COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS INSTEAD OF WORRYING OR DOUBTING OR... (FILL IN THE BLANK)
Written 2014-10-17 14:26:55, Friday
I don't know about you, but at times, I can obsess. A thought will get in my mind and will replay over and over and over. It will consume my thoughts.
It's usually something ridiculous, too, and that only makes it, well, more ridiculous. Irrational fear. Doubt. Anxiety. Stress. Frustration. A question. Something not said. Something not done. Something unknown. You pick. It gets in my mind and rolls around more than a barrel going over Niagara Falls.
I've learned how to counter those times with counting my blessings. If I'm thinking of blessings, I don't have the mindspace or ability to think of the yucky stuff. I can't think of two things at once. Hence, I replace the yucky stuff with thinking of blessings. It's really quite helpful.
Why are we so apt to actively and intentionally choose to think of the bad stuff and of the garbage?
As easily as we ruminate on the not-so-helpful stuff, shouldn't we think, and count, the blessings? Wouldn't this be far more advantageous? Never mind how much our lives would change if we did so.
I got this idea long ago through my favorite movie, WHITE CHRISTMAS. There was a song, COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS INSTEAD OF SHEEP. Check out the link below and it has the lyrics.
Check out this link:
Let's give it a try.
-- By Stacy Duplease of Virginia
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MY DEEPEST DESIRE FOR THIS BLOG (MY VISION)
Written 2014-10-17 15:50:31, Friday
It's my deepest desire for this blog to be one of encouragement, inspiration, and hope for you. I hope it will be a pick-me-up for you to read and I also hope that you'll share your stories of blessing with us.
It's my deepest desire for this to become the largest website or blog on the internet regarding blessings.
Let's face it. Life is not always pretty. It surely isn't fair. Nor is life easy. Therefore, I hope this can become a safe place.
I also hope this will become a place where we leave a legacy of blessings for generations after us to read and learn from and be inspired and encouraged by.
Counting our blessings is the best way to live.
Can you share with me in this vision?
Every story matters and every blessing should be counted.
Please share your stories of blessings. It would be an honor to read them.
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BLESSINGS FROM ELLEN OF DENVER
my daughter and son-in-law
flowers
the smell of grass after mowed
sheets, blankets to keep us warm
a warm coat when it's cold out
rain
hospitals
nursing homes
hospice
Many blessings
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STROKE, HEART, ANXIETY, SPINE, M.S., FIBROMYALGIA, OR WHAT?
Written Monday, October 20, 2014 a.m.
Someone close to me presented with symptoms of tingling in face, pain in shoulder and arm, chest pain. I suggested they called the doctor immediately. They did. After all, those symptoms could be something not good at all to minor. The symptoms were serious enough not to ignore and get immediate care--to be on the safe side.
As I waited to hear the news of what happened, I tried to count my blessings and focus on that, not on my anxiety. (Hah!)
When they called, they said they would need to go through tests.
(Thank God for doctors and for tests!)
I told the individual not to presume anything or worry. The docs wanted to rule stuff out. And, the individual could have the relief those parts and pieces were checked and no abnormalities were found... or, knowing what was wrong and develop a treatment plan. Either were good.
Of course, their heart was tested.
It ends up being a pinched nerve.
Let's look at all of the blessings here:
1 Health insurance
2 Doctors
3 Medicine
4 Nurses
5 Hospitals
6 Medical staff and their supporting staff
7 Answers
8 Could have been so much worse
9 How this turned into, for the individual, a time of blessing and counting their blessings
10 It provided a memory they would never forget. Not because it turned out well. But, because of the journey. They learned how to have a deeper faith and how God would get them through, and be with them, when no one else could be. God is always there. Without fail. Always.
11 It brought the individual and I even closer in the shared memory
12 We were able to count our blessings together
13 The individual was able too often be a blessing to the staff
14 The individual has a new perspective on life
15 A new perspective on medicine
What a story of blessing.
-- Anonymous
-- Anonymous
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THE THANKSGIVING CHALLENGE: A PROMPT OR EXERCISE
Every day, our goal is to count a minimum of three blessings and write a story of blessing from one of them.
Today, why don't you double your counting of blessings and count at least six?
I guarantee you'll be blessed if you do.
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COUNTING OF BLESSINGS
The blessing of a new day.
The gift and opportunity of a new day and a new week.
The crispness in the air that only Fall can bring.
The fiery reds, the dazzling bronzes, the flame oranges, and the sunshiny yellows of the Fall leaves.
Watching leaves fall to the ground from the towering and elegant trees.
The sight of the leaves on the ground.
The sound of walking through the leaves.
-- Stacy Duplease of Virginia
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IT IS SACRED
it is a sacred act to count our blessings.
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PERSPECTIVE
Counting our blessings, and telling stories of blessing, brings us new and proper perspective.
