52 Blessings
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 04:34PM During October’s conference, President Eyring gave a talk that impacted me deeply. When his family was young, he began writing down daily how he had seen the hand of God blessing their lives. Not surprisingly, he found that as he continued this practice year to year, he became more & more aware of God’s presence and love. I think this impacted me particularly because I met President Eyring years ago – before he was an apostle – and knew instantly that he was a man of God. He was speaking for a gathering of MBA students, and I was the lowly secretary given the task of seeing to his needs (ie. glass of water) before the dinner began. He sat in the corner of the pre-party empty room and I assumed he must be going over his speech, making last minute changes. As I got closer, I realized that was not the case. He was praying (silently & lengthily). This was not a church event or a spiritual gathering, but it hit me that to someone in tune with God, the *spiritual* compartment is not so tidily confined. It stretches into all.
I have no doubt that the man President Eyring has become is directly related to his practice of *blessing counting*. Counting blessings brings perspective. And perspective makes one look Godward.
Last night I was reading some writings by Henry Emerson Fosdick, a Baptist pastor in early 20th century America. His words are meaty and sometimes dictionary dependent, but I loved what I read. I’m including a decent chunk, but I promise this analogy is worth a sit.
“The mystery of a ship at sea keeping its course day and night through all weathers lies in the fact that it moves in two worlds. On the one side is the ship itself, the sea it rides upon, the storms that beat upon it, the fogs that encompass it, and all the seen universe that surrounds it. But another world is there, invisible, intangible, playing with unseen magnetic fingers on the ship’s compass. That is so strange a realm that for ages man did not dream that it was there at all, but now the ship keeps its course by means of it, an unseen magnetic world that guides the mariner even through night and fog and storm.
“Human life is like that. We live in two worlds. Sometimes we call this bifurcation 'body' and 'spirit' – the one material, physical, visible, the other immaterial, invisible, intangible. Like some animals of the sea, whales and seals, that, though their habitat is the water, have another need, and must from time to time come up to breathe the air, so are we. Immersed in the flesh, yet we cannot live by flesh alone but must rise into this other realm of spirit, with its faiths, its ideals, its visions of beauty and right. Here is the mystery of human nature, as of a ship, that it lives in two worlds.”
I loved this and equally loved how hungry it made me for further thought. The title of his book is Living Under Tension and the tension he addresses is that between the physical and spiritual worlds…working out the problem of how we as Christians can live daily life while holding firmly to a world unseen, but powerfully present.
All that as an intro for the statement that I’m jumping on board with those doing the 52 Blessings documentation. I’m also going to write my daily blessings in the journal by my bed…even if it is only a sentence or two on some nights.
Because I need to visit the “unseen” realm of my being more often. Because I want to see God’s hand in my life. Because I yearn to be a truer disciple.
***
So, this is my belated week 1 (I'm planning to make this a Sunday practice in the future...and to actually take the picture myself in the future, as well!):
I remember the first “bless you” I said to a Jim sneeze. But that memory is mostly due to his reply: “You do.” And now I seldom hear a “bless you” without a musing smile. He spoke the words to charm & woo, no doubt. But I reverse them as the most genuine truth of my now. Jim became mine when I needed him most. When my family needed him most. When the ground seemed to have been shaken from beneath us. Now, ground regained, I look back and know that the timing of it all was not by accident. Jim was mine all along, but someone else was wise enough to know the crucial *When*. And - for that - I'm grateful.
Blessing No. 1: "when" with Jim
Reader Comments (18)
All that came before it was beautiful too...I had given up on the 52 blessings project myself, thinking that I didn't need to add one more thing, but you have convinced me otherwise. My ship is too rudderless and compassless not to do it. Bless you.
I always love seeing your wedding photos! What a cute "bless you" story--so thankful you have Jim and he has you.
On a side note,
you look 18 in this picture, you are absolutely glowing!!!
I also think that is the happiest Amy picture ever. You two were meant to be, no doubt.
Beautiful wedding photo! You are a lovely bride.
I truly believe that if we would stop and be still for a moment each day we would see the hand of God in our life daily. Beautiful words for a beautiful couple!
I posted a picture and a little blurp of whatevers in
Dec. for 25 straight days! That about did me in. I don't know how some blog each day -a book -with pix
too!! Time does NOT permit in my daily life -but -
I do have a grateful journal to which I can take a minute -in bed even- and capture a thought or two.
This is a worthy goal -thanks for the reminder!