NOVEMBER 06, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

NOVEMBER 06, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

BLESSINGS COUNTED BOOK

WELCOME

Written 2014-11-06 07:48:59, Thursday

Welcome to a new blog post series, which I will turn into a book later. It's called:

BLESSINGS COUNTED:
A BOOK OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING

The purpose of this blog post series, and then blog book, is to help us realize the life we have is a blessing. 

We can dream of having a different life, and even plan on it, but if we do not appreciate what we have, where we are, the future will never be enough for us and we will always be greedy and want more. we will constantly feel like something is missing in our lives and we will try to fill that gap in our hearts and lives. Often, we will try to fill it with things that do not really matter, hoping that they will. This, of course, is futile.

However, if we can learn how to count this present moment a blessing, and search for all of the blessings in this moment, then we will live by far better lives. Period.

We will then live lives of meaning--not lives where we constantly seek more or something different. 

Do you want to know, and live, a life of joy? This is the key. 

Joy is not found anywhere else or in anyone else. It is found in your present moment.

This present moment is the only thing we can control. So, why not get as much out of this moment as possible? How do we do that exactly? It's through counting our blessings in this moment and reflecting on the past and counting those blessings as well. It changes how we view our past and makes us appreciate the journey we've taken. 

Counting our blessings is the most important thing we could ever do with our lives. 

This blog post series will help us learn how to count our blessings and to do that in every moment, all day long, for the rest of our lives. 

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MY BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST FOR NOVEMBER 06, 2014

NOTE

My goal is to count a minimum of 25 blessings each day from now until Thanksgiving. 

ANOTHER NOTE

I will share my blessings with you as a blessing counting prompt for you. I hope you can get ideas or be reminded of something and then are able to count a blessing or two from some, if not all of my blessings. 

Also, I think if we surround ourselves with counting blessings, even when it's not ours, we are more apt to see, remember, and count our own. 

MY BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST

Whenever Zack, my beagle, sits on my foot. 

How Kara, the stray/feral cat who adopted my husband (whom I will call B) on September 21 of this year, loves to sleep on top of the printer for my computer. Hence, she's a green putty tat. She brings me pause whenever I think I want to print out something. I don't want to wake the old lady or disturb her, so I save it online/over the cloud instead. I think she likes its warmth, how it is up high and gives her a good view of my study and the hallway, and how it forms a wall of safety around her on three sides. (That's my avatar.)

Warm coffee on a cool day, in my favorite mug of the day.

Deciding to dedicate myself, and my writing, to focus on counting my blessings and no other writing, even though I might have the best idea ever. 

Counting my blessings is a massive blessing. 

The Thanksgiving month of November. 

How the one word I've focused on this year is "Blessing" and how it's shaped my year. 

How my life's word, which I want to dedicate my life to is: "Blessing."

How I now identify myself first as a blessing counter, not as a writer. 

Learning something strange and new. I suffer from chronic dry nose (on the inside). I can drink all the water I want or use all of the saline spray I want, but I still have dry nose. It makes sleeping a challenge for me and my husband and I just don't feel the best because of it. Never mind how it sure doesn't help while working out either. My doctor told me to use lip balm/protectant inside my nose. After all, the tissues in my naval cavity is the same as the tissues on my lips. So, I use a cotton swab in the morning and just before bed and feel so much better! I can also use it more than that if needed. Sorry to be gross, but I wanted to share this if anyone else suffers from the same problem. {Just make sure to check with your doctor first, and get a check-up,  because dry nose can be a symptom to other serious conditions.} This is an enormous blessing!

Good health.

Today is a 5k day for B and I. Can't wait to run.  

What a blessing that I can run.

What a blessing it is that I can walk. 

Thank God for doctors. 

Ideas.

Cream for my coffee. It feels like a blanket on my tongue and throat as it goes down.

Today. A new day. A blank slate and opportunity.

How Kara's (my precious feral old lady cat) trill sounds like the coo of a dove, so I call her my little dove. 

Being able to keep my Blessings Counted List (aka my Gratitude List, Blessings List, Thanksgiving List) list in my on online journal. It's cloud based, so this is a permanent list I can look at for the rest of my life and can pass it on to someone else later. 

For being able to keep my journal online so I can review and remember my blessings later. 

For being able to type my Blessings Counted List for I can type a great deal quicker than I can write, and it's easier to read (and I have nice handwriting when I want to). 

Being a stay-home blessings counter, writer, and wife.

Being a stay-home blessings counter, for I can stay in my pajamas as long as I want to each day. 

For my husband who allows the stay-home thing. 

For the finances we have so I can be a stay-home blessings counter. 

Everything I/we have overcome this year. It's been a tough one month before Thanksgiving 2013. I cannot underscore that enough.

For what I/we have overcome since April.

For God fine-tuning our vision and helping us see things differently.

For God showing us how to appreciate what we have, not what we could have or want. 

I have learned a great deal this year.

I have learned how strong of a faith I have this year (for it's God who has given me my faith).

