Blessings

Today is St Patrick’s Day.  Many people consider today to be especially “lucky”.  In fact, many go through life thinking they are the recipients’ of lucky things and events.  They will say things like, “I was sure lucky that I didn’t have an accident.”; “I was really lucky that I didn’t get sick!”; “I am so lucky to have such a great family.”  Personally, I rarely use the word lucky.   In fact, when my first husband, whose birthday was March 17^th, left me for another woman, I felt anything but lucky!  Instead, I use the word “blessing” when I describe events in my life.

I feel blessed to have a loving family, healthy and talented grandchildren, a wonderful son and daughter-in-law, many precious friendships, a safe and comfortable place to live, a nice car to drive, plenty of activities to keep me busy and productive and a sweet doggie furbaby and so much more.  I am blessed to have been raised and loved by godly parents.  I am blessed to a part of a Bible-teaching church.  I am blessed with reasonably good health and the ability to live independently, even as I advance in years.  God has been very good to me!

I am blessed to be a Christian, with God’s Spirit living within me and guiding me each day.  Among my devotional reading this morning in “60 Days of Prayer”, there is an excerpt from Lorica of Saint Patrick which resonates with me:

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me,
I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.

Today, dear reader, I pray that you will be blessed by the love of God, who watches over us all.