The morning was cold, the ground was hard, and Emma’s nose was runny. She and her sister Ava had spent the night at our camper. Though they’d set up chair cushions for mattresses, they’d slid off onto the trailer’s hard floor by morning.
That’s when five-year-old Emma began to sneeze. “Bless you,” came big sister Ava’s reply. Emma sneezed again. “Bless you!” I replied. Less than a minute later, a third and a fourth sneeze followed.
But a fifth sneeze awakened Emma’s curiosity: “Wait! How many ‘bless you’s did I get?”
“Five,” I answered, unable to stifle a chuckle.
Then, I started doing a personal inventory. How many “bless you’s” did I get this week?
That’s a path I invite you to walk with me momentarily.
- You didn’t miss a meal this week for lack of food? That’s a “Bless you.”
- You say you have a job (even if it’s not great) that helps pay the bills? That’s a “Bless you.”
- You have clothes in your closet? (I’ve met plenty of folks who own just one outfit–the one they’re wearing). That’s a “Bless you.”
With minimal effort, you and I could list a hundred “bless you’s” we’ve enjoyed just this week. So why aren’t we more thankful? Is it possible the real reason we “forget” to count our blessings is that having done so, we are reminded of our indebtedness—which is humbling?
Ironically, God seems to have hard-wired gratitude to a boost in our mood. In other words, having given God the credit for His past gifts, He gives us even more, including a happier frame of mind.
McKinsey and Company estimates Americans spend $450 billion annually on wellness products and services—with an annual growth rate of 5%. But you don’t have to pay a penny.
Want to boost your mood—without taking any drugs? Thank God for three “bless you’s” you’ve enjoyed today. Like the old chorus urges, “Count your many blessings–name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done!”
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
-1 Thessalonians 5:18
