Blessed ... savoring the goodness (long version)

"I am endowed, supplied, granted, favoured, furnished, bestowed, happy, contented, glad, merry, joyous, joyful, blissful, divinely adored.  I am truly BLESSED."

I posted this on facebook this morning.  I am trying to keep my facebook posts sincere, reflective of my true life and self, but SHORT.  Really no one wants to read more than two sentences per post anyway, when we have hundred of posts per hour to keep up with ... hhmmm my mind rabbit trails down weighing of priorities and what does this say about us … okay, okay, my mind is back on target.

Blessed ... it was the word that fit best, but I tried to find a more modern culturally relevant word for it.  So I looked up the meanings of some words and tried to describe this state of being that I find myself in.

Now before I go any further let me first say the following. My life is not perfect.  I don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars saved up, or in the budget for play or extras, for the most part all of our income goes right back out on stuff we need and are responsible for.  I don't have a perfect husband, or perfect kids, nor am I a perfect mom, wife, sister, sister-in-law; and as a friend I am mostly absent. I have real challenges.  I have things that cause real concern and heart break.  I still fight my own "personal demons" and have to daily to bag up and dispose of my own personal “ junk”. I have “thorns in my flesh” that keep me humble (sometimes to the point of being embarrassed to be me); and I still get in my own way.  Being joyful and thankful is an intentional state of being for me.  I have learned the habit of choosing to not let all the hard stuff and junk blind me to the incredible amount of good stuff right here and right now.  We’ve all heard the quotes

“The greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”

― Martha Washington

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”

― Abraham Lincoln

“Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.”

― Irving Berlin

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”

― Brian Tracy

I know it is easier to say these things and live out these things during certain seasons, than it is in others.  I also know that others I love are living through some very challenging seasons right now.  I say all this just so you know I am not trying to brag on how my life is so much better than “so and so”s life, nor I am I trying to put on blurry rosy colored glasses and live in a fantasy state.

But look, here’s the thing.  I woke this morning tried to wipe the tired out of my eyes, tried to get my mind and attitude (and body) focused on the priorities of the day, to press to reach high to achieve my goals for the day.  As I did so my mind and my eyes took a look around and almost subconsciously took a “count your blessings” inventory.  I was blown away by the many good gifts in my life physically, relationally, spiritually, and professionally.  So I looked for way to describe it because it is not just a gift, it is that my life is full of those things that don’t just bring happiness but joy, not just joy but satisfaction and contentment; it is not just pride in some kind of job well done, but rather a confident sense of stewardship with the opportunities and gifts I have been furnished and granted; this humbling sense of gratitude and sincere thankfulness, mixed with joy and gladness, and this understanding the much has been bestowed on me and into my life, and this awareness of having my life adorned with good things, things worthy of note and praise. 

A backyard full of silly duckies.  The opportunity to work from home a couple of days a week.  A husband who is perfectly imperfect for me; who is strong, smart, clear headed, who is a man of faith in God, who loves me, protects me, encourages me, gives me advice, and  treats our marriage as an orderly partnership.  The beautiful property on which I live.  Freedom in my country.  Adult children who are very loving and kind, relational, principled, and strong; and who have earned the privilege of honor and confident sense of accomplishment for doing the hard work of making their own way in this world.  Food in my pantry.  Fun colored ponytail holders in my bathroom vanity drawer.  Like minded friends who are also my sisters in Christ.  Garden full of vegetables.  Good relationships with my in-laws.  Eyes that see and a heart that appreciates the vast greenness of this rainy summer, with all the grays and blues mixed in.  The soothing sounds of rain and thunder.  A cool dry air conditioned house to enjoy these things comfortably through the windows.  A super comfortable memory foam mattress that gives us both a better night’s sleep.  Friendships that endure periods of busy “silence” and the distance of many miles.  Cell phone with bundled long-distance, and email, and facebook, and skype, to shorten the many miles.  I woke up this morning healthy… still healed after approx 10 years - still no more migraines.  The ability to laugh and enjoy the adventure of getting soaked to the bone when I got caught in a thunderstorm downpour.  Hot coffee.  Camera’s to capture moments to remember.  Computers that make journaling easy.  The confidence and peace of knowing I am loved by God and by my husband who both know me best (all of me) and love me, accept me, and enjoy relationship with me, in spite of all my messes and mess ups.  A new “today”.  A fresh start.  The fuzzy rising sun behind the clouds, so beautif and peaceful.  So so many things… from the BIG to the teeny tiny stuff, I look all around me and say,

I am BLESSED!  

And I choose to think on these things and make an account of them because life has enough junk, struggle and sorrow, that I don’t want to miss savoring each bit of all the goodness life also has. 

I am blessed.  I am blessed to be a blessing.