Thursday, January 24, 2008

Stopping to count my blessings

You know, for as much complaining as I have been doing on here lately regarding the winter weather we've been having, it just hit me tonight as I sat down with a French Vanilla Coffee, in front of the fireplace in my warm fleece jammies, that I don't have much to complain about really. Okay, I don't like the winter weather the way I liked it when I was a kid, but still, it is pretty to look at all the snow out there sparkling like a million diamonds in the night with the moonlight shining on it.

And why am I warm and toasty in my cozy home? Because I have a hubby who works very hard to provide a nice place for me to live in and have enough money to pay the bills to keep us warm, and the electricity on so I can use my computer and watch television or listen to the radio or a CD player, enough food to eat that we really never go hungry. We may not have a certain snack that I'm craving, but that's not really going hungry! Enough money to buy the medications we need to take on a daily basis after we both had heart attacks, and a trusty, loyal companion to live with us that we can also afford to feed and pay vet bills for to keep her healthy.

We have enough money to do some of the things we enjoy doing.........hub hunting and fishing, me scrap booking and visiting with my family and friends. Being able to pull together an unplanned meal and turn it into something special when the kids and grand kids stop over and being healthy enough to enjoy spending time with them....all 18 of the living ones from 18 months old to 19 years. I'm lucky to be able to say that I have held every grand child at least once......even our dear Owen who was stillborn a few years back. And how lucky we are in knowing that he is buried by his birth grandpa and is in heaven with God and his grandpa and great grandparents. How lucky that at least we got to hold him if not given the chance to get to know him. The love for him is still there too.

Having enough love to go around and having the grand children feel comfortable enough to call and ask me to tie a tie for one to go on an interview 'cause he never learned how to do it. Having them know that they can call us for anything.........even when they were very young and called to 'tattle' on their mom or dad for not letting them do what they wanted, thinking I, as their dad or mom's MOM had the authority to still make them mind and do what I said. Very humorous! Knowing that they can come for a visit and spend as many nights here as their parents will allow when ever they want. Our theory has always been that if they want to come, they can. And if we have something to do they are welcome to come along with us or they can choose to stay home with their parents without hurting our feelings.

And we are lucky enough to live in a country where young men and women go to war and sacrifice their comfort to fight for our freedom so we can have these things and enjoy all these luxuries that they are going without.

I think sometimes I just forget to count all the blessings the good Lord has bestowed upon me in this lifetime. Dear God, please place reminders in front of me so I never take all this for granted.

8 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh yeah? Try driving 100 miles in this crap every day!

Just kidding. I don't mind it too bad.

Nice post.

Renee said...

Great post, Martie. As you know, I like to stop and count my blessings every so often too. Have a great weekend!

Smalltown RN said...

what a wonderful post my friend....yes it is always good to stop and smell the roses and remember to count our blessings....thank you for the reminders....I know you are so blessed my friend but you share your blessings and those around you are blessed for having you in their lives....have a fabulous weekend....cheers...and big hugs your way!!!

Lori said...

You are so right, martie. And I think we all take things for granted now and then. Sometimes it takes sitting down to put them onto paper (or screen) to see how fortunate, blessed and rich we truly are.

Nelly said...

What a nice post...thanks for bringing that to the forefront again. We tend to forget just how lucky and fortunate we really are. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Good friends are something to be thankful for too. I'm thankful for you. Hugs!

Ame said...

wow . . . wow . . . and we get to be in the count :)

. . . and you take the time to earn more webkinz money for those little ones who can't hold it anymore than they can hold water as it flows through their fingers ;) . . . and more importantly to just talk and talk about everything and nothing when they call . . . and they know that they can call Mema anytime they want for anything, and you can't wait to talk to them . . . and this is gonna make me cry

Cheryl said...

Awesome. And really, what can be that bad when you have French Vanilla Coffee? That's how I feel about it anyway. I'm drinking a cup right now.