Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Blessings... Day One....

This is certainly not an original idea... not for me and not for the blogger who has inspired me to give this a whirl.  I think it does us all good to stop and count our blessings. Helps change our attitudes and gets us focused on the good things in life.. and there are good things no matter what your circumstances!

Oh, here is the blogger who inspired me.. she started last Aug and has 20 days of post scattered through out her blog up through this month. She is aiming for 1000 Blessings.. has 600+.

One Thousand Blessings - Day 1

So here is the start of my list.. early on I have no doubt there will be all the things you would expect... the challenge will come after the obvious blessings have been listed!

1. God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit.  If I had no other blessings to list, this one would be more than I ever deserved and all that I ever need!
2. My parents... my dad is in Heaven, Mom is still going strong.  I was blessed to have great parents.. not perfect.. but great. Unconditional love, discipline when needed, boundaries, encouragement, support, great childhood memories and so much more!
3. My big brothers... I have a mismash... 1 is my actual biological brother, 1 is a half-brother and 1 is a foster brother. They all hold special places in my heart. And I, for one, was always glad to be the only girl!
4. My husband... I was so young and immature when we met and married. We dove in head first.. following our hearts and not listening to our heads! LOL!  But 28+ years later I am still crazy about the guy and I am pretty such he likes me too! LOL!  We are truly one of those couples who make each other complete. We enjoy doing things together and spending time together. And I look forward to what the future brings for us.
5. Our children, who aren't children any more!  Our daughter will be 23 in a few weeks and our son is 18. They are two of the most remarkable young adults I know. Their faith is rock solid. They both have servants' hearts and they each minister to others in their own callings.  They love each other and have always enjoyed spending time together. We rarely had the sibling rivalry and fussing and fighting some do. I praise God for that!  Like all of us, they are not perfect, but they are the perfect kids for me!
6. Friends from all walks of life... old friends.. new friends.. in person friends... online friends... I love that God brings friends, usually sisters in Christ, alongside me at just the right time to help me walk through a tough season and He has granted me the privilege to do the same for others.  How does one survive without friends?
7. My church home... I am nuts about our church!  Again.. it isn't perfect.. but wow, what a heart we have there!  We love the Lord and it is our desire to glorify Him and be His hands and feet in our community and the world!
8. Clinton, MS .. this is where my husband and I have lived for the past 25 years. It is a bedroom community.. one of several in the metro area.. and we knew the moment we drove into town all those years ago looking for a place to live that this was it. It is a great place to live.. a great place to raise a family... there is a small Christian college here that provides wonder events and activities, a strong Arts community, a sense of community and small-town-ness and of belonging.
9. Dogs.. yes, I am a dog lover and I have had some great ones over the years.  I have been blessed by their waggy tails and sloppy kisses.  I am partial (translate obsessed) with Dachshunds and have been blessed to be owned by several over the years... my first at age nine... Snoopy, my kids first dog, also a Doxie, Woodrow... and not 2 of them (Oh my!) Mac and Mia. They drive me nuts at time, but it is worth it.. most days! LOL!  I have to add 1 more dog that blessed me... not a dachshund.. hubby and I had a sweet mutt.. mostly hound, named Bogart (Bogey)... he was such a sweet loyal fella... needed more time and play than we gave him.. he brightened our lives and was, in a sense, our first baby.
10. Birds.. NOT in cages.. the ones in the trees and bushes who sing and chirp and make all sorts of racket and put up with Mac barking up a storm while chasing them... and they come back in spite of him!  I am a bird watcher (Thanks to my mom)... love them!

10 blessings... good start... I encourage you to start your own list, whether on a blog or in a journal or somewhere else...

Barb