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PERSPECTIVE
Counting our blessings, and telling stories of blessing, brings us new and proper perspective.
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BLESSINGS BRING CHALLENGES
Written 2014-10-20 09:14:38, Monday
I hadn't even thought of something and failed to put it together until it was too late. The lesson was a reminder one and was relearned. I want to share it with you so you can learn it vicariously and can be spared of learning it through personal experience.
There seems to be a rule of thumb in this life. If life starts to go well, something will challenge that. The counting of blessings and sharing and telling stories of blessing is no different. I forgot this. If you make the conscious decision to count your blessings, you will suddenly look at hard stuff at your past and feel challenged because of it as you try to find your blessings, and count them, from and about that time. But, your present and future will be challenged as well.
You will be tested to see if you can continue to count your blessings through these challenges.
Well, I decided a while ago to make this a lifelong challenge for me and my life. If I could, the epitaph on my grave marker would read:
"COUNTER OF BLESSINGS"
If that was all that was said of my life was that... I would not find more of a supreme honor.
I get tears in my eyes just thinking of this. This is what I want the rest of my life to be about. I want to be a counter of blessings.
Then, last week, I made the decision, through the prompting of the Lord, to help you become a Counter of Blessings as well. And, I want to count as many of your blessings, and share your stories of blessing, as possible on this blog. Nothing would mean more to me.
As a joy shared is a joy doubled, so is the way of blessings.
So, Monday of last week, my husband (B) and I made a very difficult, life-transforming decision.
Then, a family--challenge--presented itself.
Then, B and I did a great deal of discussion about our future and what looks like.
Then, a challenge B and I have faced since April came about stronger once again.
Then, we were challenged again as to where we will live in the future.
I've been dealing with an anxiety headache for over a week now. (Self-imposed. I really need to chill.)
I was met with challenge after challenge since Friday. Some of them were very close to home. Some brought me great anxiety (only because I allowed it). It even caused me to sleep poorly--tossing, turning, trying to count my blessings but finding it difficult, worrying, praying, repeat. I kept trying to count my blessings. But, I failed. I crashed and burned in the worst way.
Ouch.
Big time ouch, let me add.
Why did I keep refusing (by choice) to find one blessing to count? Why did I not overcome it? I kept trying. But, couldn't. Wouldn't. Why?
The answer is simple: I could not let go.
I now know of a challenge I will have to be aware of for a while: I really need to persist and count all of my blessings, at all times, in and for ALL things. This is my goal this week is to figure out how to really, truly but this into practice.
I knew this lesson--and I knew it well. I realized that when I really got serious about sharing my stories of blessing, through counting my blessings, I would face more challenges. The question is: What will I do with them?
I may have failed this weekend. But, I will pick myself up, brush off the dirt, and persist. I will learn, not hold it against myself, and triple my counting of blessings this week in retaliation.
So, I warn you. Blessings bring challenges.
But, oh, how it is worth it!
-- By Stacy Duplease of Virginia
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A TIP WITH COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS AND SHARING YOUR STORIES OF BLESSING
Counter your worry, anxiety, stress, frustration, quesitoning, and doubt with counting your blessings.
Be intentional about it.
This will not just change your perspective, but will transform you.
Then, others will see the change in you. They will ask. You can share how you are a counter of blessing and then their lives will be transformed.
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A TIP WITH COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS AND SHARING YOUR STORIES OF BLESSING
Counter your worry, anxiety, stress, frustration, quesitoning, and doubt with counting your blessings.
Be intentional about it.
This will not just change your perspective, but will transform you.
Then, others will see the change in you. They will ask. You can share how you are a counter of blessing and then their lives will be transformed.
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THE BLESSING OF HOME
Written 2014-10-20 10:37:16, Monday
Home is where the heart is.
It's an old cliche, but doesn't make it any less meaningful or any less true.
Home is a place of refuge. It's your safe place.
It's where you can be fully you.
Home is where you lay roots. It's where you hang your hat. It's where you make memories and remember memories as well. It's the place of family. It's a special, sacred, meaningful place.
I am a third generation Colorado native. So, Colorado is home. The Denver area in particular (another home).
I was born in the United States of America. Hence, the USA is home.
And, my family has been in the U.S. since 1607. Jamestown. So, the USA has been home for multiple generations. And, Jamestown is also home.
Virginia is where I live. That's home. The city I live, the block I live, and the house in which I live are all homes to me.
Where B and I end up when we retire, that's home.
Home, to me, is wherever B is. (And, our five critters.)
Home is whatever we choose to make of it.
Counting my blessings and writing my stories of blessing is home. It's where my heart is. It's what I want for the rest of my life. It's where I am most content. It's what makes me--me.
So, home is this blog.
Home is whatever we choose.