{NOTE: Yes. As I count my blessings, I look around with my eyes, and in my mind, for blessings to count. It servesw as a prompt or stimulant to help me think of other blessings.}

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MEMORIES ARE BLESSINGS AND ARE FULL OF BLESSINGS

Written 2014-11-06 10:21:28, Thursday

Every memory you have is a blessing. (Please keep reading. Let me explain.)

Every memory we have, and remember is for a purpose. There is a reason we remember it. Our brains sort through things and puts some memories in a 'save for later' file and we do not remember it when we try to do so or we may not remember it at all. But, it's still there in our brains, ready to be retrieved at the appropriate time. And, our brains figure out when that is, not us. 

Our brains also have a file that's 'Readily retrieved,' where all we need to do is think for a bit and certain things will pop into our conscious mind and we will remember. 

Every memory we think of is one our brain thinks we can handle and probably should. So, how do we handle our memories? We intentionally, actively look for blessings in each memory--even in the tough memories. That's how.

Let me be honest here. I have memories I would rather forget, thank you very much. But, that right there let's me know I should think of them. If there is ever a memory I want to avoid, it's because I have not thoroughly dealt with it and am allowing it to deal with me instead. 

The memories I don't want to deal with, but need to, end up being some of my best blessings. Oh, at the time, as I start to dig them up, it hurts and is miserable. But, I keep digging so I can fully expose it for what it is. When I do, I see that what I thought was the buried ugly truth ends up being something beautiful because of all of the blessings that I gain through the memory. I realize through hindsight how while it was a challenge at the time, it served to make me who I am today and I can see how it has shaped my life. And, as I keep digging, I find enormous blessings through the once ugly truth. Also, I usually find far more blessings than in/from other memories. 

This is part of the reason why I said every memory you have is a blessing. So, dig it up, harvest it, and look for the blessings in that memory. 

END OF YEAR AND THANKSGIVING BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

Make sure to go through each month of this past year and remember from memory your memories. Find three blessings at least from each memory.

Then, go through your blessings counted list from this past year if you have one and find more blessings from those memories and count your blessings. 

Then, go through your journaling from this year, if you have any, and find more blessings to count. 

Then, go through your photos from this year, and find more blessings to count. 

Then, go through your calendar or schedule from this last year and find blessings to count. 

And, go through past years' blessings counted list, journaling, your calendar/schedule and photos. Count your blessings. 

You could have thousands of blessings counted between now and the end of the year if you did this--and did so thoroughly. Can you imagine if you did? How different would your life be if you did? And, how will this set you up for next year? What will you do with the next year then? 

Count your blessings. Dig through your memories and harvest them. It is that time of year, after all. 

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(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)

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MY REFLECTION OF THANKSGIVING 2013: A BLESSING COUNTED AND A STORY OF BLESSING

Written 2014-11-06 10:58:54, Thursday

Last Thanksgiving is mostly a blur. It was a painful one. 

Exactly one month prior, my husband and I learned we were both infertile after years of trying, testing, surgeries, two failed rounds of IVF, etc.

We wanted to try the natural pregnancy first. (We are not against adoption at all and went on to try that as well.) Both of us are only children and the last of our family line, so we wanted to make sure to use every tool in our toolbox before we moved to another toolbox, so to speak.

Oh, I cannot even begin to tell you how painful this was. 

The fact it happened exactly one month before Thanksgiving only added to the ouch. It's my favorite holiday. It's a time for family and friends. It was a reminder of what we would never have--in the conventional way. 

So, B and I both felt quite beat up over the next month. 

The one thing we didn't doubt for an instant was how God had a plan. There was a reason and a purpose for our experience. This gave us hope and was what we held onto as we grieved and tried to heal. 

It's amazing, by the way, how much it hurts as I type this. But, it's a different kind. It's the pain you feel when you've moved on, but remember the pain. It's pain  not from the event, but from the experience of going through the event, if that makes sense. 

A week later, my husband went back to work (he took a week off so we could grieve, be together, and figure out, 'what now') and I decided I needed to get out of the house and went to my favorite coffee shop. I loved to go there and write and journal. (Note the past tense. LOVED. No longer.) 

I had to go there. The journaling I would get done would be a huge help and would help me heal and sort things out in my heart and mind. The coffee I had was simply divine. Life was good. I felt like I returned home and felt like me again after a couple of weeks of pain. 

As I sat there, looking at Fall outside of the massive picture window, and the fountain along the way, I heard a conversation that scarred me. 

"It looks like we're pregnant again."

"You are?"

"Yep. Keep popping them out. Not sure why." 

And...

"Not sure I really like being a mom, but it is what I am and I will make the best of the situation."

There was more to the conversation than that, but I will spare you the details. 

I would give, at the time, everything I had and am, to have a baby--and that pregnant woman spoke of it so flippantly. 

I ended up packing my stuff, trying not to burst into sobs, and I stopped at their table and said, "Please be careful about what you say and how you say it in public. I just found out I am infertile and to hear the way you just spoke was terrible. Please be careful and by God, appreciate the supreme gift the Lord is trusting you with." And I left. 

I have not been back. It was simply too painful.

As I write this, I am shaking as I remember the pain. Oh, it hurt.

