Scripture Thursday ~ Thanks for the Blessings

In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

 
We must realize that thankfulness is not based on emotions or a situation’s outcome. We can be grateful, even during trials, because the Lord has promised to work everything for our good (Romans 8:28). That means He has a purpose for every experience, pleasant or difficult. A big problem stacked against our small resources sends us running to Him, thankful He has committed to work it to our benefit.  Charles Stanley

free for personal use or sharing

When I first started blogging, one of my goals was to encourage women to focus on their blessings.   We’re surrounded by blessings, but sometimes our view of them gets dim as we focus on our demise or troubles.  Little did I know that some of my blessings for the week would include an ambulance ride and some nifty geriatric equipment.  Let me back up a bit ....

It was a typical February Saturday in Maine.  It had snowed a little bit the night before but the skies were clear.  I left my house early in the morning to meet my mother and sister, however I never made it.  When I stepped down on the walkway, my foot hit the dusting of snow which was on top of a thin layer of ice and the next thing I knew, my foot very awkwardly twisted underneath me and I was on the ground with some serious pain in my ankle. 

I was unable to bear weight on it, so my husband called our very capable ambulance crew, who somehow managed to get me into the ambulance ~ I’m still trying to figure out how they did that.  X-rays revealed that it wasn’t broken.  I came home the same day with crutches and an air cast, and am still unable to bear weight without the use of the cast.

free for personal use or sharing

What’s the story in all of this?  I don’t know, but I’m sure God has a plan.  He knew this was going to happen before it did.   Our plans can change in an instant – an injury, a health diagnosis, car accident, death of a loved one.  

My trial is small compared to some of the trials you may be facing, but I have learned something through this and previous trials in my life….. look for the blessings.   They are there!   God loves you more than you can comprehend, and He promises to NEVER leave you.  Deuteronomy 31:6  and Psalm 139

One of the definitions of blessings is defined as:
A favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.

Our natural tendency is to focus on our problems and how to solve them rather than focusing on the blessings and giving God our problems to solve. 

We’re told in Psalm 68:19 that God LOADS us DAILY with benefits.
Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits.

There are countless blessings I’ve received this week, but here are a few that stand out to me: 

all that could have happened in the fall, and didn’t
a friend climbing into the ambulance to pray with me
Encouragement and prayers from friends and family
Watching my grandson’s faces light up when I let them squeeze air into my robot cast
 A loving husband (or home health care aide as I call him) who unselfishly cares for me
an elevated toilet seat and shower chair (don’t laugh, these are real blessings)
Hearing my 4 yr old grandson pray that God would “restore nana's ankle like a child’s ankle”
having my teenage Sunday school class come to me in my home, as I couldn’t go to them
hearing my son in law say “give nana her walker back” – wait, is that a blessing? 
Laughter – yes, laughter – it feels good to laugh


Each trial I've faced over the years, I could feel God closer to me than ever before.  It wasn’t until later in my life that I realized, He’d always been that close to me, I just needed to reach out.  

Here’s some lyrics to a sweet song titled I Just Keep Trusting My Lord, written in 1962 by John W. Peterson

I just keep trusting my Lord, as I walk along,
I just keep trusting my Lord, and He gives a song;
Tho the storm clouds darken the sky, o'er the heav'nly trail,
I just keep trusting my Lord, He will never fail!

He's a faithful friend, such a faithful friend;
I can count on Him to the very end.
Tho the storm clouds darken the sky, o'er the heav'nly trail,
I just keep trusting my Lord, He will never fail! Many blessings to you dear ones.  May you look for your blessings today and count them. 

This post is linked to:
A Sheltering Tree, Monday's Musings, Word Art Wednesday, Hearts 4 Home,
Clever Chicks, Encourage One Another, Teach Me Tuesdays, The Alabaster Jar,