Blessings

A couple years ago, a beautiful, thought-provoking song came out in the Christian music industry.  The name is "Blessings" by Laura Story.  I first heard it within a year of losing my mom to colon cancer, and knew that someday, I was going to sing that song.  I have...but the first time wasn't easy.  I sang it at a concert, in which some of my family were sitting in the front row...and there wasn't a dry eye in that pew.  I, too, ended up crying, and couldn't finish the song.  Since then, I've sang it a couple more times, and I've made it through, but have seen others in tears.  Let me share some of these words with you:

"We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep.
We pray for healing, for prosperity.  We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering.
And all the while, You hear each spoken need, yet love us way too much to give us lesser things."

(Copyright 2011, New Spring Publishing/Laura Story)

I, for one, have prayed for all of these things...
I've prayed for peace...world-wide peace, peace within our own nation, peace within families, peace at work.  I've prayed for my family, for God to keep them safe, to protect them from harm.  I've prayed for healing...for Dad's cancer...for Mom's cancer...for my broken heart after losing both of them to their cancers.  How can I really look at these things as blessings?

This is a daily struggle for me...I can easily fall into the "woe is me," or "poor me" thinking, but that isn't what God wants from me.  These struggles are the exact moments when God is begging me to call out to Him...not to turn away from Him.  God loves me, and He allows me time to mourn, but then, "joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5).  Can I tell you "why" my parents both died at young ages?  No...and that probably isn't as important as knowing that my parents had both accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and they are with Jesus in paradise, and because of the faith that they had, and that they shared with me, I know that I will be with them again someday.

As I prepare for Christmas, I am sitting here watching the Hallmark Channel, and the movie this morning, "November Christmas," has been nearly as thought-provoking as "Blessings."  I don't want to spoil anyone else's movie-watching, but the message is just amazing, as a town gathers around a family dealing with a major health crisis.  I wish that all people could practice this Christmas-love year round, rather than just 1 month out of the year. 

In the meantime, what can we do to comfort ourselves during difficult times...we can help comfort others, just as the community members did in this movie.  This might be through praying for others, or sharing our own stories about loss, but more importantly, using our gifts to glorify our Lord and Savior.

Since I've been busy watching this movie this morning, I decided it was a great morning for a quick and easy breakfast, so I've included the recipe for you:

Paleo Breakfast Smoothie
Serves 1 (large serving)

1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1 banana, frozen
1 tsp. agave nectar
2 T. almond butter

Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a glass and enjoy.  


I pray for you, my reader, that you may know the presence of God, and that He is holding you in His hands at this very moment, and He loves you.  So, as you face this Christmas season, remember that God gave His son, Jesus Christ, as the ultimate gift, and the ultimate sacrifice for you...because HE LOVES YOU THAT MUCH!!  (And just so you know...you are a blessing to me...a gift from God!!) :)