But, I have the benefit of hindsight now and can see all of the blessings in this situation now. In the infertility and in the coffee shop experiences. I also know how worse things got up until about a month ago.

We kept trying to adopt. Everything that could happen to prevent it did. (There are blessings to be found there.) 

We had more storms. (More blessings to be found here.) 

Then, there was Mother's Day and Father's Day. Talk about painful times. Reminders of what could not be, but of what I have always wanted. (More blessings still to be found.)

Then, about a month ago, we decided to stop trying to adopt and have it just be the two of us and our five four-legged critters (Zack the Beagle, Sinan the Orange Main Coon cat, Shelly and Harry aquatic turtles, and Kara the black and white once feral old lady cat. We decided we would rather give ourselves to ministry of visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices and be there for them--and listen to their stories of blessing. If we had a kiddo, we would not be able to do this. This is what we want to do when we move, which will be sometime in the next year or so. This is how we want to spend our retirement and the rest of our lives. We want to be there with them. 

I think I can return to that coffee shop--and I will.

But, I just might still hibernate on Mother's and Father's Day. 

I think we will be thrown into the deep pool of blessing though this special ministry, and walking with them on their End of Life journey. We will be able to be there for them when loved ones cannot be or when they are alone. 

I cannot even begin to imagine how blessed we will be by hearing their stories of blessing. And, with their permission, I cannot wait to share their blessings with you.

A time of deep, severe, agonizing pain has led to a pool of blessing we can so freely bathe in and bask in the glory of the Blessing Giver. 

Our infertility was painful, but is overflowing with blessing--immeasurable blessing. 

How about you? Do you have some painful times in your life, which now drip with overflowing blessing? If you cannot think of any, keep digging and harvesting those memories. Repeat it over and over--and you will find the overflowing blessing. It just may take some time and work. Look at my experience. It's been over a year. So, fear not. 

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COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS CAN BE PAINFUL

Written 2014-11-06 11:44:00, Thursday

Let's face it. Counting our blessings can be painful at first because it can stir up some painful parts of our past or painful fears we have of the future. 

We need to be aware of this.

I will not paint a rosy or unrealistic image for you. I want you to know what you might expect from time to time. 

However...

This is a massively enormous (using that redundant wording for a reason--to make a point) however. So...

However, if it is painful at times to count our blessings, we need to make sure to not run from it. We need to face it head on and deal with it, so it does not deal with us. 

As we face the pain straight on, without swerving off course to avoid it, we need to search and dig for blessings to count from the situation. And, we harvest them and count them.

In other words, when we feel pain as we count our blessings, we need to keep digging and searching--and trying to find more blessings to count. 

When we do, we will indeed find more blessings and they usually are more meaningful. So, keep facing the pain, keep digging,a nd keep counting. Do not stop of it gets tough. 

Do not EVER stop counting your blessings. Even if it hurts at first, the pain will lead you to something far more meaningful and many more blessings. 

Trust me. 

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COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS ON THE PAGE

Written 2014-11-06 12:11:23, Thursday

WRITE DOWN YOUR BLESSINGS AS YOU COUNT THEM

The whole premise, and idea behind counting our blessings, is to... count our blessings--and remember them.

How do we remember them? We write them down on the page. 

Why write our blessings?

Yes, as I have said already, it's so we can remember them. But, why should we want to do that?

Why not? That's my first reason. 

Can you think of doing anything better? Seriously. Apart from praying and reading the Bible, I cannot think of anything more important. (But, counting your blessings and putting them on the page can include both of those activities--and should.)

Why else should you put them on the page? To leave your legacy. 

Why else should you count your blessings on the page? So, you can look back every year at your previous lists and see how far you've come and how blessed you are, in spite of life's challenges and storms. 

Why write down your blessings? To share them as stories with others.

Why count your blessings on the page? When you're dying, and we all will one day, it will be a wonderful thing to have to look back on and recount how fortunate your life has been.

Why write them down? It makes us think more on the blessing we count and write. If we just think it, it's a couple of seconds to count. Whereas, If we think it, count it, write it, we dwell on the blessing longer and appreciate it all the more and do not take things for granted or overlook things. 

Why remember our blessings and count them repeatedly?

Think about a really painful time period in your life. If you were to sit down and try to count your blessings, I bet you would not be able to think much beyond: "The sky is blue. An orange is orange. The sun rose." 

While those three blessings are indeed blessings we should count, they are not blessings we find when we dig and search deeply to find the immeasurable blessing. 

When going through a hard time, it helps to have a list of blessings already so you can count those blessings if you cannot think of any new ones. It's okay to steal former blessings to count again.

And, can you imagine during those times, if you had a list of two thousand or more (for example), how much that would change how you felt then. It would remind you how fortunate you are--in spite of this situation. It would give you hope. 

This is one reason why we should count our blessings and remember them by putting them down on the page. The only catch is if they were not written down, then we would not have a list of blessings to remind us how fortunate we are. 

Count your blessings and put all of them down on the page. write them down. It's a treasure.

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BOOK COVER

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present, LLC 2014.)

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