Showing posts with label Blessings Counted Book. Show all posts

Sunday, November 30, 2014

STORIES OF BLESSINGS ON NOVEMBER 30, 2014, PART 1

TOPICS IN THIS BLOG POST:

1 APOLOGIES (AND NANOWRIMO)

2 A NEW VISION AND PERSPECTIVE REGARDING THE BLESSINGS OF THE NOW

3 REMEMBERING OUR BLESSINGS

4 HOW TO KEEP A BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST

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APOLOGIES (AND NANOWRIMO)

Written 2014-11-30 08:31:12, Sunday

APOLOGIES

Let me begin by asking for your patience from yesterday and today as I did, and will do, multiple blog posts. I will cut it back to one per day Monday through Saturday after today.

The reason for the multiple posts yesterday and today is because I am giving my full attention to my writing of Stories of Blessing, counting my blessings, and coaching on how you can become a Blessings Counter, too, through keeping a Blessings Counted List. I have redoubled my effort to share with you stories of blessing and help you to share yours as well, even if it's just in your own private Blessings Counted List.

Living a life of counting our blessings means living a life of gratitude and thanksgiving, versus living a life in which we choose never to be satisfied and always wanting more. Living the more life means living for things and people, not a life of meaning. That is not a rewarding, fulfilling, or purposeful life. Whereas, living a life of blessing makes this life more than bearable, it makes life truly and deeply enjoyable.

I am writing, as a whole, to share these things with you and to help me get more of a blessing-focused vision and perspective.

NANOWRIMO (NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH)

But, I have written, and will write multiple blog posts yesterday and today for the National Novel Writing Month of November (NaNoWriMo or NaNo for short).

So far, I have 45,000 words of a minimum of 50,000 due by eleven this evening.

Yesterday, I started with 38,000 words and today I started with 44,500 words. I am confident I will win NaNoWriMo this year and it is all through Stories of Blessing.

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2 A NEW VISION AND PERSPECTIVE REGARDING THE BLESSINGS OF THE NOW

Blessings mean living a life of gratitude and thanksgiving for what you have now and not overlooking it or taking it for granted, as each are so easy to do. If we cannot appreciate what we have now, how can we ever appreciate anything different. What we have now is our greatest resource and strength, if only we would learn how to see now with different vision and perspective.

How can we see everything and everyone now as a blessing, and have a renewed vision to do so, believe it or not is through counting our blessings. The more we search for and count our blessings, the more blessings we will see. This will make our now, and our future and past, a blessing as well.

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3 REMEMBERING OUR BLESSINGS

Written 2014-11-30 08:42:48, Sunday

A lifestyle of counting blessings means appreciating life as you live it and not overlooking all of the good in the now, in the present. It is appreciating life to its fullest and not living a mediocre life. It is living a life of purpose.

Counting our blessings helps us to appreciate the little things as well as the big things, and everything in-between.

Counting our blessings is actually not about doing something. Rather, it is about living a life of being. Counting our blessings is about living a deeper, more meaningful, more purposeful life. It is about getting rid of shallow, easy, and petty living.

Living a life of gratitude, a life of blessing, is vastly different than the lifestyle of the world today. The world says more is better and best. However, have you noticed that once someone gets what is better and best, they still want more? It is a lifestyle that will never be fulfilled. It's a life of more, busyness, always trying to focus on self and the way we look and are perceived. We buy more, want more, seek more, get busier, trying to live a life of happiness and fulfillment, but never getting there.

Living a life of counting our blessings requires we go against the grain, against the world, and live a deeper life of meaning. It helps us to look around and see life for what it is, now, and not overlooking it. It's seeing how much we have to be grateful and is a life of stopping to overlook or take for granted what we have, and who we have today.

But, counting our blessings will only take us so far. We need to count them and remember the blessings we have counted. If we do not, then we take our blessings for granted and treat them like a one time gift.

The beauty about each blessing is it can be recounted over and over again and each time we count it, we are given joy.

When was the last time a bite of ice cream was able to offer you that?

When was your fancy new house able to offer you continual joy? There is something that always has to be fixed or something can always look better in your home.

When was the last time a video game brought you continual joy?

