Smaller Blessings?? Is there such a thing?

I feel as if I should clarify some things before I start this post: I am totally and completely grateful for the big things: Christ dying for me, a loving and forgiving God that picks me up when I fall, a home, a job, financial stability, family, parents, husband, daughter, etc, etc....I am not mentioning these this month because I feel that I am always thankful for those things but yet I fail to see the other blessings. I had to catch myself, because I almost wrote "smaller blessings". I do not see it that way. Everything God has given me is HUGE, it is just that I can only see it through worldly eyes in which the "big" things are those that we think we need (i.e. what is listed above). There are plenty of people who do not have those things but who are richly blessed.

I encourage you if you are going on this journey with me to seek out ALL that God is providing you with today...it is in the details. I am reminded that God does not make mistakes. You did not just run into that person for no reason, or see that insect in the grass, or look up and still the moon while the sun was up as well. Everything has a reason and a purpose. Don't take it for granted! So, how we learn to give thanks for EVERYTHING??

In Philippians 4:11-12 Paul writes "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little."

I love what Ann Voscamp writes in One Thousand Gifts about this passage. Just to give you some background, she has written in the pages before about eucharisteo "he gave thanks" coming from Luke 22:19:

"It's Paul writing the letter to the Philippians. I read the fourth chapter. I almost don't see it, but Paul repeats it twice in only two sentences, so I don't miss it.

I read it many times, groping for the latch.

There it is - The secret to living joy in every situation, the full life of eucharisteo. Twice Paul whispers it: "I have learned...." Learned. I would have to learn eucharisteo. Learn eucharisteo - learn to live it fully. Learn it like I know my skin, my face, the words on the end of my tongue  Like I know my own name. Learn how to be thankful - whether empty or full." 

Wherever you are at right now, empty or full, we have to learn to be thankful. This does not come easy to us because we are of the world. The world tells us that we deserve these things and that we are empty if we don't have those "big blessings". Don't fall in this trap. Today, seek learn...seek to find...blessings.

6. sound of door closing letting me know my husband made it home safe from working the midnight shift
7. staff who are so flexible and love my families/children
8. words of encouragement from random stranger while voting this morning
9. feeling "full"
10. smell of heat coming on for the first time this season in an old office
11. Elizabeth saying "i gonna vote" this morning while going to vote withe me - reminder of this great country and the freedom to vote
12. smiles and laughter as my goddaughter walked to me at daycare today
13. cried of Elizabeth as I left her at daycare but knowing it is making her independent (sometimes the sad times are blessings as well).
14. the moon sharing space in the sky with the sun
15. wind gently bowing the branches of the tree out the office window


For these things, even though they seem "smaller" than other things, are all the blessings of an amazing God who continues to bless me every day. Father, I am so unworthy of these things but I cannot express my desire to appreciate you even more.