It has occurred to me recently, as I’ve talked about making Gingerbread Houses, creating Gifts in a Jar, and especially doing much of my shopping online to find special gifts on sale through Amazon…
We are beyond blessed.
I have been reflecting about this anyway during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, but I was especially “pricked in the heart” as I was looking into Trades of Hope and learning more about the women in those countries. These families are doing everything they can just to protect themselves, put food on the table, and educate their children. And here I am, in my very comfortable home with plenty of food – and not just the beans and rice kind of food, but treat kinds of food like Hot Cocoa and Muffins. We have shelves and shelves of books to read and learn from. We have too many toys to play with, which is evident by how they are spilling out onto the floor where they don’t belong.
And I’m sitting at my nice computer shopping for presents???
Sure, I am being practical as I choose our gifts. Sure, I am being responsible with our spending, even using more gift cards I’ve earned through Swagbucks than actual money for our purchases and finding good deals and discounted prices. But the very fact that we are able to buy our kids (and extended family) gifts that they need or want – I cannot take that for granted.
Need I feel guilty that we have so much when others have so little? No. But I do feel called to be responsible, to be generous, and to continue to pray for wisdom as we make decisions each day about how to spend our money, energy, and time.
I’ll just say it again. We are beyond blessed. And I am so, so grateful.
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Linked. I am grateful for God opening my eyes as a mother. Thanks Laura!
I enjoyed reading your post. God Bless!
Love reading your story…you may enjoy mine as well. (also, I need you to remove #3. I am on the #3 and #4 link….oops. sorry)
God was with me and directed me so that I could be right behind a terrible accident that happened up on our freeway. My story is on my blog. Laura, I would have to agree, we are so blessed. Love you and your blog.
Thanks for the reminder to be grateful for our blessings at this time year! Easy to forget….
I love your perspective!
You have such a great way of wording your thoughts! Exactly, very blessed. It is always really good to remember this.
Beyond blessed, indeed! Thanks for sharing today, Laura, and for hosting as well. Always such a blessing to link up here. :)
Thanks so much for this reminder…I have been looking the wrong way lately. Thanks for the link up!
Praise God that He blesses us exceedingly abundantly beyond what we could ever imagine or think! Thanks for the great post & for hosting & God bless!
Thank you for your regular reminders to be thankful!
I am so grateful for borrowing and reading Free the Children, Craig Kielburger this week (I do not have any ties to this group). We do support another group. Be prepared to see every blessing in your life. I am so incrediably blessed by God. Praise Him!