Counting Every Blessing

Thanksgiving is next week. Christmas is just about a month away. And yeah, I have to admit, I have already started listening to Christmas music.  To be absolutely transparent, my favorite Christmas CD has been in the car CD player for at least two years, and whenever I need a reminder of what life is really all about, I play a song or two.

 

Can I get a witness?

 

Though I am already listening to Christmas music, just this week I “decorated” for Thanksgiving. Decorating, for me, means putting the Thanksgiving tablecloth and the cornacopia (thank you, spellcheck) on the dining room table, setting the Give Thanks plaque on the front porch, and haphazardly strewing fall foliage and mini pumpkins and pinecones across the leaf garland on my mantel. Hey, it works, and I am happy with it.

My cat likes my decorating, too, ha ha!

I love Thanksgiving, and I really love Christmas, but I have to admit, there have been times in my life when I dreaded them. Holidays can be challenging and sometimes come with a lot of baggage. The holidays often include going back home, and going home sometimes means reliving old hurts, remembering past mistakes of others and of our own, and missing our loved ones who are no longer with us.  Holidays can be hard days, and we need to remember that as we prepare to celebrate.

I’m going to tell you what some wise people have told me since I was little. When you feel sad or just not happy, when you are worried, when you are facing that long, dark night alone and are not able to sleep — count your blessings.

We all have them — sometimes it’s just not easy to see them when we are focused on the hard things.

I read a book by Ann Voskamp several years ago, and I have re-read it over and over, and I’ve shared it with many friends, and today, I recommend it to you. It’s about counting your blessings. The author is challenged to list 1000 gifts, just 3 little or big things each day that she can call good. And it changes her life.

 

When we re-focus on the little things in our lives that are blessings, we begin to lift our eyes off the problems, the hard things, the darkness — and even if it is just for a moment — we see a glimmer of hope.

1000 Gifts — Blessings I am counting — 1000 ways GOD’s been good to me

1. I woke up this morning
2. A really comfortable bed
3. Warm, soft blankets
4. Good hot coffee with heavy cream (Don’t judge!)
5. Orange and yellow and red leaves I see on my drive into work
6. My husband loves me just the way I am
7. My son is sleeping in his own bed under our roof tonight
8. My older son is sharing Thanksgiving with his one true love
9. My son’s lovely wife and her beautiful family are now a part of our family

 

And on and on…

Thanksgiving should not just be a day or week in November. It should be our heart’s cry every single day of the year —  I’m preaching the gospel to myself.

Above everything else, I am thankful for Jesus, who

Though he was God, did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Phillipians 2: 6-11 NLT

He is my Savior, the Hope to whom I cling, the Rock I know will never fail me, and I trust Him with my whole life.

 

I’ve been blessed beyond all measure. I’m counting every blessing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Through It All – A Tribute to Mama

It’s Mother’s Day weekend, and I’m thinking about my mama. This is how I remember her — the way she looked on my wedding day.

She was a beautiful lady inside and out. I am so thankful she is my mama, and she is one of the reasons I say I am blessed beyond measure.

This is how my daddy always remembered mama — the way she looked when they met.

I like to think this is how she looks now!

It was 20 years ago this month that my mama died. I don’t remember the actual date, which is okay with me.  I just remember that she died when I was pregnant with my son David, and that it was a couple weeks before Mother’s Day. I had the privilege of putting together the program for my mama’s funeral, and the bulletin we picked out was perfect for her. It was a Mother’s Day bulletin that said, “Her children will rise up and call her blessed.” That was my mama — both blessed and a blessing to those who knew her.

I miss her every time I think of her, and there are days that I so want to talk with her. She was not just intelligent — she was wise. She had the white hair to prove it — ha ha — or maybe she had the white hair because she had 8 kids to remember in prayer.  Or maybe it was just because she had lived a good long life.

She was not really a singer — she rarely sang even during our church services. She was a pianist — she was well trained, and she could play just about any music you set before her.  She told me she didn’t think to sing because she had spent so much of her time playing the piano for others.

But she loved music. She loved good, gospel music. She loved to hear others sing. She loved to hear her family sing.

When my brother Phillip taught himself to play the piano, some of my siblings and I started to sing gospel songs at church and local Christian events. Both my parents loved this, but I think it really touched my mama’s heart. She was rarely emotional, but I remember her shedding a tear or two when she heard us sing Andre Crouch songs. This was one of the first ones we learned.

It’s really the story of her life.

I’ve had many tears and sorrows
I’ve had questions for tomorrow
There’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong
But in every situation
God gave me blessed consolation
That my trials come to only make me strong

Through it all
Through it all
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus
I’ve learned to trust in God

Through it all
Through it all
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word

I’ve been to lots of places
I’ve seen a lot of faces
There’s been times I felt so all alone
But in my lonely hours
Yes, those precious lonely hours
Jesus lets me know that I was His own

Through it all
Through it all
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus
I’ve learned to trust in God

Through it all
Through it all
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word

I thank God for the mountains
And I thank Him for the valleys
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through
For if I’d never had a problem
I wouldn’t know God could solve them
I’d never know what faith in God could do

I love you, mama, and I know — I know — I KNOW — that someday I will see you again. And oh, what a happy day that will be!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Stronger

Did you ever have a song keep running through your mind all day long, over and over and over? And nothing could make that song go away.

