Blessings

In the past couple of weeks, two people have told me that they live lives blessed by God. In a world which sinks under the stress of complaints, whining and unhappiness, that is a wonderful thing to hear. What makes them so different than those who would not say that? For one, they are right -- they are blessed, but so are so many other of us. I think a big difference is that they are AWARE of the their blessings. What a difference that makes in our lives.

I was reading the thoughts of the Coffeepastor at Philosophy over Coffee. He was reviewing the book Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. He says this:

I think that when I first read this book, I didn't fully appreciate the narrator's personal musings on everyday, seemingly mundane experiences. For example, he mentions watching a couple walking under a tree after a rain, and the man grabbing a branch and dousing them both with the water from the leaves. The narrator ties this into baptism, and how water is for blessing before it is for gardening or washing clothes.

One phrase in that quote struck me; I've emphasized it above.

Is that the normal way we view life? Do we see the blessing in something before we see its mundane-ness (I know it's not a word, but work with me.)? How would our lives be different if we gave thanks before we complained? If we saw the blessing FIRST? How would our outlook change if we remembered the presence of God before we started worrying?

Maybe then we would say, "I live such a blessed life."

Amen.

Image: Ordinary maple tree (I think) in the park. What? Do you think I am a botanist?