Remembering the Good (2010 Year of Blessing Challenge)

It would be easy to have this year go down in the record books as a “horrible year.” One where, I had to have surgery, mom not only was finishing up treatment for gallbladder cancer but was hospitalized and almost lost her life, my husband had emergency surgery and was out of work for a month. Even my daughter had 2 days in the hospital. That’s just the medical stuff. I’m not even touching the fact we almost lost the house, I didn’t get my “dream job.” Medical bills have us swamped in debt. My checklist of “bad” could go on and on.

So many times we can become consumed with all of the bad things happening around us. war, the economy, the current state of the union. How we lost out on that promotion or missed an opportunity. Consumed with illness or heartbreak. So many many things to discourage us.

I know for many of you as well 2010 has been a year of trials, heartaches and heartbreaks, lost lives, lost loves, lost jobs. So many horrible things to the point you begin to question “where are you Lord?” But it has also been a year of many blessings, and triumphs, new relationships and restored friendships. It’s life. The good happens with the bad.

As I “wrap up” the Year of Blessing Challenge and try to figure out exactly what God’s goals were for me this year, I’ve come to the conclusion the Blessing Challenge for me was just a reminder to focus on the good.

I could allow myself to be consumed by all of those bad things that happened this year. As the Lord shared with me once “you’ll drive towards what you focus on.” So If I focus on all of the heartache I might then forget the wonderful things that happened this year as well. Mom was pronounced “cancer free”, hubby started a job that has him HOME every day (first time in 14 years I’m seeing him more than 2-3 times a month.) My son got 2nd place in math contest. We had two people bless us with financial gifts to be able to pay our mortgage. I am part of a new homeschooling group we love. I was offered a writing position with a popular scrapbooking site. Things too good to get lost in the middle of all of the yuck.

As we wrap up this year, I want to challenge with what you “choose” to remember about the year. Do you want to remember the trials, the heartbreak and the pain, or the blessings that have been given to you? I challenge you to focus on your blessings of this past year. You might be amazed to see that even though you had bad things happen, when you look past the circumstances towards the outcome, that God was there with you all along.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8