Welcome to my blog, or should I say to the ramblings of an old man. I doubt that my ramblings are of much value, but at least I have an opportunity to share them.  So, please be kind and humor me. If nothing else of value stands out in these thoughts, I hope that you at least sense the value I place on a daily walk with the Lord.  That walk is what has provided me with motivation and a sense of purpose throughout my lifetime.  My prayer is that you, too, are experiencing this direction and joy in daily living which is available to everyone who puts his trust in Christ.  So, thanks again for joining me.  Please don't go without leaving some comments here so I can get to know you better as our paths intersect today in this blog.

Friday, November 27, 2015

In Everything ...


          I try not to be a complainer.  God has been so good to me and I have so much to thank Him for, so why would I complain?  But, if I am honest, during the past ten months I have found myself more than once complaining about people and things.  And I have probably at times been short with folks.  It's not a good excuse, but I have been in pain and not feeling well since the first week in January. Because of this I've not wanted to be with people or talk to them. I've tried to hide it and not draw attention to myself, but at times I guess my problems still have affected my reactions to things. And it shouldn't be that way because there are so many others with worse problems than I have been dealing with.  And I sincerely apologize if I have shown a negative spirit in any manner to you during this time.
         However, the Lord has been reminding me in so many ways that I need to be more thankful, more positive, more friendly, and more considerate.  And He is right.  Numerous times I have thought of the many scriptures that tell us to always be thankful, in the good times and in the bad.  And I have also been reminded of this lately through the song "Count Your Many Blessings" where the writer encourages us to see what God has done and actually try and count our blessings one by one.
          I have recently been trying to do this.  It is really easy to think of the big and important things for which I am thankful - the Lord Himself, salvation, the Bible, and my church.  And of course high on the list is my wife, my children and their spouses, my grandchildren, our home and my very special heritage of relatives who have loved and served the Lord.  And a list of the large things would certainly include my country and the freedoms which we have enjoyed here over the years.
          But recently I have been thinking of the many, many "small" or every day things which are so meaningful and enrich our lives today - things we often take for granted.   Such as ... central air conditioning that works ... fresh vegetables like corn and tomatoes ... beautiful mums ... spectacular colors of the leaves in the fall ... the exciting green of Spring ...  fresh, clean water to drink ... indoor plumbing ... hot showers ... refrigerators and freezers ...  beautiful lakes ... clean grocery stores ... good doctors and specialists ... Christmas ... eggs and home fries ... caring nurses ... soaring eagles ... a sump pump that works when needed ... turkey and filling ... safety on the highway ... a good church ...rainbows ... lawn mowers and snow blowers that work ... parades ... sun flowers ... apples and peaches ... Christian radio stations ... freshly fallen snow ... computers ... shoes and sneakers ... books to read ... football ... Chick fil A ... a good mattress ... full moons ... Pinebrook ... the ocean waves ... good hymns ... roses ... warm fires in fireplaces on cold nights ... eye glasses and hearing aids ... iced tea and meadow tea ... pianos and talented pianists ... our Rav4 ... reunions ... swimming pools ... freezers ... Thanksgiving ... polite children ... comfortable recliners ... good friends ... peanut butter ... cardinals ... jigsaw puzzles ... the beautiful farms of Lancaster County ... apricots ... beautiful mountains ... crisp, clear mornings ... sunrises and sunsets
          And my list could go on and on and on.  How about yours?  As they say,"take some time to smell the roses" and develop a thankful spirit.  What amazing things God has done and provided for us.

 When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.
Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
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