Nothing and no one in this life can bring you the deep joy, sense of meaning, and purpose than counting our blessings. And, we can keep experiencing the deep, meaning, and purpose of the same blessing each time we count it. Everything else in this life has a shelf-life or is short lived.

Therefore, it is critical we remember our blessings counted?

How do we remember our blessings counted? We keep a Blessings Counted List. That is how.

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4 HOW TO KEEP A BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST

Written 2014-11-30 08:38:19, Sunday and 2014-11-30 08:56:04

I have learned through my counting of blessings in the last thirteen months how keeping a Blessings Counted List is an art form. But, it is not what you are thinking.

It is important to figure out a way to help you count your blessings. Whether it's speaking them into an audio recorder, and then typing them out at the end of the day, or keeping a list like a grocery list on a pad of paper, or sending yourself an email of blessings, or keeping an online journal. Figure out what way helps increase the chances of you counting your blessings to begin with, but also motivates you to count even more when you are counting your blessings.

And, if what you are doing now, while counting your blessings, stops being so fruitful, then change how you do it until you find a new meaningful way to search for and count your blessings. It is really that simple. I will warn you, though, there are days it takes me changing it up all day long in order for me to count my blessings. So, you may experience the same thing from time to time.

The key is to go with it. Work with it. And, keep searching for and counting your blessings, particularly when you do not want to or feel it. When you feel this way, it is a lot like working out, that is when it is most important for you to do so, and if you do, it usually becomes a very productive day.

So, how do you keep a Blessings Counted List? The key is to work with what you prefer to do. How do you like most to write? Is it with paper and pen, making an audio recording, through sending an email, a blank document, or an online journal, for example? Whatever you prefer to do when you write, do that.

I will share my system, merely as an idea and to help stimulate your mind so you can figure out what would and would not work for you. You do not have to do what I do. Find what works for you. Experiment.

I use multiple platforms to count my blessings: my tablet, my cell, paper and pen, and audio recorder. I do whatever works best for me at the time. However, at the end of the day, I make sure to get it all saved over the Internet, on the Cloud, so my Blessings Counted List can never be lost and I can access it with any Internet capable device from anywhere in the world and at any time. I never want to lose a blessing and i never want to miss a blessing. This helps me to prevent both.

I use Penzu for my online journal and it is saved over the Internet. So, I will always have that journaling, my Blessings Counted Lists.

I also keep one Blessings Counted List per day, then, I combine it into a monthly list in a document, which I then email to myself so it is saved permanently. Then, I save my monthly lists into a quarterly document and then into a yearly document. This archival system helps me to find and review my blessings.

I cannot even begin to tell you how delightful it is to see multiple files of daily blessings, weekly blessings, monthly blessings, quarterly blessings, and yearly blessings. In time, I will also have a decades list and file list as well.

I do everything I can to help make it easier for me to count my blessings and to recount them again later.

The more blessings I count on the page, the better life becomes. After all, on a challenging day, I can go back and recount my blessings and see how blessed I really am overall, even though this moment might be one of storm. This makes it all worthwhile.

Also, I share my blessings with others in roder to help them to see the blessings in their lives. It is a way to coach people and help them to gain the vision to search for, find, and count their blessings.

How do you keep a Blessings Counted List? You experiment and figure out what works for you at the time. you know if it is working because you count your blessings goal and you then you are motivated and inspired to count a few more.

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Tuesday, November 11, 2014

NOVEMBER 11, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

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HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY

Happy Veteran's Day to all who serve and have served.

Thank you, and your family, for your service.

We would not have the quality of life we do here in the United States of America if not for you. Thank you for protecting the freedoms most of us take for granted.

God bless you and the United States of America.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease and Remembering Your Present 2008-2014.)

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

Are you taking part in either one of these challenges--where we are essentially trying to count 20 to 25 blessings each day between now and Thanksgiving and 10 per day between now and the end of the year?

If so, let me know. Attach a comment at the end of any blog post. Let's hold each other accountable to this and talk about it--and share our stories of blessing.

Now, I want to do a writing prompt for these challenges today:

BLESSINGS COUNTED PROMPT

Count at least five additional blessings today.

