Saturday, April 16, 2011

Being Blessed

My wife loves to blog.  Myself … not so much.  It’s a generational thing I think, or something related to the latest in technology in the bits &bytes industry.  However, I have had occasion (once before) to write.  This time it was a … feeling … impulse … or mandate?  I’m not sure.  So, I had to write and respond about my loving and gracious brides blog posted yesterday.


Being Blessed

Dictionary.com defines being as:  the fact of existing.  It defines blessed as:  divinely or supremely favored.  So, in essence, Cora and I are in the act of existing in the divinely or supremely favored.  Wow … what a concept!

Let me try to explain where I am coming from.  Three weeks ago, my back went out on me in what my chiropractor called a “facet syndrome”.  Extremely painful, cured by lots of ice and bed rest.  During this unscheduled hiatus, I managed to relieve some of the pressure on my wife that she must deal with through the week while I am working.  It also allowed me to bond with the new dogs, our kids, as they got out of the vet for major health issues needing attention.  This time also allowed me time to indulge one of my passions … spoiling my wife.  Dinner, flowers, cleaning the house, doing laundry, etc.  (Hey, I have been a bachelor for over 48 years, I can do a lot of things around the house better than my wife can.  It’s called experience.)  She, in turn has been freed up to indulge in one of her passions, that of getting the family finances into order, so we can see what we what we need to do to live debt free and how soon it will take us to get there.  Thank you Dave Ramsey!

In the mean time, with our taxes paid and the returns deposited, we pay off bills, debts, buy supplies, budget for projects, upgrade things needing upgrading, remove that which needs removing, etcetera-etcetera-etcetera.  Then, when all is quiet, an overwhelming  wave of gratitude washes over me for the things that I have in my life.  It completely amazes me.

The winter of 2009 was probably one of my darkest in quite awhile. Nothing bad, just the basic struggles of an old bachelor trying to get used to the same old idea of curmudgeon-hood, and not liking its prospects.  Then Cora takes me up on my offer of exploring a relationship.  Needless to say, by September ‘10 we are married and in full throttle living by the winter of 2010.  Then a touch of reality sets in with my back.


So why do I consider myself blessed?  First, when I was five years old at a Good News Club, God grabbed a hold of me. He will never let me go.  Second, I was given a young lady of grace and beauty by my God, to love me in spite of my flaws and foibles that she saw.  I was given a house in which to live and stay warm in.  I was given a job to financially support all that has been given to me.  I have a family that loves me (at least they claim too!) and chooses to hang out with me when they can.  I have friends and a church family that care about me.

Why all of these?  I believe it is because God has blessed Cora and myself.  I am so grateful for all of God’s tender mercies and His loving grace.  Is it any wonder why I have been obsessing on the song that Cora posted:  Matt Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name”.  I know what I have is because God gave it to me.  I did not earn it, I did not deserve it, and I did not even know I could have it.  Yet God chose to bless me with these things.

What if God should choose to take all of these things from me? All of these were given to me by a loving and gracious God.  They are His to begin with.  They are His to take back as He sees fit.  I am reminded how Job responded when God allowed Satan to have control of everything in his life.  Job had lost everything but his wife.

Job 1:21-He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there.  The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.  Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Would I, could I be like Job and bless the Lord should this happen to me?  I can’t answer that with certainty.  I can tell you what I want my answer to be.  My only request is that I be true to the loving God who has granted to me this life of grace, mercy, and loving kindness.  That in my response His name will be glorified, honored, and praised.

I hope you have understood what I wanted to say.  Thank you for taking the time to read this short commentary on my many blessings.  And Cora … you are my greatest gift from God, except my salvation.  I love you my beloved.  To the rest of you, may His peace and mercy be with you as you go about the rest of your week.
Duane

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