Blessings

BLESSINGS
BY MALINDA MILES
MARCH 4, 2018

Woke up at 2:00 a.m. with lots of thoughts roaming in my mind. Thoughts about prayer and praise. Thoughts about who I serve. Thoughts about how to pray, AND thoughts about from where my blessings come.

Psalm 121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

2 Corinthians 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

My Mother, Florence Henrietta Brown Williams taught me how to pray when I was a child. She said all you have to do is talk to God. Talk to Him just like you talk to me. Find your quiet place. Open your mouth, and just talk with Him. I trusted her, and I have been able to talk with God ever since. I talk with Him when I am happy, sad, angry, depressed, full of hate, disappointed, and yes when I am in trouble. I have learned that He is a great listener, He is s a comforter, He is a way maker, and yes he is a chastiser. HE is what you allow Him to be in your life.

Over the years since learning to pray, I have had lots of UPS and DOWNS, divorced, raised four children, took care of my Mother, helped with other people children, taken in full families, reached out to other families in need, and always worked to make my world a better place.

As I look back over my life, I have seen God work in my life. Yes, my husband left me, but God never did. Of course, the four children were left behind to be raised, and they were. My Mother died at age 76, but her prayers stayed in God's ears. Other children and families grew up and moved on, most were/are successful and doing well. Through it, all help was as close as my prayers. I was frequently down, but I was never out.

At age 60, I lost all of my teeth. At age 60, I also learned that I was a diabetic (induced by the use of prednisone, a steroid used to open up my lungs during a bronchial attack). At age 65, I learned that I have age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and that I will eventually go blind.

At age 71, I stopped and took a look backward, and here is what I see.

I have four adult children of whom I am so very proud. Hold degrees, in higher education and still studying, working, in touch with God, raising their families, drug-free, and not one of them in jail or prison. All in fairly good health. BLESSINGS.

There are seventeen living grandchildren, the oldest one is 30 and the youngest one (laying in my bed as I write this) is three (3). In between those two are fifteen others in some step in life -- working, in school, in college, in training, dancing, teaching, cooking, learning, and doing all those things that are preparing them for life, and yet, they find time to be with me. They call me almost daily. They fuss and argue with me. They laugh at my jokes. They go with me to my doctor's appointments, and yes, we go to church together, play together, and eat together as often as we can. BLESSINGS.

Then there are those five great-grands. Are there any words to describe how they make me feel? NO. Some I see often. Some I have not seen for a while, but when I get that phone call that says, grandmom, bammom, or old woman, I need to come see you, my heart just melts and I know how much I am loved. BLESSINGS.

There was a time when I was told that I should be angry with one of my former employers, that I should sue them for what they did to me. However, God introduced me to a very wise old lawyer. He said you could sue them, and yes, you might even win, but how long will it take, how many years will you lose, and end the end still be miserable, angry, and broke. I listened. God worked it out. Today, I know that was the best advice anyone could have given me. I remained happy. Found several other jobs (Woodbourne Center, Prisoners Aid, Family Crisis Center) afterward, and met incredible people from all walks of life. Learned to really appreciate what God had done in my life. Then I walked out on faith and refused to work for money but for others, for justice, for peace, and for happiness. LEARNED to appreciate what God had quietly done for me at this time in my life. BLESSINGS.

Like a young baby tree (seedling), I have grown into an oak. I learned to bend with the wind, and to stand straight with the sun. I practice sharing my gifts with others, and in return, God has shared His gifts with me. BLESSINGS.

I have had and am having a VERY GOOD LIFE -- a life filled with ups and downs like everyone else. I have a large measure of happiness. I have been given opportunity after opportunity, and frequently I have made some very good choices. YEP, I blew a few, but too few to mention. My current plan is to keep on living and making the best choices I can using every ounce of strength that I have and challenging my brain daily to do even more. BLESSINGS.

Count your blessings every day, count them one by one. Count your many blessings and see what the Lord has done for you.

Peace and blessings always.