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

NOTE: This is in addition to the blessings you are counting already.

1. List 10 things you are grateful for in 2014. List whatever comes to mind, as it comes to mind, no matter how silly it may seem.

2. List 10 things you are grateful for in your life. List anything that comes to mind, when it comes to mind, no matter how silly or trivial it may seem.

3. Wait 15 minutes or less, and repeat #1 then #2. It's okay if you repeat blessings in your blessings counted lists. Just make sure if it is a repeated blessing, to add one more to your total due and extend your list so you have at least ten new blessings listed.

4. Do #3 as many times as you want between now and the end of the year. Preferably do this at least couple times each day.

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10 THINGS I'M GRATEFUL FOR IN 2014

Written 2014-11-08 14:25:06, Saturday

(Not necessarily in the correct order. Just listed whatever came to mind first.)

1 Kara

2 An expanded vision of the future.

3 Dedicating myself once and for all to be a Blessings Counter.

4 Learning how much my faith has grown.

5 Norfolk Botanical Gardens

6 How I've been using Penzu daily since July 12.

7 How B and I got rid of some furniture and downsized some.

8 Getting rid of books and being able to re-do my study. New organization. New look. Simplicity. Less cluttered.

9 Getting our blue dresser, which we use as a stand for Harry and his turtle tank.

10 Driving to Roanoke with B.

11 Seeing the Fall leaves along the Blue Ridge Parkway--roadtrip. with B.

12 Growing my hair out.

13 Visit home to Colorado in February.

14 Trips to Historic Jamestowne.

15 Stories of Blessing Blog.

16 Future outlook of Stories of Blessing.

17 Becoming a Blessings Counting Coach.

18 Getting new vehicle.

19 Realizing everything I have, and everyone I have, is more than enough.

20 Choosing not to have children.

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2014 BLESSINGS COUNTED JOURNALING PROMPT

When I say 2014, and you think 2014, what do you think about? What blessings pop into your mind? List as many as you can, as fast as you can.

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NANOWRIMO WRITING PROGRESS UPDATE

Written 2014-11-10 09:52:05, Monday

As far as NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month of November of every year), my writing progress has been behind schedule each and every day. After all, the first four days, I wrote two different books (or was it three)? Then, I switched to the BLESSINGS COUNTED: A BOOK OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING. It's not a novel at all and is a nonfictin book, It's these blog posts copied and pasted into a book. I will then edit it and add new material later.

The word count due today is 16,670.

I have 14,731 words written so far. This means I need to write 1,939 more words today.

I am rather satisfied with what I've written overall.

But, I know it's rather disjointed, needs editing, and the writing can be smoothed and tightened up in order to make it the best read. However, this is a rough draft... a first draft. For what it is, I'm quite pleased--and blessed.

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WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH YOUR BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST?

Written 2014-11-10 09:48:46, Monday

Other than the obvious (of re-counting your blessings), what else can you do with your Blessings Counted List?

Let's stop for a moment. Looking back at the entirety of your Blessings Counted List, and particularly over the last thirty days, is one of the most beneficial things you can do. It reminds us of where we've come from and been blessed with, which we can forget over time. Also, as we count those blessings again, new blessings may come to mind we want to count and it might be a reminder of some old blessings we want to count again, and do so periodically, because they have made a difference in our lives. Therefore, re-reading our Blessings Counted List is really important.

On bad days, challenging days, days we feel blah--or someone else does, it's important to pull out our Blessings Counted List and share some without ourselves or others. It's a reminder of what to be grateful for and how to appreciate what we have now.

Another reason to count our blessings is because the Blessings Counted List becomes a Blessings Journal--or a form of a journal. It's where we can see our life in motion, where we have come from (where we were), where we are), where we are headed, and where we hope to go.

There is another reason to keep our Blessings Counted List, and what to use them for besides this, and that is to leave a legacy. It's a blessings legacy. It's a blessings legacy of our lives and of the lives of those around us. Can you imagine each year sharing with your loved ones the blessings you've counted of their lives and how they've been a blessing for you over the past year--and throughout their and your lives? Needless to say, make sure to count the blessings in their lives, not just in your own. This is particularly with those you don't think would ever keep a Blessings Counted List. Giving them the blessings you counted for them might be the biggest blessing they ever receive and get them to become a Blessings Counter as well.

