Counting Our Blessings

Over the past few weeks we have experienced several health challenges. My mom was in the hospital for a few days this week and needed a blood transfusion, and they are still trying to figure out what the cause of the internal bleeding is. Peter had a prostate biopsy, and, thank God, they did not find any cancer. For one week I was really sick with swollen glands, fever, rash, exhaustion, etc. and have been dealing with swollen glands and low energy for a total of 2 1/2 weeks. After many tests, the doctor thinks it is a weird virus which is much better than something serious! Yesterday, my glands finally started to feel much smaller which I'm so excited about as the doctor said that he would have to biopsy them if they were swollen for four weeks. Through all of this, I'm trying to figure out what God wants me to learn. I know that He is always wanting to help me learn something amazing through every situation I experience. Maybe he wants me to learn that each day really is a gift - it is a gift to be able to get up each morning, spend time reading my Bible and getting my strength for the day. It is a gift to not be sore when walking down the stairs and being able to go to the gym to exercise. It is a gift to be able to walk around the block without feeling tired. It is a gift to be able to drive the kids to all the places they need to go during the week. It is a blessing to be able to go out on a date with Peter (which we did today for 5 hours!). It is a gift to pick up the phone and talk to my parents, to hear how they are doing. It is a gift to have the energy to go grocery shopping, to stand in long lines, and to unload the groceries when we get home. It is also a blessing to be able to encourage others when they are in need of some encouragement. Kelsey and Maggie reminded me of this when they decided to make Mom a sign and some cupcakes after she got home from the hospital. We all definitely experience challenging times, but I am so grateful to know and fully believe that God always works for the good in every situation.