Count Your Many Blessings

You know, I was feeling sorry for myself the other day, complaining and whimpering about some things.  And my husband said "You are spiraling downward with this negative talk.  The more you speak it, the more negative it becomes.  Be thankful and think positive."  Okay, Mr. Wonderful positive happy man, I thought, I can turn this around.  I instantly thought of the old hymn we sung in church as a child, "County Your Blessings".  So, I started humming it (at least the words I could remember) and sure enough my mood turned around and I started feeling happier, more positive, and that smile on my face returned as I thought about how God really watches over us - and all is well.  Another old hymn that soothes my soul is "It is Well (With My Soul)".  Wow, music and words are such a life changer when we allow them to be.

Think about the words to these songs, I know they will encourage you:

 Count Your Blessings

Words by Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1897)
Music by Edwin O. Excell (1897)

(Verse 1)
When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

(Refrain)
Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!

(Verse 2)
When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

(Refrain)
Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!

(Verse 3)
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.

(Refrain)
Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!

(Verse 4)
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,

Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

(Refrain)
Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

Words: Ho­ra­tio G. Spaf­ford, 1873.

Music: Ville du Havre, Phil­ip P. Bliss, 1876

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

(Refrain)

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

(Refrain)

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

(Refrain)

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

(Refrain)

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,

The sky, not the grave, is our goal;

Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!

Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

(Refrain)

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

(Refrain)

SONG HISTORY:  This hymn was writ­ten af­ter two ma­jor trau­mas in Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the great Chi­ca­go Fire of Oc­to­ber 1871, which ru­ined him fi­nan­cial­ly (he had been a weal­thy bus­i­ness­man). Short­ly af­ter, while cross­ing the At­lan­tic, all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died in a col­li­sion with an­o­ther ship. Spaf­ford’s wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Sev­er­al weeks lat­er, as Spaf­ford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daugh­ters died, the Ho­ly Spir­it in­spired these words. They speak to the eter­nal hope that all be­liev­ers have, no mat­ter what pain and grief be­fall them on earth.

WOW.  Both of these hymns are powerful and help me often when I'm in the dark zone of feeling negative, depressed or just sad.  

God says he cares for me (and you) and that he is walking us through our life journey.  So, I'll try my best to be more into the positive light zone attitude and feelings and think of my MANY BLESSINGS and know IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL.

May your day be filled with sunshine and filled with God’s blessings.

JEANNETTE