Also, another way to use your Blessings Counted List is for this... With every single blessing you ever write, you can expand it into a longer writing. You can share why it's a blessing today, how it's been a blessing in the past, and memories you have associated with such a blessing. This then becomes a Story of Blessing.

Furthermore, it's really easy to write your memoir from your Blessings Counted List.

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BLESSINGS QUOTES

A blessing is not something you wish for.

Rather, it is a gift given to you by the Blessings Giver that you don't deserve.

And, it's something you most often have to search for or you might miss it altogether.

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Monday, November 10, 2014

NOVEMBER 10, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

NOVEMBER 10, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

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WHAT IF? (AND BLESSINGS)

Written 2014-11-07 15:16:53, Friday

I wonder...

I wonder what would happen if every time I had a concern pop into my mind, if I countered it with counting at least three blessings in its place.

I wonder what would happen if every time I grew worried or anxious about Kara, if I counted at least three blessings.

I wonder if with every storm or challenge, what would happen if I counted three blessings.

I wonder if with every frustration, what would happen if I counted three blessings.

I wonder if every time I felt stressed, what would happen if I counted three blessings.

I wonder what would happen if when my husband and I had a misunderstanding, and I stopped and counted three blessings, what would happen.

I wonder what would happen if I counted three blessings with every joyful and happy moment.

I wonder what would happen if I counted three blessings because of no reason at all, other than to appreciate how fortunate and blessed I really am.

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

If so, let me know. Attach a comment at the end of any blog post. Let's hold each other accountable to this and talk about it--and share our stories of blessing.

Now, I want to do a writing prompt for these challenges today:

BLESSINGS COUNTED PROMPT

Count at least five additional blessings today.

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CHRISTIAN BLESSINGS NOVEMBER 10, 2014

Written 2014-11-07 13:25:09, Friday

This verse is the cornerstone of why I give thanks.

Philippians 4:6 Expanded Bible (EXB)

6 Do not ·worry [be anxious] about anything, but pray and ·ask God for everything you need [or make your requests known to God], always giving thanks.

Expanded Bible (EXB)

ALWAYS give thanks. Period. End of story.

It's a command.

I do not question it and am trying to live by it. I'm learning more how to each and every day.

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BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST NOVEMBER 08, 2014, SATURDAY

158 The Fall leaves are at their crescendo at the moment. Stunning.

159 Having a good workout with weights. With hubby (160). At the gym.

161 Felt really yucky this morning. I've been dealing with sinus stuff and felt much better after working out. Thank God.

162 Kara hasn't had an upset stomach since Thursday. (Another Thank You, Lord! )

163 I love this time of year. Autumn. November. Weather and leaves (164).

165 Kara has been eating well today.

166 Getting more of an image for what the future will look like or could possibly look like.

167 I counted my blessings today in the middle of a trying time--and it worked. The moment I did, things seemed to have changed.

168 Airing out the house again. Nice weather to support doing so (169).

170 Sinan cat is enjoying sitting in open window.

171 Zack is snuggling with B on the sofa while they do their guy thing.

172 Kara and Shelly are hanging out with me while we do our girl thing in the study.

173 NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, which I am writing a nonfiction book instead, BLESSINGS COUNTED: A BOOK OF GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING) is going quite well.

{Side-Note: Today, 13,336 words minimum are due and I have 10,471 words written so far. So, I need to write 2,865 words.}

174 Three years in a row, the most spectacular place for us to find Fall leaves and take pictures has been... WalMart parking lot. We went there today and I got some pretty pics.

175 Sleeping cats

176 Lip balm

177 Lemonade

178 Soup on chilly days

179 Soup and sandwich

180 How Kara wanted hugs this morning when I woke her up.

181 How old vinyl tablecloths are wonderful to use as paint drop cloths.

182 Vinyl tablecloths--how cheery they are and bring color to a room. No, it's not for fancy dining, but for every day stuff, they are nice. Not an all-the-time thing, but off and on throughout the year.

