COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

...a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he posseseth. LUKE 12:15

THE SECRET OF HAPPINESS DOES NOT DEPEND UPON MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, BUT UPON OUR SPIRITUAL APPRECIATION OF WHAT WE HAVE IN CHRIST. TWO PERSONS MAY LOOK AT THE SAME OBJECT AND YET SEE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. LOOKING AT A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS ONE WILL SEE THE BEAUTY OF THE BOUQUET WHILE THE OTHER WILL SEE ONLY THE ONE FADED BLOOM. SOME PEOPLE CAN ONLY SEE THE ONE "POOR" APPLE IN A WHOLE BUSHEL OF GOOD ONES. HOW EASY TO SEE THE ONE FAULT IN A CHRISTIAN AND BE BLIND TO ALL HIS FINER QUALITIES. SOMEONE HAS SAID, "YOU SEE ONLY WHAT YOU LOOK FOR."

TWO LADIES WERE VISITING A LUMBER YARD WITH LARGE RAFTS OF TIMBERS FLOATING IN THE STAINED, FOUL-SMELLING RIVER. SAID THE ONE, "HOW FRAGRANT THOSE PINE BOARDS SMELL." "PINE BOARDS!" EXCLAIMED THE OTHER, "ALL I CAN SMELL IS THIS FOUL RIVER." "NO, THANK YOU," REPLIED THE OTHER, "I PREFER TO SMELL THE PINE BOARDS INSTEAD." HOW EASY TO OVERLOOK OUR BLESSINGS, WHEN WE BECOME OCCUPIED WITH THE UNPLEASANT THINGS OF LIFE. THE SIGN OF CHRISTIAN GROWTH IS THE ABILITY TO OVERLOOK ,OR EVEN BE UNCONSCIOUS OF THE LITTLE ECCENTRICITIES OF OTHERS AND SEE ONLY THEIR FINER CHRISTIAN QUALITIES. TODAY DON'T BE A "SPIRITUAL POLICEMAN," ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR TROUBLE. DON'T BE "DOWN IN THE MOUTH," THINKING ONLY OF YOUR TROUBLES. BUT BEGIN TO COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS AND YOU WILL FIND THE BLESSINGS FAR OUTWEIGHING YOUR TROUBLES. SOMEONE HAS RECOMMENDED COUNTING SHEEP IF YOU CANNOT SLEEP. I HAVE BETTER ADVICE THAN THAT. TRY COUNTING GOD'S FAVORS AND EVEN THE DEVIL WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP, FOR HE DOES NOT WANT YOU TO "COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS."

A LITTLE GIRL BEGGED HER MOTHER TO READ TO HER THE STORY OF DANIEL AT BEDTIME. "I AM AFRAID," SAID THE MOTHER, "THAT YOU WILL DREAM ABOUT THE LIONS IF I DO." "OH, NO," ANSWERED THE LITTLE ONE, "I WILL ONLY DREAM ABOUT DANIEL AND LEAVE OUT THE LIONS." MAY GOD HELP US TO REMEMBER THE PLEASANT THINGS, AND FORGET THE OTHER.