When this happens to me, it is usually something stupid like, “My bologna has a first name, it’s O-S-C-A-R.”

But today, it’s a really good one.

Some days I wake up feeling really strong — like the world is my oyster (whatever that means.) “Today, I will go out in confidence and live bravely, talk to people I don’t know and really be a blessing to everyone I meet.”

But many days, most days if I am really honest, I wake up feeling a bit weak. The thought might go through my mind that —

if only people knew who I really am,

if they knew how ______________ (fill in the blank with the negative adjective) I am,

then they would not really like me, or respect me, or appreciate me.

Thoughts like these, some positive and some negative, are clearly lies of the enemy, deceptions from the one who seeks to kill, steal and destroy anything that is of God, anything that is truly good.

And then, God in His grace takes my mind back to that sweet song we all learned in Sunday school, so many years ago.

We are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.

So, yeah, some days, I am weak, maybe weaker than I know. Other days, I am strong, maybe stronger than I know. But everyday, I know this. Jesus is stronger. He is stronger than anything I might encounter today, and He loves me more than I will ever know.

 

There is love that came for us
Humbled to a sinner’s cross
You broke my shame and sinfulness
You rose again victorious

Faithfulness none can deny
Through the storm and through the fire
There is truth that sets me free
Jesus Christ who lives in me

You are stronger you are stronger
Sin is broken you have saved me
It is written  — Christ is risen
Jesus you are Lord of all

No beginning and no end.
You’re my hope and my defense
You came to seek and save the lost
You paid it all upon the cross

So let your name be lifted higher
Be lifted higher be lifted higher

You are stronger you are stronger
Sin is broken you have saved me
It is written  — Christ is risen
Jesus you are Lord of all

Some days, you may feel weak, and other days, you may feel strong. But everyday, if you know Jesus, know this: HE is stronger.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

He is stronger than anything you will encounter today, and He loves you more than you will ever know.

I hope this song gets stuck in your head, and that it plays over and over until it is written in your heart.

New year, new heart!

Hey, y’all!

Just wanted to share another song that’s got me smiling — and crying, depending on the day!

It’s “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again,” sung by Danny Gokey. I’ve been hearing it on the radio and looked it up on Youtube. I found this video where he explains the story behind the writing of the song. And now, I love the song even more!

As you know if you read my blog regularly, I’ve had some serious health issues in the recent past. A year ago, my brother also went through some life-threatening medical issues, some of which were related to his heart. So when I heard the story of this lady whose heart was repaired, I immediately thought of my brother.

When you’ve been through a hard thing, sometimes it is difficult to move forward and allow yourself to heal. We tend to sit there in the ashes of that hard thing, and relive it and relive it, and it prevents us from moving on and growing.

Our loving heavenly Father brings the healing…

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:2 NIV

and He tells us He will not leave us or forsake us,

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8

…we need to tell our heart to beat again. He has already fixed it — now we need to let it live again.

“Yesterday’s a closing door. We don’t live there anymore!” Praise God!

 

 

 

I Know Whose I Am, and That Makes All the Difference

Just keeping it simple today.

A song has been playing over and over in my head the past few weeks. I’ve been meaning to share it.

The words are simple and hard to miss. Once you’ve heard the song, if you’re like me, you will know the words by heart. Words that ring true are like that.

I share this song with one warning: once you hear it, you will not be able to forget it. But that’s not a bad thing.

When I sing these simple truths, I cannot help myself. I am smiling by the end of the first verse, and I smile every single time I sing, “And I’m loved by You. It’s who I am — it’s who I am.”

Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories
Of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper
Of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You’re pleased
And that I’m never alone

You’re a good good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are,
it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am,
it’s who I am

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching
For answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching
For answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need
Before we say a word

You’re a good good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are,
it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am,
it’s who I am

Cause You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
Into love, love, love

You’re a good good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

You’re a good good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am
You’re a good good Father

You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways

Publishing: ©2014 WorshipTogether.com Songs / sixsteps Music / Vamos Publishing / Housefires Sounds (ASCAP) / Capitol CMG Paragon / Common Hymnal Digital / Tony Brown BMI Designee (BMI) (admin. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com)

Writer(s): Pat Barrett and Tony Brown

Lift Up Your Head and Sing, for Goodness’ Sake

I had a moment of sadness at Thanksgiving. Really it was more like self-pity, if I am honest.

We probably all have moments like this, where we just look at ourselves and our own lives and see the worst. That is why we should fix our eyes on whatsoever is good… It keeps things in perspective.

Music has always been a big part of my life. Some of my earliest and happiest memories are of singing around the piano with my family. My mother played piano and my dad sang. He taught me and my siblings to sing at a young age. Being a “preacher’s family,” we were the “special music” many Sundays at church.

