I got a sweet note on Facebook today from a friend, David Wolfe, who said, "Happy belated birthday, Vicki. May God bless you in this wonderful new journey you have begun. You always look so happy." My response to him was, "Thank you, David! I am happy in the journey, but there are still bittersweet times of sadness in the memories of the good times, if you know what I mean. And God is good all the time! I can thank Him that I am still able to have the memories!"
That was a "count your blessings" moment. While the memories are there, I don't often enough thank the Lord for them. Some of them make me sad while others make me happy. Some cause the tears to flow while others make me smile; maybe even laugh! Those individual events were all a part of this journey the Lord has for me.
And, why should it "surprise you" what the Lord has done? I need to make it a habit of asking myself this question. And maybe, just maybe one day I won't be surprised! He loves me! He only wants the best for me because of His great love for me! And, in His loving kindness He not only sends rain on the just, but on the unjust! "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!" I am so thankful for His watchful eye!
Thank You, Lord, for Your MANY, MANY blessings on me! Blessings I don't give You credit for on a daily basis as I ought! Thank You for the difficult, rough-road parts of the journey because they remind me that I must trust You. Thank You for the smooth, happy parts of the journey because they remind me that You love me. Thank You for sickness because it reminds me that my days are in Your hands. Remind me to not take my life for granted! Thank You most of all for sending Your Son to die for an unworthy sinner like me!
Count Your Blessings
by Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1897
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.
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.
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.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
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.
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.
Since we are planning our first long trip on the bike this weekend.....to Ohio.....where the temperatures are going to be 10 degrees cooler than here.....with rain forecast as we head back on Sunday.....we took the new bike to the shop to get new tires and a 45 point check to be sure (Lord willing) nothing goes wrong on the trip. We picked the bike up tonight. Then we went to another bike shop to buy some more gear for myself. Rain gear, riding boots, and "freeze out" gear (long johns for bikers, lol!). We also got Mark some new gloves. So, we should be all set for the trip! I'm still trying to decide what dress for church I can take that I can ball up for the trip, LOL!
After going to the bike shop, we went to Ruby Tuesday for my birthday meal. I got a coupon for a free salad bar entree or free burger up to $11. Mark did the salad bar and I got the pork chop, of course! My taste buds must be off, however, because I didn't enjoy it like I usually do. I did switch it up a bit and got the baked sweet potato rather than the garlic mashed potatoes. I ate the sweet potato and the green beans and a few bites of the pork chop. Mark had filled up on the salad bar and an appetizer order of pretzels, so he ate a few bites of the pork chop and we brought half of it home.
After we got home, we took a spin on the bike to see how wet we would get, since it started raining on our way home. But, it stopped raining after just a short while and the roads were not even wet a couple miles away. But, the ride was nice, anyway!
Looking forward to our trip this weekend!
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| YUM! |
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| Mark said I've been slack on my selfies of late! :D |
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