Lance2020x
New member
When I was younger my family had what was called a "Blessings" jar. All throughout the year anytime there was a blessing -a positive checkup, a job promotion, a friend who blessed us, a positive revelation, etc.- we would write it down on a little piece of paper, uncork the jar, and place the paper inside.
When thanksgiving came after our bellies were full of turkey and red wine, we would take out the "Blessings" jar, open it up, and take turns reading all of the blessings and memories from the previous year.
Now many years have passed, our family is broken apart and we are all spread around the world. When your family is split apart, the holidays lose their meaning, and it becomes just another day. But I still have my own personal "Blessings" jar and throughout the year I still place my own papers inside of the jar. This is a tradition that I will pass down to my children.
I can not say what is in the papers this year because I have not opened the jar yet, and many of them are personal to me, but though I'm not a small child anymore, and I don't have my family with me, I always find myself stopping on Thanksgiving to ponder the previous year and how truly blessed my life has been.
So I would like to share with you a few blessings that are on my mind at the moment, and I would like to hear yours as well:
1. Over the past year I have stepped into the industry that is my dream. I have tried for years to figure out how to step into my 'calling' if you will, and the past year I broke through and can truly say I am living my dreams. What a blessing!
2. Over the past month I have strongly felt the Lords peace over my finances. I am a very frugal person, because I have very little money, but I've felt a peace about finances that really releases me to stop worrying and place all my financial cares in God's hands. This is really refreshing and a huge blessing.
3. I've always had trouble connecting with GUY friends, because I have faced things in my life that are deep, and guys don't usually 'do' deep, so I usually was closer to girls, but I always wanted some close male friends. Today I was talking about a friend of mine who is getting married, and I suddenly realized for the first time that if I were to get married right now, I have NO idea who I would pick as my best man, because I have so many male friends who are SO close and dear to me, what a blessing!
4. As strange as this is, since I was a young boy my favorite instrument was a harp. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I realized the harp is on a tonal pitch that has been scientifically proven to help heal the body, especially healing to the lungs. I had been saving up for years, and finally, around my birthday this past June, I was able to buy myself a harp. I'm still not very good at it, but I was just playing it and was reminded how long I've wanted to be playing a harp, and how blessed I am to have one in my hands that I can call my own.
5. When I was a teenager I went through a great depression in relation to my CF and family issues that were going on at the time. It was really a difficult time and I didn't handle it well. But I came out of the depression with a determination to live my life AS IF I didn't have CF. That I was going to take care of my health, but not broadcast my health, and not empower my illness in any way, but to go through life as 'normally' as possible. This is one of the reasons I rarely posted on the boards here because it was a constant reminder that I was 'different', and I didn't want to look at myself that way, I wanted to hold myself to the same standard as everyone else.
This is a healthy attitude, but over the past six months, I've gotten to the point where I realized my CF no longer has power over my life. I have health problems, I have to do treatments, I wasn't dealt the best card, I am not 'normal', but the fact that I <b>HAVE</b> CF, CF <b>ITSELF</b> no longer has any power or control over WHO I AM. Therefore, for the first time, I have been able to take my CF, and use what I have against me as a tool to push me to a standard far BEYOND a normal person. That, in essence, the fact that I SHOULDN'T be able to live a NORMAL life is a call to live an EXTRAORDINARY life, as a testimony to make every second count. I have taken what was once my identity and turned it into a force I can control for my own good.
This life outlook, this realization, this empowerment of SELF over SITUATION, this is the greatest blessing I can think of.
I know this is an incredibly long topic, but if you have taken the time to read this, please think over your past year and take some time to post your blessings and victories from the past year. I truly believe you have the wisdom, ability and aptitude to bless, encourage and uplift those around you. Please share your blessings with us so we can share in your joy and be encouraged!
When thanksgiving came after our bellies were full of turkey and red wine, we would take out the "Blessings" jar, open it up, and take turns reading all of the blessings and memories from the previous year.
Now many years have passed, our family is broken apart and we are all spread around the world. When your family is split apart, the holidays lose their meaning, and it becomes just another day. But I still have my own personal "Blessings" jar and throughout the year I still place my own papers inside of the jar. This is a tradition that I will pass down to my children.
I can not say what is in the papers this year because I have not opened the jar yet, and many of them are personal to me, but though I'm not a small child anymore, and I don't have my family with me, I always find myself stopping on Thanksgiving to ponder the previous year and how truly blessed my life has been.
So I would like to share with you a few blessings that are on my mind at the moment, and I would like to hear yours as well:
1. Over the past year I have stepped into the industry that is my dream. I have tried for years to figure out how to step into my 'calling' if you will, and the past year I broke through and can truly say I am living my dreams. What a blessing!
2. Over the past month I have strongly felt the Lords peace over my finances. I am a very frugal person, because I have very little money, but I've felt a peace about finances that really releases me to stop worrying and place all my financial cares in God's hands. This is really refreshing and a huge blessing.
3. I've always had trouble connecting with GUY friends, because I have faced things in my life that are deep, and guys don't usually 'do' deep, so I usually was closer to girls, but I always wanted some close male friends. Today I was talking about a friend of mine who is getting married, and I suddenly realized for the first time that if I were to get married right now, I have NO idea who I would pick as my best man, because I have so many male friends who are SO close and dear to me, what a blessing!
4. As strange as this is, since I was a young boy my favorite instrument was a harp. It wasn't until just a few years ago that I realized the harp is on a tonal pitch that has been scientifically proven to help heal the body, especially healing to the lungs. I had been saving up for years, and finally, around my birthday this past June, I was able to buy myself a harp. I'm still not very good at it, but I was just playing it and was reminded how long I've wanted to be playing a harp, and how blessed I am to have one in my hands that I can call my own.
5. When I was a teenager I went through a great depression in relation to my CF and family issues that were going on at the time. It was really a difficult time and I didn't handle it well. But I came out of the depression with a determination to live my life AS IF I didn't have CF. That I was going to take care of my health, but not broadcast my health, and not empower my illness in any way, but to go through life as 'normally' as possible. This is one of the reasons I rarely posted on the boards here because it was a constant reminder that I was 'different', and I didn't want to look at myself that way, I wanted to hold myself to the same standard as everyone else.
This is a healthy attitude, but over the past six months, I've gotten to the point where I realized my CF no longer has power over my life. I have health problems, I have to do treatments, I wasn't dealt the best card, I am not 'normal', but the fact that I <b>HAVE</b> CF, CF <b>ITSELF</b> no longer has any power or control over WHO I AM. Therefore, for the first time, I have been able to take my CF, and use what I have against me as a tool to push me to a standard far BEYOND a normal person. That, in essence, the fact that I SHOULDN'T be able to live a NORMAL life is a call to live an EXTRAORDINARY life, as a testimony to make every second count. I have taken what was once my identity and turned it into a force I can control for my own good.
This life outlook, this realization, this empowerment of SELF over SITUATION, this is the greatest blessing I can think of.
I know this is an incredibly long topic, but if you have taken the time to read this, please think over your past year and take some time to post your blessings and victories from the past year. I truly believe you have the wisdom, ability and aptitude to bless, encourage and uplift those around you. Please share your blessings with us so we can share in your joy and be encouraged!