When you ask God's blessing on your meals, do you ever think about how much you have already been given? Do you ever think about comparing yourself with what "could have been" and what was so totally unexpected? Some of the books published back in the early 1900s talked about the spirit of man--and woman--and how that spirit had to be encouraged despite circumstances. To me, that means unexpected blessings. No matter how much determination a person may have, blessings are not the outcome unless God is in charge. And sometimes the blessings are not even realized by the person with that amount of determination. One of my grandfathers was so poor that he did not even have shoes and would not go to school because he was too ashamed to be seen as poor. He learned math from the man who took the talleys at the weighing scales for the cotton sacks. He learned how to set forms for buildings by working on crews that were building oil field round houses. He took every opportunity to learn anything he did not already know about anything he thought could help him become more independent. He did learn to read, but read very little. When he was older, he listened to the news on TV and believed everything he heard--or most of it. He was not gullible. He was definitely not a religious man. In fact, he felt that most of the preachers and deacons he ever met were just about as conniving a bunch as any among men. So this grandfather was full of the determination that most men need to get through life. But he was also blessed in many respects; whether or not he thanked God was not among my experiences of him. It makes me wonder if he ever knew where the blessings came from, or if he thought that it was in his hands alone that his life was determined.
Today, sitting down to a bowl of soup and thanking God for the blessings, it occurred to me that the blessings are well beyond what might ever have been expected by someone of my background. We are not supposed to compare ourselves among ourselves, but on the other hand, it is easy to see that among the elderly, some of us are well fed, comfortably housed, relatively healthy, and loved by others. Those of you reading this blog have access to the internet. That is not a free service. A computer or laptop device of some sort enables you to communicate and keep up with the world--a bit more than just turning on the TV to your local channels. So my thoughts: what are your blessings that make you thankful? No amount of money can make a person happy or thankful. Good health? Some folks are just happy to survive cancer or accidents and illnesses. A fine house? No other house on a hill could make me as happy as this old home up here on Dickerson Hill. It is not perfect, but it is as good as it needs to be until my sorry carcass needs to leave this life. Family and friends? Life changes things as we get older, but those are two blessings that remain. Sisters-by-another mother is a big blessing! Michelle, BillyeRuth, Cindy, Connie, and Sharon have all joined my little family in the past few years. They are generous with their love. And only God can give us that kind of love.
Guess this is just one of those days that my family has been on my mind. Yes, the hens are still out there cackling away, and the dogs bark at every car or truck or stray dog. But today is a thankful day. Children, grands, friends, and adopted family: those are the blessings that cannot be numbered.
May you all rest well and think on the blessings He has given us. You are loved.
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