183 It's getting closer to the time of year (because of weather/temp) to bring out the flannel sheets. LOVE them.

184 How much Kara likes rotisserie chicken.

185 Sugar-free pumpkin spice lattes--homemade.

186 Pumpkin soup.

187 Pumpkin candles.

188 Owls.

189 Possibilities.

190 The unknowns.

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGE PROMPT

Answer each question and answer with a different answer for each. Be specific and include details in each response and say why you count is as a blessing:

What are you the most thankful for this year?

The last six months?

The last three months?

The last month?

The last week?

Today?

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

NOTE: This is in addition to the blessings you are counting already.

1. List 10 things you are grateful for in 2014. List whatever comes to mind, as it comes to mind, no matter how silly it may seem.

2. List 10 things you are grateful for in your life. List anything that comes to mind, when it comes to mind, no matter how silly or trivial it may seem.

4. Do #3 as many times as you want between now and the end of the year. Preferably do this at least couple times each day.

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BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST FOR NOVEMBER 09, 2014

408 Zack snuggling with me on sofa.

409 Zack trying to fit his bigger body into Kara's little cat bed.

410 Kara hasn't hissed or growled Zack in a few days.

411 Kara hasn't hissed or growled at Sinan in a few days.

412 Broncos 20 vs. Raiders 10 end of first half. (After Broncos were behind. Raiders haven't won any games this season.)

413 When Zack uses my foot as a pillow as we snuggle on the couch.

414 Fiber One cereal. Yum!

415 Touchdown, Broncos.

416 I pulled out our flannel sheets from the closet and we will wash them and get them on the bed tomorrow.

417 A new book I'm reading: "My One Word: Change Your Life With Just One Word" by Mike Ashcraft, Rachel Olsen. It's about picking one word for your year that you want to use to focus on and allow it to change and motivate you. I would also say to pick one for your life.

418 My one word for 2014 is/was since January 01, has been: BLESSINGS.

419 Psalm 89:15 Expanded Bible (EXB)

15 ·Happy [Blessed] are the people who know how to ·praise [shout to] you.
Lord, let them ·live [L walk] in the light of your ·presence [L face].

Expanded Bible (EXB)

420 9th game of five touchdown passes = Manning's new record.

421 41 Broncos vs. 10 Raiders

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WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?: BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST PROMPT

Written 2014-11-10 08:18:18, Monday

List a minimum of ten things/items you are thankful for in your life. Then, answer that again with this past year.

List a minimum of ten places you are grateful for for in your life. Then, answer that again with this past year.

List at least ten situations you are thankful for in your life. Then, answer that again with this past year.

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MY BLESSINGS COUNTED LIST NOVEMBER 10, 2014, MONDAY

422 A new day

423 A new week

424 A blank slate

425 This new day and new week offer opportunity

426 This new to offer thanks

427 B and I had a decent night of sleep last night.

428 Kara hasn't gotten sick. (A double praise.)

429 Kara's little coo trill that makes her sound like a dove. It just touches me so whenever she makes the noise. Precious.

430 The craft idea I've been given. I will write about it. (Writing Idea for later--see blessing #433).

431 Fiber One Chocolate Cookie--awesome. Good snack. Good taste. Filling with coffee and water.

432 Talking with hubby on phone. Always a bright spot.

433 So, since I have no kiddos (other than the four-legged variety), I am behind in the times of kid stuff. Whenever I walk through the kiddo section in any store, I ooo and ahh and say, "Where was this when I was growing up?" Then, I debate on if I want to buy it and play with it now. Usually, I am able to resist. But, there are some things I just simply cannot ignore. The temptation is too great, along with the 'this-is-so-cool!' factor. So, I found one of those in looking on Pinterest last night. I went to my main page and just started to thumb through what others I followed were pinning and found clay tags!

I put the exclamation point because immediately, I pictured "thanks," "blessings," "give thanks," "count your blessings," "thank you," "blessed," "thankful," etc.

Imagine having these in different shapes, sizes, and colors that you can put everywhere in your house. You can even change them up with the seasons.

Needless to say, I started to do research about how to make them. I tried salt dough before--and it simply didn't work for me.

