Count Your Many Blessings

For those of you who know me well, and see me daily/weekly/or often enough know that things have been tough lately. For those who know me REALLY well, know that of late, I have not been myself.

I have been extremely sad, quick to anger, and down-right moody. Without divulging too much info- I chalk most of it up to hormones, stress, and too much self-absorbency (you know being too full of self pity)

My church life has been mostly lukewarm. I am having a difficult time adjusting to church-life as a mommy... has it already been a year since I REALLY heard a sermon???

And don't get me started on my home life... lets just say- stress+depression= one very unmotivated wife and mother.

Why am I telling you all this? Why am I sharing the self-pity? Well after a nice night out with Jim and a long talk about my selfish feelings, I have been encouraged that now is the time that I can be an encourager. WHAT??? ME??? ENCOURAGE OTHERS???? You must be joking right? You want me to get off my pity pot and encourage others???? Well, he's right!

We are told in the scriptures to go and tell what great things the Lord has done for us. Even in our darkest hours, we can still count our blessings and witness to others how the Lord provides exceeding abundantly above more than we can ask or think:

1. My family and Jim's family are right here to help me/us (some people are going through a lot worse and are far away from their family)
2. My husband is too busy (with odd jobs) to look for work (some people are without jobs and have NO income at all)
3. My son is by far one of the healthiest kids I know- he's never even run a fever
4. We are dieting to lose weight, which means we eat more than we should, which means we have more than we need (when we went to the Celtic Thunder concert in St. Pete, there were at least 3 homeless people that we saw looking through the trash cans for food)
5. I have been taught the wonderful truth of the Lord that I can glean on during this time when I am unable to focus on the sermons because of Joshua's figityness.
6. I have been blessed with a child (for which I longed- so many years)
7. I have a husband who is willing to give up EVERYTHING of himself so that I may have anything I want.
8. I have friends who know what I am going through and offer a sympathetic ear and even when things aren;t great for them, they listen to MY burdens
9. I have people praying for me to the only ONE who can help


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

I can't say that I will be 100% my normal self from now on but I am going to try to cast my burdens at Jesus feet and meditate on the wonderful blessings He has bestowed on me.