The Blessings in Front of Me

 

Summer is coming to an end and even though it's been a very hot and humid week, you can tell that autumn will be here before we know it. The leaves are starting to get hints of brown and yellow. It's getting dark a bit earlier and the sun is rising later in the morning.

Even though it wasn't the summer I planned for, I am still thankful for many things. 

💗 Good days at the market when I could get there.

 💗 Backyard visitors every day. They are foraging for seeds and bugs and keep me entertained. Juncos are funny little birds. 

💗 We had an outreach event a couple of weeks ago and I'm thankful that I'm still hearing good things about it from our church people and the community. One of our visitors came back to a church service as a result of the event.

💗 God continues to bless me even when I don't deserve it. I find that I can spiral very quickly into whining and yet, because He is a good father, He continues to give me good things.

💗 I had an opportunity to spend the night with a friend last Sunday night and go to a district meeting I didn't think I'd be able to go to. She blessed me with her hospitality and I was encouraged in my ministry by attending the meeting.

💗 I love children and I continually want to find ways to grow our church with young families. It's been one of the things I do in each church we've served in, but here it's been difficult to get people to come to events I plan. But I keep on trying. It is wonderful to see some little ones starting to come and I'm praying that a program I'm starting in September will attract others.

💗 I'm thankful that God keeps allowing me opportunities to do all types of things that I love. This week I worked on writing a study that I'm teaching in a few weeks. I am planning an upcoming district retreat. I wrote a grant for our church. And I have a new opportunity and was commissioned to do some freelance web design. It is neat to see how all my different experiences are coming together to be used here.

💗 Nathan has a new job and works for The Salvation Army. I have never seen him so happy and positive. He is also volunteering with the Human Rights Commission Disability subcommittee in our city and is excited about that. He is making friends and starting to feel at home. 

💗 Stephen is doing well in his job even though it's stressful. He is a parent educator and working with social services to help educate parents who have had their children removed from their homes for various reasons. As you can imagine it's not pleasant. And yet, it's so neat to see him learning skills and gaining expertise in the social services field.

💗 Emily is starting her Master's degree and is working full-time with adults with disabilities. She loves her job and is getting recognition there. 

💗 My mother-in-law is home from the rehab center and is doing a bit better. She is able to walk a few steps with a walker and is learning how to maneuver. I'm thankful that most of the family is close so we can take turns checking in on them. 

I'm so thankful that I sat down and typed out this list. It's easy to look at what's going wrong and not see the many blessings right in front of me. 

I am blessed and I am thankful for another week to see God's hand in my life.