Then I saw something that said, "Air dry clay."

Me: "Huh! What's that?"

I did what I usually do when I want to buy something and did an Amazon.com search--and lo and behold, I found it! Look!:

http://smile.amazon.com/Crayola-Air-Clay-Bucket-White/dp/B000J07LF8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415627549&sr=8-2&keywords=air+dry+clay

Who knew?!?

They have it in a 2.5 pound container and a five pounder. I wasn't sure which one to get. I decided for now less was more until I figure out if I am talented or smart enough to figure out how to use it and how much I would really need--through a little trial and error.

I also discovered, they have a 2.5 pound in terra cotta color! I may have to get that as well. It, of course, is more expensive, but I love terra cotta. I can just picture those words, "thanks," "blessings," etc. stamped in the clay and then left to dry.

I think I would make tags to have lying around, like painted rocks, and also make several ornaments, necklaces, bracelets, etc.--again, provided I can figure out how to use the stuff.

What will this do for my blessings counting? I am sure having them around as a constant reminder will help me to count my blessings every time I see them. I am thrilled at the thought.

I ordered a set of wood stamps of the alphabet... Here is the link:

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000S10OZM/ref=pe_385040_30332200_TE_item

I also found and bought another set of wood stamps that says, "Thankful" and has several pictures for harvest or Thanksgiving. A leaf, turkey, pilgrim, etc. Here's the link for it:

http://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00FOXXXKC/ref=pe_385040_30332200_TE_item

I got some black and white baker's twine in order to be able to hang them or use them as a necklace, bracelet, ornament, wall hanging, etc.

I picture some clay tags with just the words and some with the words and a picture.

Of course, I will take pictures.

I also think I will send some to my Mom, Granny, and Aunt.

(Note to Mom, if you're reading this, pretend like you didn't see it. It's supposed to be a surprise.)

I can even imagine sending it to the males in my family if I leave them plain.

I want to share the counting of blessings with everyone, what can I say? I know what it's like to live days of counting my blessings and how much it's changed me and enriched my life and want to share it with others--and let them know they are one of the blessings I count each day. (Hopefully it would let them know I think of them.)

434 My favorite light turquoise coffee mug.

435 My Dickey's Barbecue Pit yellow plastic glass I like to use. It reminds me of my hubby, dad, and Colorado. It also forces me to drink more water. (Blessing 436.)

437 How expressive cats are with their tails. It's their tell-tail--telltale. It tells all. Happy. Content. Annoyed. Playful. Angry. Bored. Sleepy. Want attention. Etc.

438 Cell phones.

439 The sound of a purr of a cat.

440 Sunshine

441 Seeing the constellation of Orion at 2:00 this morning (when old man beagle needed to go). Orion has always been one of my favorites.

442 Thinking of making clay tablets for Christmas stuff as well.

443 Thinking of making clay tags for Scripture as well.

444 Thinking of making clay tags for my one-word for 2014, 2015 (Blessing 445), and my life one-word (Blessing 446).

447 When I feel cat eyes on me--and I look and see Kara looking at me with an "I adore you look." It reminds me of how I am supposed to look at the Blessings Giver (Blessing 448).

449 For 448 blessings counted.

450 B (my husband) picked up more anti-dementia medicine for Zack, our beagle.

451 The sound of a helicopter whenever beagle shakes his head.

452 The sound of mini-helicopters when the cats shake their heads.

453 Stew meat and low calorie homemade Alfredo sauce.

454 Oatmeal

455 Hot tea

456 I am already excited for the holidays this year. I've got more holiday spirit than I've had in a long time. And, it's still a little early. (Yay!)

457 Waking up last night and counting my blessings.

458 Listening to Kara purr as she tried to catnap.

459 I am very grateful for my printer--Kara's cat perch.

460 My husband being home today for the most part.

461 Tomorrow for Veteran's Day. For the Veteran's past and present.

462 The sound of Shelly kicking rocks around in her tank for fun as she swims.

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Saturday, November 8, 2014

NOVEMBER 08, 2014 STORIES OF BLESSING

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THE KEY OF GIVING THANKS

Written 2014-11-07 11:01:20, Friday

I wanted to share some keys of giving thanks.

