Praise The Lord!!!

Am I the only one noticing how rapidly the days are passing? It seems like the years just roll in and out like the waves of the sea. Well, once more we are on the brink of a new year. The challenges, we must admit, have been many. There were times when we felt we could not nave made it so far into 2008. We were buffeted by the powers of darkness and at times it seemed as if the mountains were extremely difficult to climb.

For many of us there were mountains of debt we couldn't clamber over, mountains of poor health, economic instability, family disputes, misunderstandings, and even mountains of spiritual maladies/inadequacies. Yet as Ruth says there is much to praise God for. Tonight I want to praise the Lord for the following blessings:

1) The blessing of present life which according to His promise will one day blossom into life eternal. I look forward with a sense of anticipation to that day.

2) The blessing of health

3) The blessing of family and friends who support and encourage

4) The blessing of the students I teach- indeed despite the challenges they present their love and affection is genuine- I am rejuvenated just by being with them- they help to keep me young. :)

5) The blessing of a fruitful land to live in

6) The blessing of a church family by which my spiritual life is enriched

7) The blessing of comparative comfort of home- it still needs working on- but I feel extra blessed when I remember that the Son of Man had no place to call home

8) The blessing of the Internet which brings programmes which present deep spiritual truths that I'm enriched by

9) The blessing of sight, hearing, speech, smell and feeling- can't imagine how it feels to be deprived of one's senses

10) Last, but perhaps most significant, the blessing of trials and problems which serves to keep me focused and on my knees.