Blessed

Well, this hasn't been the best week ever. It hasn't been the worst either, so overall I guess it's a wash. You know how sometimes you are in the middle of what seems to be the BIGGEST DEAL EVER, and you just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel? I was in that dark place for a couple days this week. Now that it's Friday, things are a little brighter. I won't lie: my weekend begins in a matter of minutes, and that helps a lot. And it’s jeans day at the office, that helps too. The little things, right?

My friend Sarah blogged today under this same title, and it was just what I needed to remind me to climb out of the big bucket of self-pity I've been wallowing in for a few days and focus on some of the blessings in my life. (Click here for Sarah's post.) Sarah, I hope you don't mind if I borrow your idea... it is with thanks to you for brightening up my day and reminding me that I have much to be thankful for! Here's just a few of them....

1. FRIENDS. One of the things that has always been so meaningful to me about the great friends I have is that when I am brave enough to admit that I'm struggling, my community of friends gathers around me with encouragement, prayers, and the best part - assurance that they too have had similar struggles. Normally when something is just not well in my world, I tend to think that surely I must be the only one dumb/unlucky/inadequate enough to be in that place. How crazy is that? Everyone has problems, and just remembering that helps me get through mine.

2. MY CHURCH FAMILY. I joined a new church about a year and a half ago, and it has been a HUGE blessing in my life. I have experienced Christian community and a sense of belonging that has exceeded many of my previous church experiences. As an added blessing, I've been volunteering more of my time and have been given so much joy as a result. God is good.

3. ANGELS. This is the only explanation for the fact that the front end of my car is still intact after a VERY near miss on Tuesday. Whew! Thank you Lord, for watching out for me.

4. MY JOB. Okay here is where I have to swallow hard and be obedient in thanking God. I ummm… really don’t like my job right now. It would be the main reason that I was in a total funk earlier this week. But at the same time, I must be grateful. Why? Because earlier this year, I was unemployed and this job was the end of 3 ½ months of uncertainty. Why? Because this is how God is providing for my daily needs right now.

Now that I’ve put that into words, I realize I’ve been a bit ungrateful this week. Now that my perspective is not clouded by the aforementioned self-pity, it’s clear that I need to spend a few minutes on humbly repenting. Then I will gratefully add one more item to today’s list of blessings: FORGIVENESS.