting to see and visit with my special friends and family members from time to time blesses me greatly.  I could go on and on.

Yes, I am a blessed woman and have no doubt that will never change.  Until I take my last breath, God will continue to bless my life.  For that, I am so very thankful.

I found the following poem that expresses so much concerning blessings and how they come to us sometimes in the most unexpected ways.  It spoke to my heart and I hope it speaks to yours.

Until next time...Becky

"Blessings"
​by Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise