Counting blessings

There are a couple of things stressing me out that I know I’ve been complaining about a lot lately. Dr. Olds had adopted the motto of “Gracias a dios por un dia lindo” – thank God for a beautiful day, that every day that God has made is a beautiful day. I got to thinking, for every 3 things I can complain about, I have a dozen things to be thankful for, so why not focus on them instead? Complaining and being cynical don’t take any energy. But they also don’t get me anywhere. Life is tough and unfair but it is also ridiculously beautiful and fabulous.

Blessings I'm thankful for:

I can walk.
Not only can I walk, I can run 6 miles.
When I run I feel God’s presence.
I can see.
I can hear.
I can smell & taste & touch.
I can drive a car & ride a bike & a horse.
I can talk & dance & sing & read & write.
I can attend church without persecution.
The church I attend feeds my soul.
Jesus Christ has given his life for my freedom and there’s nothing I can do to make him love me more or less.
Satan doesn’t win; love wins.
In all things God works for the good of those who love him.
God loves me even when I fail at life, which is daily.
I have a house over my head with air conditioning and heat and a fridge full of food.
I don’t ever have to worry about where my next meal is coming from.
I have access to clean water.
My parents let me have my own room.
My parents let me drive my own car.
I have not just one change of clean clothes, but a closest full of clothes.
My parents have spent thousands on doctor visits and medicine for me.
I wasn’t aborted.
My parents love me and each other and are still happily married.
My sister is marrying the love of her life.
My parents have paid for two rounds of braces for me.
My parents have paid for my college education at a very fine college.
It is sunny outside.
My family has a cute dog named Lucy.
My family has 86 acres out in Fernvale that we call “the farm.”
Each member of my family and each one of my friends are reasons.
I live in Brentwood/Nashville.
I have incredible college roommates.
Furman’s campus is incredibly beautiful.
I have a good internship in the mayor’s office.
I have minus 4 weeks left of summer (good that it’s coming to a close, and good that there’s still some time).
Books by John Elderedge and C.S. Lewis.
Music, especially piano & violin, & saxophone in the winter.
Little fluffy dogs exist and one day I’ll have one of my own.
I’ve been to some pretty cool places – Colorado, Arizona, California, Nevada, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Greece, France, Italy, England, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Jamaica, South Carolina, North Carolina, Washington, Washington DC, New York, New Hampshire.
Sometimes you’re behind, sometimes you’re ahead, but in the end, the race is only with yourself.