Counting My Blessings

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings

in heavenly places in Christ:" Ephesians 1: 3

From time to time, we receive blessing from God. He chooses to grant us special favors to make our lives richer. We spend a certain season on of the year counting the ways God has blessed us.

This spring I started a journal listing of blessings God showered on me. There are some repetitive thoughts—sunshine, a good night’s sleep, a special phone call.

We recently had some work done on our roof-a new layer of shingles and the repair of a roof joist. When the contractor suggested a certain type of shingle- one that was sturdier- I liked the pattern I saw. When the crew finished the contractor called us out to look at it. After I scanned the work, I glanced to the house across our side yard. For a second, my heart pounded; that house- recently refurbished- had the same pattern in another color.

A friend of mine and I looked at the other house. We both liked the variegated pattern of that roof. I never thought about getting something that looked so fine.

My husband grew up in the southern part of our state. He maintains a close friendship with a family from his youth.

He and his friend had talked about taking the friend’s grandson fishing in the friend’s pond. The fishing event happened recently. Hubby left in the late morning. By evening, he returned home. After telling me about the time spent with the friend and his grandson, Hubby goes out to the car and brings in a surprise. The friend’s sister and her husband sent us a 16 X 20 framed photograph of a landmark from that area. The frame adds two and a half inches all the way around the picture. One of my friend’s at church knows the area-she has family in the same county. I told her about receiving this gift. My friend’s words summed up my thoughts, “You’ll treasure that.”