Blessings

This is a reflection on my thoughts from yesterday, Sunday. For some, Sundays are spent in church; for others it is a day of rest; and for some it is a day spent working/doing but usually with family and friends. However you spend your Sunday/Sundays I hope you take the time to reflect on your personal blessings in life...Jana


Today was a day filled with hope and renewal..

I spent the morning exhausted and a little defeated r/t our less then stellar showing at a fund raiser the night before. I had staff who volunteered to work/help only to have a small crowd show up. I felt that I had failed at something, and had failed them as well by asking for their support, only to have a dismal showing. Those of you who know me; know that defeat and failure are two things that do not bode well in my mind. I will usually respond in retreat and withdrawl mode and become somewhat pissy. (A little personal descriptive word that I have heard more then once from others r/t my moods). In the past I would find a good comfort food, a book and spend the day feeling sorry for myself and "blaming" the world for my failures. Again a bit of personal information, but probably true for many of you as well....

But alas, It was not to be; as I had made a commitment to attend a function in the afternoon. So, I got up, dressed, and off I went to the house dedication of the habitat house we had volunteered hours for. This house, is a home that was purchased/built for a C.N.A. from my staff. I was a few moments late, but arrived in time for the "service" portion of the dedication. This home was a co-sponsored build by Thrivent for Lutherans, a financial/service organziation that coincidentally I am a member of.

As I listened to the Pastor speak to the blessings of giving and receiving and God's grace in both I found a sense of peace. It was a moment of clarity for me as I watched my staff member and her family glow in the joy of their new home and the overwhelming emotion that they were experiencing from the gift of this home. It made me think of my own life and the blessings I have been given, and yet fail to recognize in my "self pity" moments. Sound familiar?

Our lives are abundant with blessings if we take the time to recognize them. Even in the failures, we can find a gift. In fact, the failures are sometimes the best blessings and lessons. Of course as I sat and listened to the sermon, and then when my young staff member was able to say thank you, that I found myself in tears with her. (yes, I know no great surprise again for those who know me). This time my tears were of the happy variety, and a little for my own sense of gratitude that I have been blessed abundantly in this life and have failed to recognize just how blessed I truly am. I have my health, my family is healthy and thriving; we own our own home and are financially stable, I have a great job that I love; and people who love and support even the silliest of my ideas. Yes, I have been blessed.

It was in this moment of watching someone achieve something that many of us take for granted, owning a home; having a place to call our own; that brought the reality of it all back to me. Perhaps it is because we are socialized to always "want more" that we forget to count our blessings. Perhaps it is just our own personal drive; what ever it is; we need to stop and take time to reflect and appreciate.