Counting My Blessings

Wednesday Word - Happiness

Of course today's word is happiness . . . what else would it be? If you have absolutely no clue as to what I am talking about - check out yesterday's post, The Happiness Project - Exciting News.

Happiness is defined as: a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy.

The Positivity Blog lists 7 Timeless Tips from the Last 2500 Years.

1. You choose.
2. Focus on the present, not yesterday or tomorrow.
3. Don't forget to be grateful.
4. Help someone else find happiness.
5. Get rid of a couple of your less valuable desires. 
6. Do what you like to do.
7. Or at least do something!

Quotes on Happiness:

A Dozen Thoughts on Gratitude

I was taught as a very young child the importance of expressing gratitude for blessings received. That being said, I truly believe that having an attitude of gratitude has blessed me more than than it could possibly have blessed anyone else. So, today I simply want to share the definition of gratitude and thanks and add a dozen quotes for further thought.

Gratitude - thanks: a feeling of being thankful to someone for doing something. Appreciation.

Thanks - an expression of gratitude

A Dozen Quotes:

1. Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone. ~G.B. Stern

Wednesday Word - Listen

 
The dictionary defines listen as:
1. to make a conscious effort to hear
2. to pay attention to something and take it into account

I continue to make an effort to be a better listener. It is possible I was born talking! LOL I have always had something to say. Just ask anyone who knows me. An enthusiastic talker has to work a little harder at being an effective listener, because listening involves more than simple hearing.

What does it mean to really listen?

Wednesday Word - Truth (Part 2)

I continue to ponder the word - Truth! The more I continue to research current world views concerning truth, the more disheartened I become.

  Look at this definition of truth. Wow! Wouldn't it be nice if all we had to do was be certain of an individual's sincerity to know whether or not they were truthful. Sincerity is not a foundation for truth.

I apologize for yet another YouTube video, but I think this one really sums up contemporary thinking on the definition of truth . . . "absolute truth."

Wednesday's Word - Truth

Having participated in the first half of The Truth Project, and anticipating Dr. Carl Werner's presentation this evening, at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church in St. Louis: Evolution: The Grand Experiment; I have spent some time thinking about the word truth.

Telling the truth has always been very important to me. I have always felt that it is easier to make wise decisions if the basis for them is truth. It took me a very long time to understand that many people today look at truth as relative rather than absolute.

If truth is relative, is it really truth at all? I believe that we have begun to call perception - truth. If that is the case then it is possible for my truth to be different from your truth; that is if truth is solely based on perception. However, shouldn't we call it what it is? Given this blending of the words truth and perception we have opened the door for massive amounts of untruth to be believed as fact.

Forgiveness

Occasionally we come face to face with a situation that requires some introspection. We have to stop and ask ourselves, "What just happened, and how do I feel about it?" Without going into any details, I had one of those moments today. How do I feel about it? I feel forgiveness.

I've been pretty sure that was the case for a long time, but it's easy to believe we have forgiven an offense when we don't have to deal with it. When the Lord brings you to it . . . that is when you have to determine if He has really brought you through it. I am happy to say . . . Glory Hallelujah!!

Are You A Possibilitarian?

"Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities - always see them, for they're always there." Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

My friend Ebony posted this quote on FB earlier today. She is not only my FB friend; she is also a faithful pray-er with Prayer Ministries Int. Ebony and I enjoy sharing praise moments about our "little men." Her little boy was born only a week or two after JJ and weighed in under two pounds also. She has been a great encourager to me, and the way she shares her faith blesses many.

I love new words, especially ones that are tweaks of those used frequently. I think that is one of my fascinations with the musical, Wicked! But we'll save that for another day. When I saw the word "Possibilitarian" I was curious and wanted to know more. Upon reading Dr. Peale's quote I was impressed. "I want to be a Possibilitarian," I said to myself.

Wednesday's Word - Oppression

Society likes to focus on social oppression, and believe me I am against any and all oppression. However, today I want to take a moment or two to take a look  at two different kinds: external and internal oppression.

The Dictionary defines oppression this way:
 1. the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or   unjust manner.
  2. the feeling of being heavily burdened, mentally or physically, by troubles, adverse conditions, anxiety, etc.

I would like to use the first definition as the one we will use for external oppression, and the second definition as the one we will give to internal oppression.

Social oppression is one people group exerting power to keep another group in a lower less valued position. Many of us remember social oppression best from High School! :-) Anytime a group or individual is treated cruelly or unfairly just because of who they are (race, creed, gender, appearance, etc.) that is oppression.

Obey

 

I came across this video entitled - Lord, Lord, posted by One Time Blind, on Tangle. It's powerful message blessed me this morning; a reminder that the Lord has called me to obedience in all things. He does know what is best for each of us and loves us so much. Sometimes that thing He asks us to do seems too difficult, but faith and trust call me to obey Him anyway.

Word - Neglect

Whew! I just had one of those moments when the Lord gently tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention. I decided that I would try an experiment for today's word. I grabbed my Thesaurus, closed my eyes, opened it randomly, slid my finger down the page, opened my eyes and looked at the word which would become my topic for today.

The word - Neglect! Since I was in my Thesaurus rather than my Dictionary, so behind a short definition there was a list of synonyms. The following is where I found myself pointing . . . (To fail to attend to responsibilities) Syn. pass over, defer, procrastinate, suspend, dismiss, postpone, lose sight of, be careless or irresponsible.

As some of you know, the presentation on which I am working is Tips from a Recovering Procrastinator. Although, I am making great strides in preparation for teaching on this subject; however, I do believe the Lord was reminding me that my recovery is not yet complete.