Count Your Blessings… Often

SAT., FEB. 8, 1997, 1:40 PM
FARM, BKFT TABLE

It certainly could be called and counted as a blessing – that easy trip home from the hospital, with the snow coming after you had Lenore safely in her own bed. Was I responsible, wholly or in part? I have told you often that I can control events in a blessing kind of way. I also have assured you that I don’t often do so, because of consequences to others. But I certainly could have held that small storm back, giving you easy and safe driving conditions. Thanks to Me are never wasted.

Lenore has some discomfort and actual pain, but that was expected from an intrusion as this surgery was. Yet she sleeps now, and this is a blessing – her on-schedule recovery. She has a healthy body… a blessing… and it should recover fairly soon. Yes, even as I don’t voice great enthusiasm for many surgical procedures I’ll say it is a blessing when a good servant of Mine comes through such an experience better able to function.

Your son Bob also seems to be recovering from his freak accident. This also is a blessing, for several are dependent upon him, and he has responsibilities and opportunities that could not be met if he were laid-up long. It is a blessing when your children, now edging out of the young adult “category”, are resiliently healthy.

As you drove into this snow-covered “place” you remarked, to yourself and to Me, how beautiful this whole area is and, in particular, your Farm. It is a blessing to live in such a place, and to appreciate it in all four of the seasons. There is great variety in the environments in which people live. This would probably not be judged as the most spectacular, but it fits you quite well… it is the “site” for the major portion of this earth life. The Farm is a blessing in itself, but your appreciation of it is also a blessing. There are those who live in equally desirable places who not only don’t appreciate their circumstances, but continually wish to be somewhere else.

And, of course, you have the triple blessing of your wife, Lenore, of this living place, and your professional position close by. There are many of your colleagues in teaching who like their work situations but not where they must live. And there are others who like their living situations but are dissatisfied with the institutions in which they must work. I regret this, especially when it involves dedicated servants of Mine, but I generally don’t micromanage individual life situations. Having said that I’ll admit that I have influenced your life, from your choice of careers, to your places of employment, to your circumstances of living. You didn’t especially deserve this attention, and I know it’s difficult to affirm to others that you were so chosen… but you were. Just count it as a blessing.

You have been blessed with some talents, some good work habits, and rather fine health. You appreciate these, and you are properly thankful, and I appreciate this. Just be less and less reluctant ( 2:17 / 3:12 ) to tell some others of this chosenness, when opportunities arise.

As you grow older it becomes easier to witness to the fact that your life has been directed. You can see much (if not most) of it already lived, and as you remember you can see more clearly how I certainly could have influenced you. And if it is possible there is no reason to deny that this kind of blessing took place.

Your son who gives the most credence to these Teachings and his two “middle daughters” just were here, and you can acknowledge the blessing of close family, living so close. This is not to deny the blessings of your other sons and their families, but only to acknowledge that geographic closeness is a special blessing.

To admit and affirm that you have many blessings, of different sorts, is an important aspect of positive, holistic health. It is not a weakness to accept that you have had important help with your life. What I did combined with your own abilities and motivations. Accept that the ways in which you were not successful were indications of some imperfections in your abilities… and my guidance.