Choosing Blessing

Choosing Blessing

Written 2014-10-02 14:33:06, Thursday

A few weeks ago, B and I walked around Wal-Mart, just walking around aimlessly, looking at stuff, not looking at stuff. Just being and hanging out together. Never mind how walking is good exercise. 

We found our way to an aisle which had all sorts of Fall or harvest merchandise and I found a stand up sign that says, "Blessings." 

We are trying to pinch our pennies, hoping to save for a house one day, but the sign called out to me and said, "I'm yours. take me." I glanced at B and his eyes smiled at me in the way only they can. It didn't quite make it to his mouth, but I could tell he sure felt the smile. 

"Go ahead."

Neither B or I need permission from one another to spend a dime. That's not it. I just like to save money and he knows me and giving me permission to spend six dollars on a sign/plaque which will bring me absolute joy is priceless. 

Of course, I beamed, clapped, and said, "Yay! Okay."

He shook his head and a smile came to his mouth this time. 

Why did I have to spend the money we're tyring to save? Well, I didn't have to. It wasn't something I needed. But, I wanted it. 

My theme for this year has been gratitude, blessing, and thanksgiving. And, it will be my theme for 2015. In fact, I think it will be my theme for the rest of my life. 

Counting my blessings is my favorite and best way to worship God. For, counting my blessings requires me to be intentional and alert to God, His work, His presence, his glory. 

My life has been full of storm, trials, temptations, tough stuff, challenges, whatever you want to call it. It's been full of yuck. I've seen and experienced a great deal. (Just like everyone else, let me add.) And, a long time ago, my dad taught me how I cannot control most of life, for it is anything but fair. However, I can sure control my reactions to it. My reaction I want to purposefully choose in every moment is to focus on the blessing and not on the storm (or the yuck).

I want to choose blessing.

Life has enough ugly and yuck in it. Why focus on that? What good comes from this?

The answer is nothing good comes out of focusing on the yuck. 

However, choose to focus on the blessing, and what bad comes from that?

What bad comes from choosing to focus on the blessings of every moment? 

The answer is simple: No bad ever comes from choosing on focusing on the blessing of every moment. 

I started to try to focus on the blessing in November 2013 after some very ugly stuff happened in my life. No. It wasn't the ugliest stuff by any means. But, it still hurt and was still a storm. I didn't handle it the best way possible, but I did learn about counting my blessings. Or, at least I started to do so. 

However, I started to slip away from this. I allowed myself to fall into the traps I know good and well to watch out for: the traps of busyness and lack of focus (getting sidetracked). These are two traps that seem to be my thorn in my flesh. They are how I stumble and lose focus. It's my continual struggle I need to be constantly aware of in my life. 

Then, life brought another storm in April. This meant I slipped away from counting my blessings all the more. Sure, I still counted them from time to time, but not like I could or should. 

Needless to say, in July, I tried to refocus on counting my blessings. I was quite successful at it until I got close to my fortieth birthday and then I got sidetracked trying to write and do other stuff for about a month. Now, I've returned to counting my blessings once again. Now, I hope to make it a continual, habitual practice that I stay focused on and do not stray from in my life. I am going to practice Blessings Counted Journaling so much and to the point I am so used to doing so I find it difficult to anything but. 

Yesterday, when I took a prayer inventory and discovered my prayer strength is gratitude, I wasn't surprised. It was a good reminder and it brought me to the realization today of how I want Blessings Counted Journaling to be my main focus. I want to write a million blog posts and books on it. After all, I know how this life is full of tough stuff. I've experienced it firsthand and have walked with others through their tough stuff. 

I want to choose blessing and help others to do the same. 

I want to live my sign/plaque: BLESSINGS. 

After all, God is good all the time.