In other words, I have decided to start or create a new tradition, simply because it pleases me. The tradition? I want to write about blessings God doles out so generously during the week. Two songs that came to mind were the old "Count Your Blessings" and the newer composition (by Matt Redman) "10000 Reasons," both of which cause me to think grateful thoughts.
It is all too often I find myself over-thinking any bad something that happens, like getting locked out of the house: It is not very pleasant (standing on the doorstep, looking for a key) when family is warm, up three flights of stairs, eating supper. Instead of feeling sorry for my half-frozen self, I decided to kick self-pity, mostly because it is pretty selfish. (This post is posted on the last day of 2012, but I am going to attempt to publish these posts every Friday or Saturday.) So here is a post to kick off "Seven Reasons" posts that will display a little more of God's blessings he's given in seven days )even if there are more than seven paragraphs).
We were blessed too see long-time actors in a fun child's theatrical production. Most of the actors were ones we had worked with, and it was good to see dear friends we spent so much time with.
Family and Christmas Eve. Although my grandparents do not have a wood stove, and even though I missed more than half of the carolling because I was scrubbing coffee out of the lace table cloth, we gathered and shared our tradition of Christmas carols and such, voices accompanied with cello, trumpets, and violin.
God blessed us with quiet: It was lovely to have a quiet Christmas in the midst of a busy time.
Last week, when company and families visiting, we went sledding in our pasture, and I also took the opportunity to shoot some sledding photos. I trudged back alone, to make cocoa from scratch. It made my day when my three-year-old friend sat with his tiny cup at our long, maple, plank dining table and told me how good my cocoa smelled and tasted.
The day after Christmas, five of us cousins spent the night in our studio loft. The best part was that we stayed up until 3:00 am, talking about theology and soteriology. I love the fact that God's blessed me with cousins with whom I can have utterly superfluous conversations at one point, but at another, delve into deep issues that we are concerned about.
Upwords. There are little ways you can show a person you care for them, and so I played Upwords. Little things add up, and the least I can do is participate and show my interest. After two rounds, I became quite competitive...
Time with grandparents: Cleaning their house for Christmas. God is so right, and it is indeed more blessed to give than receive, even if it means getting slightly sore from scrubbing floors. God blesses by allowing me to do the everyday tasks with those close to me, and I will not take changing the light fixtures for my grandparents for granted.
Senior Photos. I did not want to do them, but realized I am only a High school senior once, and might as well. I brought a friend, and it was so very pleasant, even though I had to shed my coat for the better part of the day.
It is better for our souls to dwell on and thank God for the little blessings, because those are often the most meaningful. May God bless you and yours in the coming year, and even as it is ushered in. Whatever New Year's resolutions you make (whether it be to read your Bible more or to make a habit of flossing your teeth...) pray over them, and let God bless them.
felix novus annus, meis amicus!
It is all too often I find myself over-thinking any bad something that happens, like getting locked out of the house: It is not very pleasant (standing on the doorstep, looking for a key) when family is warm, up three flights of stairs, eating supper. Instead of feeling sorry for my half-frozen self, I decided to kick self-pity, mostly because it is pretty selfish. (This post is posted on the last day of 2012, but I am going to attempt to publish these posts every Friday or Saturday.) So here is a post to kick off "Seven Reasons" posts that will display a little more of God's blessings he's given in seven days )even if there are more than seven paragraphs).
We were blessed too see long-time actors in a fun child's theatrical production. Most of the actors were ones we had worked with, and it was good to see dear friends we spent so much time with.
Family and Christmas Eve. Although my grandparents do not have a wood stove, and even though I missed more than half of the carolling because I was scrubbing coffee out of the lace table cloth, we gathered and shared our tradition of Christmas carols and such, voices accompanied with cello, trumpets, and violin.
God blessed us with quiet: It was lovely to have a quiet Christmas in the midst of a busy time.
Last week, when company and families visiting, we went sledding in our pasture, and I also took the opportunity to shoot some sledding photos. I trudged back alone, to make cocoa from scratch. It made my day when my three-year-old friend sat with his tiny cup at our long, maple, plank dining table and told me how good my cocoa smelled and tasted.
The day after Christmas, five of us cousins spent the night in our studio loft. The best part was that we stayed up until 3:00 am, talking about theology and soteriology. I love the fact that God's blessed me with cousins with whom I can have utterly superfluous conversations at one point, but at another, delve into deep issues that we are concerned about.
Upwords. There are little ways you can show a person you care for them, and so I played Upwords. Little things add up, and the least I can do is participate and show my interest. After two rounds, I became quite competitive...
Time with grandparents: Cleaning their house for Christmas. God is so right, and it is indeed more blessed to give than receive, even if it means getting slightly sore from scrubbing floors. God blesses by allowing me to do the everyday tasks with those close to me, and I will not take changing the light fixtures for my grandparents for granted.
Senior Photos. I did not want to do them, but realized I am only a High school senior once, and might as well. I brought a friend, and it was so very pleasant, even though I had to shed my coat for the better part of the day.
It is better for our souls to dwell on and thank God for the little blessings, because those are often the most meaningful. May God bless you and yours in the coming year, and even as it is ushered in. Whatever New Year's resolutions you make (whether it be to read your Bible more or to make a habit of flossing your teeth...) pray over them, and let God bless them.
felix novus annus, meis amicus!
Wooooooooooooo blessing/thankful posts! Maybe I should copy you and do a regular counting blessings post? I think yes. Someday. Hurrah! You make me cheerful.
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