Counting My Blessings

When Emmerson was little, and still taking naps, I used to sing the old hymn Count Your Blessings to her when tucking her in.  I sang the same song every afternoon.  That may seem redundant, but she didn't think so and it was important to me to daily remind her to be thankful for what God's given her and to help her have eyes to see both the biggest and the tiniest of His blessings to her.

It has been some time now since Emmerson took regular afternoon naps, but that song is still sung around our house and I find at times I'm humming it to myself.  It is easy to get carried away or bogged down with To-Do Lists that never seem to end, or to become blinded to blessings by focusing on the difficulties of life.  But we have an awesome God that loves us SO much!  He wants us to know and enjoy His blessings--even during those crazy busy and challenging times.

Life around the Reese house right now, while an extremely exciting time,  also seems to be a relentlessly busy time.  Since Jim started his new job, our family has been stretched between at least two different towns, our new town and our old town.  On weeks like this one and the next, we're stretched between a third, as Dad is a yet another town for training.  In addition, the home we're renting in our old town is for sale, and although I believe we've only had around 10-12 viewings in the last year and a half, three of them have taken place in the last 2 weeks.  Oh the joy of those evening calls to inform you someone will be going through your house early the next day and you look around at what appears to be chaos as you've just finished empting every closet in the house so you could organize it to pack! Add the fact that we're still looking for the right place to call home in our new town and that we're not only moving us, but we're also moving Grandma out of her home in Ohio to come join us in Oregon too, all the while, continuing to work meticulously through each step of the adoption to bring home our precious daughter in China, and paying careful attention not to pack away any of the paperwork, photos, etc we need for that.  It is a bit busy around here.

But it's times like this, when I get the phone call for someone to go through the house, that God's put the chorus of that old hymn in my mind.  He gently tugs at my heart to truly see, not the busyness, but the blessings.  He gently, whispers encouragement to my heart,

"Take a deep breath Kassy.  I'm taking care of you.  It'll be OK.  Look.  See.  Count Your Blessings".

In those moments, what do I see?  I can see the big long list of things I need to do, the stuff from the closets lying on the floor.  But more importantly, though easily hidden amongst the To-Do's, I see many, many blessings.

 I see a loving God who has given my husband a great job with hours we'd been praying for, with benefits to not only bless our current family members but that will be especially wonderful to have for Ella-Mae once she joins us.   I see that while we are having to move, and it is tedious, moving is really a blessing.  Though I will always love the ocean, (There is just something about it that is just awing to me, as it paints to me a beautiful picture of our God's power) ever since moving here, my heart has ached for sunshine.  God heard that ache and has blessed us by moving us to a new town with tons more sunshine--but that is still only 45 minutes from the beach.  I see that not only is He moving us, but I see the blessing in His perfect timing.  He picked to move us now.  God made sure to give us this opportunity to find the place that will best suite our entire family--both those who are already here and those who we are working to bring home.  Though it makes life extremely busy at the moment, there wouldn't have been a more perfect time for us to be able to find just the right place to grow our family.  We know to look for a place we can be sure will be good for Grandma, but also a place that will be ready for a new daughter with mild CP and large enough for a family of 5 instead of 3.  I see that after years of missing her and wishing we could see her more,  God has led Grandma out here to join us.  Soon we'll be able to see her all the time!  And I see a precious 11yo little girl, who's heart has yearned for a family for years now and know that a loving God has heard her heart and has led us to bring her home to be our daughter and that it won't be too long before her heart has its home.  Above all, I am reminded that I am an adopted daughter as I see my Savior, willing to die in my place, to pay the penalty I deserved, so that I could be welcomed as His daughter. And finally, I see the blessing of just the simple reminder, in all the other blessings, that God is lovingly guiding and has prepared for us each step of the way, we need only to follow.

So many blessings!

I still have to finish packing the things from the closets I didn't finish packing up last night, before the showing this afternoon, but while Emm and I work together to get that done, we'll share the peace and joy of knowing we have an awesome and loving God who is leading us each step of the way and our hearts will count our many blessings as our hearts and eyes see all He's blessed us with and all His promises to come.  I bet we'll even sing this song while we pack up, looking forward with excited anticipation to moving Grandma here and then shortly thereafter welcoming Ella-Mae home to the place God has perfectly picked out for all of 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 hath done. 

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain]

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. [Refrain]

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]