5 blessings!

I can't tell you the number of times I've heard my aunt Debra tell me to stop and think of 5 things I'm thankful for when I'm going through a rough time to remind me of the positive not the negative. Everyone goes through rough periods in life (some obviously rougher than others), but the devil loves to throw those hard times at us and watch us crumble. He gets joy out of seeing us sweat, questioning God, and falling into his traps. Where does it get me to say..."God, why is this happening to me?". It keeps me sulking, feeling defeated, not understanding, and frustrated. I know I'm also one of those people that say..."everything happens for a reason", but I sure do wish I knew that reason sooner rather than months or even years later.  

This past week it seems several frustrating things have happened to me, our little family, and some of the people around us. Yesterday, I had hit my breaking point. You know that point when your just D-O-N-E! I woke up and thought this day has GOT to be better, but nope it just got worse. I wanted to cry all day because of how overwhelmed I've felt recently. If I say exactly what has gone on, I know every one would think those things are so stupid and most people have it a lot worse. I totally understand that. This post is not to go on about how terrible I think things got. Even as I was working today, I thought my problems seem so small compared to theirs. I honestly tried to stay positive, but as I was walking out of work tonight I immediately called my aunt because I knew I needed a little pep talk, which is exaclty what I got. She just listened to my heart then said remember five things you are so thankful and blessed to have. I brushed it off and said I know I'm thankful for at least five things and I'm happy, but I'm just having a rough few days. 

After I got off the phone with her and had some time to think, I realized wow, this is exactly what the devil wanted me to do. Blow off those things that I should be overly thankful for and focus on the bad! So ashamed of myself I immediately started naming things that I was thankful for in my head. The list kept going way longer than 5 blessings! Then I began to reflect on a recent sermon I heard at church. I walked in the door and there was 2 of the biggest blessings I've ever received in my life. My amazing husband who was feeding our beautiful baby girl. The sermon was about the devil and how he tries to drift you away from the truth. While there are storms going on all around us...the sky has been blue the whole entire time. As if your going up in an airplane and its storming, but once you get above the clouds it's nothing but clear blue skys ahead. So my sky has been blue and beautiful the whole entire time, I was just too caught up in the mess that the devil created for me to notice it. 

The devil is good. Oh, he is realllll good. He knows just where are weaknesses are and if we don't even know what our weaknesses are then we are in trouble because we wont know what to look out for. 

But as I looked at that perfect little angel of ours- nothing else seemed to matter and all was right with the world. Tonight we heard her laugh ...not a coo or giggle, but the belly kinda laugh while she was in the tub and we were trying our hardest to make her smile. It was the greatest thing in the world. My heart immediately was just overflowing with joy. I am so thankful that my aunt reminded me of those first 5 blessings I should immediately think of when things get tough and that the worst circumstances in our life are working together for our GOOD  because He loves us. We should consider it pure joy to go through trials because he is strengthening our faith. 

I will end it with this quote from the sermon:: "Don't ever let what your going through make you forget who you are going through it with!". Everything is going exactly the way God wants it to and I am  gratefuul for that. I  know  there is a blessing underneath all the mess.