Simple Blessings

There are so many small things I'm blessed with, things easily taken for granted, that I figured I'd list them, mostly for fun, but also to recognize God for the giving, merciful, AWESOME Savior HE is, for, after all, without Him, I have nothing. Please note, these are in no particular order.

1. Hot showers
2. Electricity
3. Indoor plumbing
4. Freedom of speech
5. Freedom of religion
6. My awesome husband
7. My adorable dog
8. My chatty cat
9. My family, nuclear and extended
10. Coffee
11. Bamboo knitting needles
12. Technology, and access to it
13. My friends
14. Rain, especially when I'm in a warm, dry place

Expect more lists like this, as my blessings are countless.

Here's to the God of love!

A [Non] Resolution

First, I should tell you, I don't make resolutions. Especially the new year variety. It's been my experience that resolutions wind up getting broken within the first week, or, at the very latest, within a month. So I figure, why bother?

These last few days, however, I've been taking inventory, stock; looking back over the last year and assessing what needs to be different.

Here's what my self examination turned up: I have this bad habit of using society as a measuring stick for, well, pretty much everything. Society has a way of dictating what is successful: do I drive the right car, have the right house, wear the right clothes, work at the right job? And we won't even discuss how society drives self-image: am I thin enough? Pretty enough? THIN ENOUGH?

I know many of you are aware that I've been working pretty hard over the last three months to get fit. Please know that this is more about being healthy, less about conforming to society's standards. But I'd be lying if I said that I have never been caught up in the madness of trying to "keep up with the Joneses." And it is definitely madness.

Therefore, this year, I have decided to stop seeing myself in relation to others, but rather, see myself in relation to God. After all, He created me in HIS image. If you stop to think about it, that's pretty powerful.

And because self-image seems to drive so much in our lives, my new measure of what I want to look like will be driven by the words of 1 Peter 3:3-4:

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

I don't want to make this a resolution though. Kind of like the whole getting fit thing, it's not something I'm going to do until I reach my goals and then stop. It has to be a whole lifestyle change. Or, in the case of my [non]resolution, a whole change of thinking, feeling, being.

Please know, this doesn't mean I will donning a sack cloth or anything drastic like that. What it does mean is that I will try less to conform to society's standards, and work harder at pleasing God. After all, when you stop to think about it, He's the only one that really matters.

Happy new year and here's to good [physical, mental and spiritual] health!

Today Was a Blessing

Today, we blessed a friend. A group of 20 wonderful people came together and collected between them $690, a Wii game console, extra controllers, a few games and a DVD. These were given to a very special lady, that she might breathe a little easier during this difficult financial time, and give her twin, teenage boys a few small Christmas gifts and a big helping of Christmas cheer.

To those of you who reached out to help a stranger, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul. To those of you who reached out to help a friend, I extend these thanks as well and am blessed and proud to call you friends. And to all of you, I pray that God would bless each of you sevenfold for opening your hearts and hearing the call of someone in need, and then acting upon it.

Today, we were all blessed. We were given the gift and privilege of being God's hands and feet, and doing HIS work. I can think of no better gift to receive this Christmas.

May God bless you all this Christmas and throughout the new year.