Counting My Blessings

Actually its next to impossible for me to count my blessings, there are just simply too many to count. Blessings are all around us, some so very obvious, some subtle and felt only in the quiet of a reflective mood. Out the window, natures beauty blesses me in ways hard to describe. The way the colors give me a feeling of delight, the beauty of a bird in flight or sitting on the fence. The sound of music playing on the computer as I type this out. Lorenna McKennitt singing "The Bonny Swans", her voice, clear and pure. The notes filling me with emotions. The lyrics making me think about myths and the power they have on people.
The house is a blessing to me today, a haven. Simple...cedar woodwork, the workmanship of the man I love, mingled with my love for the natural look, the simple look. Joy in this simple house that it has never been a burden. Its filled with representations of our philosophy of life, of stepping softly through this world, gently living with conscience. Not being carried away with
"things" and "stuff" but being filled with the awe of raising children and having love and respect the most important aspects of our home, not things. There has always been the blessing of stepping back to find the old way of doing things, to learn about the past and what thoughts people may have had and also to find the joy of crafting lifes needs.
There is the blessing of lamp light on a cold winters night, laughter while stories are shared and games are played on the floor, warmed by the heat of the wood stove. Wood smoke scenting the air with that smell that reminds you of home or maybe of campfire memories. The steady sound of the spinning wheel or the clicking of knitting needles while conversation drifts from one thought to the next.
There are blessings to list too....a baby's heart healing, a bit more color to her milky white skin, eyes brighter, life returning to her lips, a smile, a baby sound, sweet baby breath on your cheek as you kiss the soft baby forehead as you part. The blessing of knowing there are rays of hope.
A sisters loving call to be updated....friends calls to say they are offering up prayers...a husbands strength to draw from and loving arms to embrace and chase away fear. My daughters and my son. Even the old car we drive is a blessing, it runs so well, maintained faithfully by a loving husband/father. We laugh at this old car, its paint faded, but its not broke, its paid for, it takes us with all our hiking gear and camping gear where we want to go, it hauls wood from Home Depot for new projects, and has hauled goats, and sheep. It is a blessing.
It is a blessing on this Monday morning to walk in lush green pasture, trees dancing in the golden morning, sun flickering through the leaves. It is a blessing this Monday morning to be free, to not be held back by negativity or self imposed limitations. My health is a blessing, vigorous, strength in my muscles, energy to run and jump. Blessings, yes, so many...never too many though. Dishes in the sink are a blessing, it means we have had a meal, food has been served. There are so many in the world that would love to have dishes in the sink because a meal had been eaten. I read that In 1995, Americans spent more than $1 billion on dog treats, treats....not food. Yet, 6 million children die each year in the world due to hunger. Something is wrong isn't it. So as I count my own blessings, I need to think beyond them and realize that so many people in the world would love the blessings of just having food to give a crying hungry child, belly swollen, flies on big lifeless eyes.
I feel blessed today that I have eyes to see and a heart to feel that pushes me to live with conscience, so that living simply is not just some pursuit of a less stressed life, but that it is a moral issue for me.