Blessings...

When's the last time that you took the time to consider how many ways you are truly blessed? I feel that for me it's been a reminder today in spite of what's going on in Haiti, the news around the earthquake, and so many who have lost their lives.

Family- It was just two weeks ago that my grandmother (AKA "Gramma Rena" or "GG" Great Gramma, but Hayden calls her GG) asked that we start doing dinner together every Wednesday night at her house. It's been such a blessing for us to have these opportunities. Oh, how we take things for granted! I never would have thought growing up how easy it is to assume that you can have dinner with your family. It's work to get us all together these days, but the rewards are priceless. Knowing that Hayden loves his "GG" and wants to go spend time with her is such a blessing to me. That she is in such great health as well as four of our other grand parents, Hayden's great grand parents! We take family for granted. How's your relationship with your family?

Food- Are you kidding me? People pick on me because I so often twitter & facebook about what I eat and the places we eat. I love food, and the thing for me is that I don't even have to concern myself with where my next meal is going to come from. Someone just about every day swings by my office from our church staff and asks me if I want to grab a bite, and a lot of the time I have to turn them down because of other lunch plans. If I am at home and want something to eat, we always keep a fridge and pantry full. If I go out to dinner, which we do often, I have a menu that's given to me to choose anything I would like, and I can choose from a menu what I would like rather than having something given to me that I didn't choose or having to eat the same thing night after night. Last night, I was amazed at Gabe. He's a foreign exchange student from Sao Paulo, Brazil, who's living with my aunt and uncle for the year. He had never experienced mixing butter and honey for biscuits. It was a pure delight to watch his face as he tasted something like that for the first time. I can go so far as to say that I took my French press backpacking with me up to the Buffalo River over New Years... because I love my Starbucks coffee! We are spoiled when it comes to food! When's the last time you were truly thankful for a meal?

Shoes- Yes, Shoes! I can go there. I received three pairs of shoes for Christmas. Was it because I was in need of shoes? No, they are trendy. I've got a closet full of shoes, and so does my wife. In fact, I bought her two pair of Toms for Christmas because they make a great shoe and they give one away with every pair you purchase. They have an amazing ministry that's headed towards Haiti for drop-offs soon. Even though I bought her two pair, she also received 2 more pairs of shoes for Christmas from other people. My point? We live in abundance! Not just the Posts, but Americans. We are blessed.

We are so blessed! It's my prayer today that we not only consider the material possessions we have or even the family and friends we've been given, but we are blessed because we've been given the opportunity to live, to serve, to worship, and to glorify Him. We've been created. We've been set apart. We've been called. We've been appointed. We've been elected. We are Saints of an amazing King. I end with this:

The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
- Psalm 24:1-6

Blessings,
frankie <><