Dear Friends in Christ,
Hymn #296 in the brown hymnal is “Count Your Blessings.” It’s not a bad idea to count your blessings early and often, and the end of the year is a great time to reflect on what kind of year it has been.
It’s been pretty hectic at our house. Marie was admitted to the hospital a couple of times because her ailments fired up. Then there was our car wreck, that was a joy, but when these things came together, something else happened.
When Marie saw the doctor the doctor noted something kind of funny when looking at the back of her eye. From there the doctor ordered more tests. These tests showed something that looked puzzling, so she (she is our doctor) sent Marie to a neurologist for more tests.
Well, getting the tests done was a comedy of errors. Between the doctors and the insurance setting up her appointments looked like three clowns juggling flaming Indian clubs in the circus. What a mess! Well the appointments were had and the diagnosis was confirmed, Marie has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. But here’s what’s special…
The last tests, the ones that took so long to get arranged, showed that her spine was not involved with the disease. Right now, it’s limited to her brain. Sure, we would have loved to hear the words “miraculous cure,” but that was not to be. So if that’s not available we’ll take “contained” every day of the week.
Here’s the big kicker, we may not have done these tests, and we would not have done these tests this fall, if it were not for a car wreck. I’m not going to say that the Holy Spirit arranged for me to crack up the car so Marie could get diagnosed (others may, I wouldn’t), but I must say that this diagnosis and early treatment are blessings that flowed from a car wreck.
Simeon’s blessing from Luke 2 includes the words that as Jesus is salvation—not just for Israel but also for the Gentiles—he is also destined to cause “falling and rising” in Israel. In the midst of Simeon’s blessing, Mary also hears that “her soul will be pierced by a sword.” What a lousy way to end a blessing. “He is God’s own salvation for the world and there will also be pain, grief and sorrow.” That is where I think about Hymn #296, “Count Your Blessings”:
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
I wouldn’t say “C’mon, buck up! Look on the bright side!” to someone in the midst of a crisis, that’s lousy pastoral care, but let me say this, in the heart of the greatest blessings, life is not going to be just peaches and cream. In the blessings of our lives there will be pain and there will be disappointment. Our choice is how we deal with them.
Friends, choose the life of the blessings of Christ. Picking to dwell on the disappointments will only make us more in tune with them. Given a choice, dwelling on the blessings is far better than dwelling on the disappointments; and the choice is ours.
God Bless!
Have a Blessed and Happy New Year!
See you in church!
Pastor Paul
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