Then, when my brother Phillip was around 13, he was inspired by certain contemporary Christian music groups, and he taught himself to play piano. He is truly talented.

Phillip learned to play music that really appealed to young people like me. Soon my sisters who were still at home, Marilyn and Sharon, and Phillip, and I formed our own little singing group. We started singing at our church, and then we were asked to sing at Revival meetings and camps all around our area and even in other southern states. It was a lot of fun, and it was also a great way to share what we really believed. The four of us believed in Jesus, and loved Him because we knew Him, and He had forgiven our sins. I mean, we really believed, and still do, and it has made a difference in our lives.

So…why was I sad this Thanksgiving?

One of the side effects of my brain surgery is that I forgot how to sing. I can hear the tones and rhythms in my head, but it has been hard to get the sounds in my head to come out of my mouth.

So at Thanksgiving the four of us were together in the kitchen getting ready for a baby shower for my niece, and Phillip started singing a Christmas carol, and then went on to a song our little family group used to sing. And my sisters quickly chimed in…in 3-part harmony. They really sounded great — but I? I was afraid to sing…afraid to even try to sing the part that I heard inside.

The music was still there. I was just afraid that I would not be able to carry my part. And I was sad.

For a moment.

Then God brought to my mind all the wonderful things I have relearned since my surgery. Instead of counting the things I have lost, I started counting the things I still have and the multitude of things I have found…and relearned…and regained. And then I felt the joy of the Lord bubbling up in me again.

And that JOY of the LORD truly IS MY STRENGTH.

I praise God that I am walking… that I am able to squat and bend over without toppling. I am walking up and down stairs with hardly a thought! I am writing and painting and thinking creative thoughts! I find my glasses dozens of times everyday! And I have now driven the car by myself on more than one occasion…and I did great!

More than all these miracles is the way I feel the presence of God. He is so real to me…like breathing in and out…He is that close to me. I don’t understand how that works, but I know it is real because it is happening to me right now.

Someone posted a video of a flash mob singing Christmas songs in a mall, and I stopped and listened and watched just like the pedestrians in the mall did. As I watched the video, I noticed that the singers all lifted their heads as they began to sing. Looking up. Lifting their heads and voices and looking up. Not only did this allow the sound to fill the mall, but it also caused me, as a listener, to get my eyes off the singers and really hear the message they sang. A message of hope. The message of hope and love that is the Christmas story.

And guess what? I have decided to sing as loudly as I can when I have the chance because I have good reason to sing. If it doesn’t sound that great to you, I am sorry, but not that sorry. I love the Lord, and I will sing to Him in my best voice, and no matter what it sounds like to you or to me, it sounds like beautiful music to God.

So if you happen to be standing close to my family Christmas Eve, don’t be surprised if you hear me singing my best harmony to the carols that are played. Christmas is the time to sing if there is ever the right time to sing.

Leaning on the One Who Is Faithful

I had a real treat yesterday as I walked around the lake. I passed a boy fishing with his grandpa. The boy was probably about 8, and the grandpa, who was in a wheelchair, looked to be in his eighties. The boy was chatting continuously in his high, little boy voice. And laughing…having a great time with Grandpa. What a blessing.

Because my parents were older when I knew them, I have a special place in my heart for the elderly. My father lived a good, long life and only had to use a wheelchair the last couple years, thank goodness. I miss him.

My daddy woke up everyday at 4:00 a.m. and spent a couple hours reading the Bible, 4 chapters in the Old and 1 in the New Testament, and praying for all of our family– his 8 kids, 17 or so grandchildren, and a multitude of other people and their needs and requests. He was not a perfect man, but He loved music and the Bible, trusted the Lord, and was proud of his kids — not necessarily in that order.

One of his favorite songs was Great Is Thy Faithfulness, by Thomas Chisolm. He really believed the message of this song, and would sing it well in his nice, scruffy tenor voice.

“Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
 There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
 Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
 As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!
 Great is Thy faithfulness!
 Morning by morning new mercies I see.
 All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
 Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”

When I hear this song, it always makes me cry a little — first because of the truth of the message; second, because I think of my dad.

And then one of my dad’s favorite verses from the Bible —

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5,6 NIV

But I really love this verse in the Amplified version:

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not lean on your own insight or understanding.  In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”

My daddy lived this verse, and I am learning to live it. So many things in this life are beyond our understanding. Some days are really hard. I am so thankful to have my very understanding husband, who is always there with a shoulder for me to cry on, and sometimes, lately, it may happen once or twice a day. My husband is a comfort, always there to say the words that remind me who I am, and whose I am.

I KNOW Who is watching over me, and He is faithful…day by day…morning by morning. I KNOW Whom I can lean on when I can’t lean on my own understanding (which is so limited). My husband and I try to acknowledge Him in all our ways, in all the things that come into our lives, and we are trusting that He will make our paths straight… and plain. It is not easy, but it is based on a promise. And God is faithful…He provides all that we need.