Blessings?

Sometimes I think of all the things I don’t have and would really like to have. I guess we all get like that from time to time. Even went we are able to buy our next lovely car; we continue to dream about the next one which will be even better...

There are always advertisements helping us to see needs that we didn’t even know we had. Do we need a newer iPad, a bigger bed, a brighter sofa, a coffee machine, a new game, etc? Yes, it’s great to get these things and nice to plan and budget for them, but the problem occurs when we feel that we really need them and are unhappy until we get them. If this is the case, we’ll never be happy as there will always be something better and newer on the market.

Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol said, “Reflect upon your present blessings -- of which every man has many -- not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”

Count my blessings

So, today I decided to count my blessings instead. Wow, there are just so many of them, and I felt so privileged. I thought I’d share a few with you.

Family and friends: I think we all have people in our family and friend groups that just make life so much better for us. I know there is a wonderful group around me, and they are truly a blessing.

Australia: Wow the blessings we have here are huge; yes, even with floods, fire and drought. We live in a free country with great beauty in people and landscape. We have access to clean water, sanitation, good foods, education, housing and much more.

Pets: while some people are struggling with survival, we are even able to obtain and care for pets. Pets provide companionship, and research proves they can actually be beneficial for our good health.

Beauty around me: At the moment I am enjoying the autumn colours, the great sunsets and the clear starry sky.

Education: It’s been quite easy for me to learn with the ability to learn, great teachers (trained and also just those around me with knowledge and experiences), and the means to find out more through the internet and visits to other places.

A God who cares for me.

Too many blessings?

I don’t believe that we can have too many blessings, but I think we can think of ways to be a blessing to others.

A few of us are looking at our church Christmas project for 2013. In the past we have supported Compassion, Uniting World and more. This year we want something more personal; perhaps help with orphan children somewhere in the world. We would like a project (not ongoing sponsorship) with a Yass connection. If you have any ideas you want to share with us, email me or leave a message on our blog page. (http://webweedswisdom.blogspot.com.au/)

“The Degree to which I am blessed staggers me... the degree to which I take that for granted shames me” (John Green)