Hidden Blessings

We always seem to find the time
To grumble and complain
To think of all our troubles
Our sorrows and our pain.

Yet if we would but stop and think
I'm sure we would be glad
If we counted all the troubles
That we never had.

The loved ones we still have with us
Our house that didn't burn
Our automobile that wasn't wrecked
The money we still earn.

When we're counting all our blessings
God gives us by His grace
Let's think today of all the trials
We were not asked to face.

Sometimes the testimony is that we have wonderful parents, and a good education, with mentors and helpers, with victory after victory. Sometimes our story says that we've always known the Lord and didn't have to find Him after having been through the battle of our life and almost lost. Sometimes, we can witness that our best friend of youth is still our best friend and that we are happy right where we are.

Sometimes this is our testimony, and it is just as beautiful as the difficult struggle others may speak of, because it shows the glory and the grace of God: that He kept us safe for another night; that He gave us breath for another day; that when we raised our hands to praise Him our limbs co-operated and our voices chimed in. We can say that we were blessed to be part of the new day that started this morning, and after our eyes beheld the arrival of the Son we have had all day to bask in His presence.

Prayer: Father, what can we say except, "Thank You." You take such good care of us; You watch over us so carefully. You listen to our dreams and bring them into reality in colour so vibrant and rich that it is hard to believe we are not sleeping. Thank you for blessing us with Your presence, touching us with Your joy, holding us with Your peace, raising us with Your love. Thank You for the breath that runs through us, giving us power enough to say: Amen!