A story of blessing prompt, tip, hint, suggestion: So, what about you? What do you count as home? Why?
Then, there is the spiritual home for me...
When I die, I will have eternal life with the Lord in heaven, so to speak, and that is my ultimate home. This is the one I always long for and long for it most, even when I don't even realize it. the felling all of us get that something is missing. That's it. Since Adam and Eve failed to confess their mistake, and the eating of the fruit, we have been banished from living and walking with God--and seeing His face. Everything changed. This is what we long for--is being able to walk personally, in the physical sense, with God. (Oh, there's a lot more to it than this. But, I will keep it at this. Don't want to give too much or long of a sermon.)
Home is a place of immeasurable blessings. Let's count them--past, present, and future--and do so today.
-- By Stacy Duplease of Denver, Colorado originally and Virginia presently
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THE BLESSING OF MY JOURNAL
Written 2014-10-20 10:55:31, Monday
Back in the middle of September, I turned a whole four decades old. It was something I was excited for and found it an honor. After all, every day is a blessing. Every day is the opportunity for me to live the purpose God has given me. And, that is precisely why He allows me to live each day. I now realize my purpose is to be a counter of blessings. And, to help others learn to be as well.
I've been journaling since at least the age of eight, maybe before. My parents and I are not too sure--and the journaling (diary keeping) from back in the day is long gone. Journaling has always been an important part of my life. Granted, for a few years, it was an off again, on again, thing. But, I'm talking overall here.
My journaling has shaped my life and who I am. Words cannot even begin to capture how meaningful of a blessing my journaling is and how it's shaped my life. Journaling to me is a way of life. And, it's more than that. It is life. And, if you asked me who I am, I would have to say "I am a journalkeeper," before I ever stated my name.
I also do think we should define ourselves by our nationality or our personality, but by our choices and our life mission statement. our life mission statement is upon which we build everything we do today and in the future. It defines who we are. It defines everything about our lives and how we do our job, interact with our family, our personality, etc.
I do not believe we should ever define ourselves as a job title. For instance: "Who are you: I'm a writer." Nor, do I think you should state your family titles: "Wife, mom, daughter, etc." But, I think we should give our life philosophy and what our lives mean to us. We should give our life purpose, which again, isn't a job or family title.
Earlier, I said this of myself, "I'm a counter of blessings."
That's a new title. And, it's incomplete. Ask me who I am--right now--and in the future, I think I would say this:
"Pray-er, Faithful, Storykeeper of Blessings, Journalkeeper."
{Note #1: The storykeeper of blessings is because the blessings others share with me are far more important than my blessings. Not just saying that. It's the truth.}
{ Note #2: Huh! I just re-read who I am and how I define myself and realized something interesting. I love every year to write a 6-word memoir. This is something I do at the end of every year and the beginning of every year. At any rate, I just realized I did precisely that, without even meaning to do so.}
Journaling has always been what I did and who I am. Why? Because of the blessings I've received from it.
When I was fourteen or so, my mom and dad bought me the fanciest, most meaningful journal I ever had. It was a Hallmark journal, I would say about 8.5 by 8.5 inches. And, on the front coverwas a girl--with stars and the moon overhead. It was a drawing. The writing on the front read:
"Sometimes I need to be alone,
thinking, dreaming, on my own.
Trying to figure out what makes me--me,
Finding my own special path."
--Hallmark Journal 1988ish
Those are the words as I remember them to this day. The journal was lost long ago sadly. So, I do not know if that was a direct quote or not, but it's awfully close.
Those words have shaped me as a journalkeeper--and as a human being.
The path my journaling has taken to me is from keeping a diary and a journal aobut my childhood angst and boo-hooing (at times), and venting, to finding meaning and a deeper state of conscious living. It's led me to prayer journaling, which is the only journaling I do now. Everything I journal is with the Lord as my first audience, but I also picture my family and friends--and readers. All of my fellow journey takers of this path of life.
Only, my (prayer) journaling is more than prayer journaling now. It's counting my blessings and that of others. I put "my" first because I do not want to forget to look around at all tiems and search for blessings and get them on the page. I can control this in my life the most. But, I also count your blessings as a blessing thief and I count it as an honor to share in your blessing.
Your stories of blessing matter much and every single one of them should be shared. Why? There are some blessings I will never experience, except vicariously (like having a child). And, you have blessings others will never experience personnally either, but can through you.
I include your blessings in my journaling, needless to say. After all, this life is more than me.
My journaling is one of my biggest blessings and I cannot wait to share more stories of why.
SIDENOTE
I decided to look for the quote on my diary from/by Hallmark and found these blog posts about it:
And:
If I were to sit and count all of the blessings journaling has brought me, I would have to spend every day for the rest of my life to record the blessings. That's how many there have been.
-- By Stacy Duplease of Virginia
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