Blessings

Song By: Laura Story

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

If I were to say the above was a well written song, I would be do it and its author a great injustice by making the understatement of the century.  Aside from God's Word, the above words are those by which we should all be living.  I used to walk through life everyday very happy, but very ignorant.  I can't remember a time when I didn't have Christ in my life, and I've always been taught about the greatness of God and His many blessings.  But it wasn't until I listened to the above lyrics and read the fantastic words of Ann Voskamp in her book 1000 Gifts, that I actually appreciated how God truly blesses my life.  Many individuals, myself included, consider a blessing from God to be an outstanding occurrence that somehow makes our lives better, easier.  Maybe a gravely ill loved one makes a sudden, yet complete recovery.  Maybe a job opportunity allows us to be lifted out of our present occupational turmoil.  We look so hard and weigh so much of our lives on incredibly obvious blessings occurring only once in awhile, that we completely lose sight of the blessings God gives to us everyday. 
1.  Tiny, innocent footsteps pattering down the hallway to greet us every morning. 
2.  Silly conversations with your family over breakfast. 
3.  The warmth and security we get as we slip into bed everynight, officially completing our day. 
4.  Listening to you child scream in excitement as she tosses a football in the front yard with her Papi. 

I could go on and on, and I will.  That is why I've started this blog.  God sent me several awesome blessings this year to open my eyes and my heart to the wonder that exists all around me.  For this, I am eternally greatful to my Heavenly Father.  I am greatful that He presented these opportunities for spiritual grown and happiness.  I am even more greatful that I was smart enough to realize them.  As a result, the happenings in my day to day that before would have seemed mundane if noticed at all, are now seen as nothing but blessings from The Father.  I want to share these blessings, and hope to hear some from others as well.  I'm going to back track just a little to when I started keeping my blessings journal, and will keep the list going.

2013

March 21: Picked up my beautiful, healthy, pain-free and held her in my arms while she took puffs of her inhaler.
-Comfort of knowing that even though she doesn't get to stay with me during a work day, my baby is safe and is being cared for well by a wonderful, loving woman in a clean, warm, loving place
-Confidence in performing a job I love
-Love of my work family
-Satisfaction of knowing that smiles, laughter, and good moods are contagioius
-Watching someone overcome painful past experiences that are similar to my own, both of us no longer feeling alone
-Working together well and developing an appreciation for someone who I would otherwise not care to be around.
-Peaceful release from negative feelings through smiles.

March 27:
-Bathing in the joy of hearing the laughter and rapid footsteps of my child for another day
-Another chance to help those in ways they cannot help themselves
-The sound of the garbage truck coming down the street and my shreaks of excitement as she jumps up and down at the front window waiting to great the workers with her waves and smiles
-Unable to remove the smile from my face as I watch a rough hard-working man look up from his duties to return a wave and crack a smile to an excited child.
-Watching my beautiful angel bring smiles and joy to the lives of others without even trying--just being herself