Counting my blessings
Not much has changed from last week: Our property taxes have still nearly doubled, with the bill due next month. It is of the variety that makes one think the assessor's office accidentally added an extra '0' on the end. Our roof still actively leaks in the rain. Trust me, rain dripping on plaster ceilings is not a pretty sight. (As an aside, I have a new circle for Dante. I had already added a circle for people who wallpaper ceilings, but now I am adding one for homeowners who put a 4th layer of roof on a house.) IL is still large family phobic. We truly believe we are called to adopt again, but the state of Illinois and many home study agencies don't hold that same belief.
But, I have been blessed with a terrific sense of peace. I know that we are in God's hands and that He will take care of us. So, instead of dwelling on yuckiness, I want to dwell on my blessings. There are so many, but I will only list the top 10. 1) I am married to, arguably, the greatest husband in the world. 2) We have seven healthy, beautiful children whom we love and enjoy. 3) M's knee continues to recover. She can now bend it and use it in ways she hasn't been able to since May. 4) We are able to eat three meals a day and pay our bills. 5) We have wonderful friends and family living both near and far who love us and whom we love. 6) We live in a house with ample space, both for living in and for providing hospitality. 7) My parents have given J and I a gift of a four day trip to New York City next June. We will be joining them for when the choir from my dad's church goes to sing in a concert at Carnegie Hall. Plus, J's brother and his wife (my blog designer) have agreed to care for our children while we're there. 8) We live in an culturally diverse area rich in museums, parks, and culture. 9) The teen years of our children (at least those who have reached this point) have been a joy. We are constantly amazed at these two young adults...at their self-assurance, at their compassion, and at their love for their siblings and others. And 10) That libraries are still free and we live 1/2 a block from one. I know this doesn't seem to carry the same weight as the others, but when a family reads as much as we all do, it becomes one of the necessities of life.
But, I have been blessed with a terrific sense of peace. I know that we are in God's hands and that He will take care of us. So, instead of dwelling on yuckiness, I want to dwell on my blessings. There are so many, but I will only list the top 10. 1) I am married to, arguably, the greatest husband in the world. 2) We have seven healthy, beautiful children whom we love and enjoy. 3) M's knee continues to recover. She can now bend it and use it in ways she hasn't been able to since May. 4) We are able to eat three meals a day and pay our bills. 5) We have wonderful friends and family living both near and far who love us and whom we love. 6) We live in a house with ample space, both for living in and for providing hospitality. 7) My parents have given J and I a gift of a four day trip to New York City next June. We will be joining them for when the choir from my dad's church goes to sing in a concert at Carnegie Hall. Plus, J's brother and his wife (my blog designer) have agreed to care for our children while we're there. 8) We live in an culturally diverse area rich in museums, parks, and culture. 9) The teen years of our children (at least those who have reached this point) have been a joy. We are constantly amazed at these two young adults...at their self-assurance, at their compassion, and at their love for their siblings and others. And 10) That libraries are still free and we live 1/2 a block from one. I know this doesn't seem to carry the same weight as the others, but when a family reads as much as we all do, it becomes one of the necessities of life.
Comments