Better than I deserve
I'm almost afraid to say it but I have been feeling very blessed lately. I recently bought the first new car I have ever had. I've recently acquired a new watch, a new pocket knife and a North Carolina license plate that says "ZAGS" an it (being born in Spokane, WA, I am a Gonzaga basketball fan). My wife loves and respects me. She puts up with my faults and complains far less than she has a right to. In fact, she indulged my love for airplanes by putting up with several hours in extreme heat looking and aircraft that she has no interest in, just for the sake of giving me a great birthday. I get along with my co-workers and don't have any concern for losing my job. I eat well, my health is generally good and I can't remember the last time I was worried about whether I was going to be able to pay my bills. I have lived in poverty and experienced loss enough to make me recognize blessings when I see them.
I said I was almost afraid to acknowledge this state of grace. It seems that a part of me fears that if I say anything about the things that I have and the circumstances in which I live, it might fade away like a mist in a dream. I also know there is a hidden self who is afraid that if I draw attention these things, someone somewhere will notice and realize that I don't deserve the blessings I have been given and they will be taken away and I will be publicly shamed as a fraud and a thief. A pathetic response to the gifts I have been given, don't you think? I know God loves me. I know that the Bible tells us that all good things come from him. I also know that this life is short and material things are fragile at best. It just concerns me that even when I am being grateful for my blessings, I never can seem to completely separate myself from the eternal "but..." that always wants to follow. I need to work on just being thankful and happy. Period.
I said I was almost afraid to acknowledge this state of grace. It seems that a part of me fears that if I say anything about the things that I have and the circumstances in which I live, it might fade away like a mist in a dream. I also know there is a hidden self who is afraid that if I draw attention these things, someone somewhere will notice and realize that I don't deserve the blessings I have been given and they will be taken away and I will be publicly shamed as a fraud and a thief. A pathetic response to the gifts I have been given, don't you think? I know God loves me. I know that the Bible tells us that all good things come from him. I also know that this life is short and material things are fragile at best. It just concerns me that even when I am being grateful for my blessings, I never can seem to completely separate myself from the eternal "but..." that always wants to follow. I need to work on just being thankful and happy. Period.
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