Count Your Blessings.

As revealed by my lack of blogging, the past two months have been pretty hectic. But I'm sure you know how that goes. As the school year starts, and summer is lost, we go through a few weeks of grieving. Or in my case, months. There's still part of me in denial. I find myself reminding, well, myself that "No, I can't stay up however late I want to" and "Yes, I have to get up to go to class in the morning." That's something that I don't want to believe, but it's true. It's reality.

Thus, in the light of this reality, I sometimes find myself moping. Moping that things are so much more complicated and stressful during the school year. However, there's one thing that outweighs the amount of moping I find myself doing. And that's stressing out. Don't get me wrong, there are days when I awake with a "cup half full" mentality. Let me say that again, I do sometimes wake up with an optimistic perspective. And then there are those other days where everythings seems to be going wrong and too many things are flying past me. Those days tend to outweigh the "positive, this day will be great! attitude" days.

In those days when I get overwhelmed and stressed, it's not pretty. I don't think I'll go too much more into detail about this; just trust me. When it comes to getting anxious...I'm the Queen. [Just ask the many people that have had to listen to my ventings/rants/whatchamacallits throughout the years].

However, being an anxious person isn't something I'm particularly proud of. Because I rather don't like myself when I'm "down in the dumps", I try to look for ways that will lift my spirits. That's when I run to Jesus.And you know what I do when I'm there? Just Guess. That's right. I write. More specifically, I write a list of all the things in that day that went right. That were positives. Or ways I can make the negatives somehow have a positive. Ok, lets back-pedal for a second.

Like I said, I write in order to vent [obviously, your ears {maybe eyes is more appropriate?}] can attest to that. By writing out a list {due to my organized/OCD nature} I reflect on all the good things that happened in my day. Now when I say that I try to figure out ways I can make the negatives somehow have a positive, let me clarify. I'm not a superhuman that has the capacity to always look on the bright side. I'm not. But that doesn't mean I don't try. Let's be clear, I attempt to have a positive attitude and try to make a positive out of a negative experience. But this isn't my power, it's Gods. {Well obviously, like I said, I'm no super-human}. And by writing out this list, I'm able to gain a little perspective.

It's amazing to me that by simply counting my blessings. my whole perspective changes. You should try it. Like now. In the process of writing this blog post, and the previous reflections on "Counting My Blessings", I was reminded of an old hymn that I sang when I was little. I'll enclose just a snippet for you to get the jist. But please, go on YouTube or other sort of musical website and listen to it. Sometimes hymns astound me with their, well, heavenly quality.

"When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,

1. When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end."
5. [By Oatman Johnson Jr.]

Ok, yeah, so I ended up posting the whole thing. I read it, and I couldn't help myself.
This song hits me at the core. "Tempest-Tossed"? Um, is there an option to press the "I completely and utterly relate to this" button? Or how about "burdened with a load of care"? Okay, that's one I know we all feel at some point in our lives {perhaps daily?}. And finally, "Do not be discouraged. GOD IS OVER ALL." I don't know about you, but I constantly need to remember that God is in control over all. That we are not alone and our Heavenly Abba Father is looking out for us. 

Well, I hope that helped change your perspective to be perhaps just a smidgen more positive. It's important. Having a better outlook on life will in the end give you a better outlook on your whole life. I'm not going to be unrealistic though. Like I said, this is hard. It's oftentimes easier to mope and stress versus giving your situation to God and letting Him work through it. But trust me. It's worth it. In the short time I've had on this earth I've learned that the times that I let God in and change my perspective...I never regret it.