“Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your blessings, see what God has done…”
Thirty years ago, I was surprised to find myself all grown up and hitting the big 3 – 0.
Does that make me doubly surprised as I find myself at the doubly big 6 – 0?
As it turns out, I’d rather throw out whatever cliches are out there and think about my blessings, that is, what is going well? What good providences have I been fortunate to receive and achieve? That includes an understanding that there are plenty of trials, woulda-coulda-shoulda, and what ifs in any life worth living.
As I post this online on my 60th birthday, I’m choosing to count my blessings. Some profound, some routine, some just plain silly. Not comprehensive, just the first sixty things that come to mind.
Hopefully this list will give you, dear reader, an opportunity to remember some blessings of your own.
My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit – a relationship I don’t deserve, to be known by God and to know Him in return, then to make Him known.
My Best Friend and Darling Bride, 31 years and counting, do I believe in miracles, yes!
Three Adult Children (OK, I may be cheating a little bit, combining three blessings into one item, this just gives me two additional spots).
Unlimited access to a Bible in print, online, audio, and those who make translations possible.
College Park Church, my local church home for 30 years and counting, a place to belong, grow, and multiply.
Plainfield Christian Church, my first church home as a grown up Christian, where I learnned foundational truths, and was baptized in 1991.
Second Presbyterian Church, we were married there and was the right place for a season.
Heart of a Man, the Men’s ministry I’m part of. Anchoring men in a community built on timeless truth.
An extended family to be actively engaged with. Mom, Dad, brothers, cousins,…
Old high school and college friends, even though we are in touch only online.
For more than enough food, clothing, and shelter (maybe more cheating, is this one item or 3, but these are often mentioned in the same sentence, so I’m doing it here as well).
A career that allows me to provide needed services to others, create profitability for my employer, provide support for my family, support worthy causes financially, model responsibility and diligence, and access to the culture as an ambassador for Christ.
My Certified Public Accountant license, allows me to have the career I have.
Paid time off, holidays, and weekends – the gift of free time, may I use it wisely.
The talent and freedom to write and publish on an online platform for whoever may care to read.
For good health that allows Darling Bride, my family, and I to be very active in such activites such as…
- Saturday morning coffee
- Coffee anytime
- Bicycling rail trails and wherever we care to go
- Bicycling organized bike tours
- Tent Camping at our favorite state parks and recreation areas
- State park inns
- State parks in general
- Lake Michigan – sorry I took it for granted growing up there
- Apple orchards
- Redamak’s – the hamburger that made New Buffalo, Michigan famous!
- Other good restaurants when we cannot be in New Buffalo
- Day trips wherever we end up
Occasional baseball games – Major League, Minor League, both have their strengths. As Harry Caray used to say, “You can’t beat fun at the old ballpark!”
Occasional Indiana Pacers NBA games. Not the same as baseball, still worthy of my list.
Disc golf – don’t play as much as we used to, but still makes the list.
Listening to music on vinyl LPs. Something about owning the music, not just renting it.
Then again, music streaming increases access to quantity, there’s something to that too.
Good music, wherever it may be found.
Podcast streaming too, a lifetime of learning.
Audiobooks, currently listening to The One Year Chronological Bible during my commute to the office.
Good health, having recovered from Diverticulitis surgery in 2019 and hernia surgery in 2021.
Our cats past, present, and future.
My houses past, present, (and future, if any) – there’s no place like home!
The internet – I’ve been around long enough to remember getting by without it.
Filter of Hope, the organization that installs home water filters in Latin American countries, partners with our church for short term vision (mission) trips.
Stand to Reason: Confidence for every Christian, Clear thinking for every challenge, Courage and Grace for every encounter.
Christmas Season – not much of a fan of the rest of Winter Season.
Spring Season.
Summer Season.
Autumn (fall) Season.
My Trek Verve 3, allows me to go on those bicycling experiences.
Darling Bride’s Townie go, an e-bike that allows us to go on those bicycling experinces together.
Our cars and vans, my current favorite is our Subaru Forester (“Pearl Sue”) allows us to go wherever we need or want to go.
The sofa I’m sitting in as I write this, comfortable, and it reclines.
Our dining table and chairs, like most things in our home, has to serve many different purposes and functions. It looks well used, it is well used.
Outdoor grilling – charcoal, Weber grill. Grill once, eat multiple times.
Chicago style pizza.
New York style cheesecake.
Cherry pie.
Apple Butter, particularly from Garwood’s Orchard.
Board games, Scrabble, Yahtzee.
4-color pens – the Bic brand that has clickable sliders that can be blue, black, red, or green.
My FranklinCovey planner – still something about pens and paper.
Hummingbirds – all birds really, but there is something about when they come back for the spring, and something when they leave in the autumn.