Count Your Blessings!

I know it isn't Thanksgiving, but I really need to give thanks today.  Do you remember the old song, "Count your blessings, name them one by one.  Count your blessings, see what God has done..."?
Well, here we go...

1. I am the daughter of the King!  Dearly loved and treasured.
2. I have access to God's Word and study materials so I can grow in my relationship with Him. 
3. I have been redeemed, restored, renewed and refreshed!  
4. I am blessed to have an amazing husband who loves the Lord and loves me, too! 
5. We have 4 incredible kids and 3 equally amazing son-in-laws.
6. I am about to become a grandma!  
7. I have an extended family that is really second to none.  They are fun, loving, caring, sincere, and simply a joy to share life with.  
8. I have two amazing churches in my life - 1 in Kamloops (Bible Truth Church) and 1 in Chisec (Ministerios El Calvario Internacional).  
9. I am blessed to have a home with a concrete floor and indoor plumbing (you know... a toilet and shower and water in the sink).  
10. I am blessed to have electricity so I can use a fan to cool off.
11. I have the opportunity to live my life and share Christ's love with all those He places on my path.  
12. I have enough food to eat and clean clothes to wear and shoes (more than I need). 
13. I have a washing machine and don't need to wash my clothes by hand! 
14. I don't need a dryer because there is enough sun to dry my clothes within a couple of hours.  
15. Both Marshal and Alex are coming for a visit in May.
16. When I can't handle the heat any longer, there are multiple rivers close by where I can go and swim and cool down.  
17. I have both phone and internet access.
18. I have a freezer so I can drink really cold drinks!  
19. I have a gas stove and don't need to cook over a fire. 
20. I get to live in Guatemala!  

I am sure if I sat here for more time, my list would grow and grow.  Some of my blessings are serious and significant and others are somewhat frivolous, but when I take the time to "count my blessings" suddenly my perspective changes.  You see I cannot be thanking God for what He has done and be complaining at the same time. But it is a choice I make...

Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.  Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.  Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.      Philippians 4:8,9 The Message