Counting My Blessings This Day

Being thankful begins with being present in today, it means being aware of our surroundings at the moment, not the regret of yesterday or “what if’s” of tomorrow, but the blessing of today. I encourage you to make a list of every blessing you can count for today. Small things, big things, and every blessing in-between. Air in your lungs, legs that walk, eyes that see, strength, hope, good doctors, good friends, the blue sky, the green grass, fresh water to drink, food to eat, family to love, flowers to smell. List “every good and perfect gift” that God has blessed you with. Let these lift your heart with joy, and fill your soul with peace as you reflect on the blessings of  “this day”, a day of Thanksgiving.

Count your blessings, name them one by one! Count your blessings, see what God has done!

“This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”      

            Psalm 118:24“

Taste and see that the LORD is good.” Psalm 34:8

Abandoned Heart

There is nothing more beautiful than a heart that has been fully surrendered and abandoned to God. This morning as I stood singing along with the worship band at church, I noticed down in the very front row, standing alone was a young girl about 7 years of age. She was singing praises to the LORD with her little arms fully outstretched, unaware of the adoring glances of others all around her. Her full abandonment to the moment and to the LORD was the most precious sight.

We sang, “I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all; I’ll stand, my soul LORD to you surrendered. All I am is yours.”  One by one the arms of others sprang up around the room to join her in surrender to the Savior. Great joy, peace, hope and love are found as we hand our lives over to God’s care and trust Him completely.

Psalm 33:21, In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.