1 Always give thanks. Do not ever stop.

2 Give thanks in everything.

3 Give thanks for everything.

4 Practice is the key. The more you do it, the easier and more meaningful it becomes.

5 Write it down on the page so you can read your blessings repeatedly--and count them all over again.

6 Make it a way of life and a way to be--not something to do.

7 Enjoy giving thanks. Allow it to make your spirit and heart soar.

8 Steal as many blessings as you can--meaning count other peoples' blessings you can see are blessings. For instance, if someone beats cancer. If a married couple decides not to divorce. Etc.

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LEARNING TO BE CONTENT IN ALL AND FOR ALL

Written 2014-11-07 11:16:17, Friday

My happiness, joy, contentment, faith, hope, etc. should never depend on circumstances, emotions, or people. Circumstances constantly change and so do our relationships with people. Emotions are never the same are are fleeting. Moreover, circumstances, people, and emotions will fail you far too often.

Contentment is a choice.

Contentment is the realization that what and who you have in the present matter most. For, they are more than enough. We just need to choose them to be more than enough.

If you cannot be content with what and who you have now, what makes you think you could ever be content with anything or anyone else? You have already invested in the what and who you have in your life now. To move onto something or someone because you think the grass is greener on the other side with them is a lie. The grass isn't greener. It's just grass and its just green as well.

What you have and who you have now is more than enough.

That being said, there may be some things and some people you could really weed through and see less often, invest in less, or cut off all together. But, you do not have to fill your life with more of someone or something else in their place. Rather, allow what and who you have in your life to be more than enough.

This is the secret of abundance and contentment.

If you cannot be trusted with what you have, and who you have, why should you be trusted with more or different?

Is learning this type of contentment easy?

Hardly.

It takes constant choice and intentionality in order to get rid of the I need something more or new mindset.

That being said, part of our problem with learning this type of contentment lies in a misunderstanding.

Do you know what a "need" is?

People say, "I need coffee." "I need a doughnut." "I need my husband." "I need more money." "I need a better car or house."

A NEED is something you cannot live without. There are only three of them: Food, water, and shelter.

That's it. Those are the only three needs we have.

The rest are wants.

Want to learn how to be content? Realize that if you have anything fancier than bread, water, and a tent, you don't deserve it and you are very fortunate.

What does this have to do with counting your blessings?

If you count every single blessing you have in your life today, and have in the past, will you really ever want anything or anyone more? Or, will what you have had, and what you have, be enough?

Counting our blessings reminds us how very fortunate we are--and how some are not. Counting our blessings brings perspective and contentment in and for all things.

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COUNT THE SMALL STUFF

Written 2014-11-07 13:04:07, Friday

I've learned over the last year in particular, how it's the small stuff that is most often the biggest blessing. The small stuff may seem like small stuff at the time, but one a little time goes by, I've been able to see how huge it really was--when at the time I didn't realize.

This, by the way, is another reason to write all of your blessings on the page. If I hadn't, I am not sure if I would have remembered the seemingly small stuff at the time. However, since I wrote it down and have re-read and recounted previous blessings, I was able to look back with hindsight and see how the chess pieces of life arranged themselves and the small stuff ended up being some of the most important. If I didn't have that record, I would never have remembered those 'small' things.

Also, the small stuff is usually the most meaningful, the most powerful, and the most life-transforming.

Never mind how if we cannot appreciate the small stuff at the time, how can we appreciate the bigger stuff?

Make sure to count all of your blessings, no matter how silly or small it may seem. Trust me. Later, these blessings will play an important part in your life and your journey.

Do not take anything or anyone for granted.

And, please, get it all down on the page.

Catch the small, medium sized, and large blessings. Count them. They will make the difference in your life.

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THANKSGIVING AND END OF YEAR BLESSINGS COUNTED CHALLENGES

If so, let me know. Attach a comment at the end of any blog post. Let's hold each other accountable to this and talk about it--and share our stories of blessing.

Now, I want to do a writing prompt for these challenges today:

BLESSINGS COUNTED PROMPT

Count at least five additional blessings today.

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