Blessings

I am blessed. When I look around and see all that God has provided for me I can't be anything but blessed. I know that, as humans, we can always find things to complain about, but it takes so much more energy. I first started thinking about my blessings last week during finals. I was leaving my psychology final and could hear little screams from across the street. Of course I recognized those screams of excitement and went over to the playground asking, "Who's making all this noise?!" I was rushed by thirteen excited 2 & 1/2 and 3 year olds screaming "EMILYYYYY!!!! Come play with us!!!!" I told them I would be back after naptime and they all went back to playing, but let me tell you, it brightened my day so much. I really love those kids, even the ones that sometimes drive ya nuts. They are a blessing in my life.

There are so many other blessings I have been counting (in no particular order of course)- my school, my roommates, my friends, my family, my boyfriend, a roof over my head, healthy food to eat, clean water to drink, a warm shower at night, a comfy bed to sleep in, a loving church to worship in, an advisor who welcomes her students into her home, a job that pays me to do something I love, a successful quarter of classes complete, a break from school, rain on dry ground, sunshine to warm my skin...

Saturday morning I started reading a book called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, and I have fallen in love with the outlook on life that the she presents. It is about finding the simple things in life and getting through situations by praising God and being thankful for the blessings He has provided. Even through loss and heartache, God's grace overflows continually in our lives. Sometimes we just need to open our eyes to find it.

"I know there is poor and hideous suffering, and I've seen the hungry and the guns that go to war. I have lived pain, and my life can tell: I only deepen the wound of the world when I neglect to give thanks for early light that dappled through leaves and the heavy perfume of wild roses in early July and the song of crickets on humid nights and the rivers that run and the stars that rise and the rain that falls and all the good things that a good God gives. Why would the world need more anger, more outrage? How does it save the world to reject unabashed joy when it s joy that saves us? Rejecting joy to stand in solidarity with the suffering doesn't rescue the suffering. The converse does.

The brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world.

When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows. How can this not be the best thing for the world? For us? The clouds open when we mouth thanks."