THURSDAY THOUGHTS - Fall Asleep Counting Blessings

Guest Post:

"I love fall....it is my favorite season of the year. The leaves begin to change, the weather has a certain crispness about it and we get to pull out the jackets and sweaters once again. It is also the time of the harvest and a time for giving thanks. My husband and I were driving the other day while listening to our favorite Mormon Tabernacle Choir CD. One of the songs had these lyrics,"When I am worried and I can't sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep, and I fall asleep counting my blessings." Those words have had great significance in my life.

I remember a time not too far back, when there were many and varied concerns on my mind. During this stressful time I received my Cancer diagnosis, which added greatly to the challenges we were facing. I, like all of you do at times, felt vulnerable and unsure of the future. Each night as I retired to bed, the words of this song floated across my mind and helped me to drift off to sleep. As I focused on the myriad of blessings in my life, the fear began to dissipate. I thought of my husband and our family, my dear friends, my job, my comfortable home, enough food to eat(probably too much!)this beautiful valley where we live, the mountains around me, and my strong faith. These thoughts carried a sense of peace with them.

In Cheryne Brivik's book, "Be Enthused," she writes, "We need to embrace it all--the laughter, the tears, the heartache, the pain...knowing that every moment brings us closer to becoming our better selves. It's all about attitude, and in this attitude lies no fear, no sadness, no pity and no regret. Everything in our lives is appreciated. Our lives take on a whole new level in that there is so much more happiness,so much more success and so much more of so much more. Anthony Robbins says, "When you are grateful,fear disappears and abundance appears." So, I say to each of you....If you are worried and you can't sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep and you'll fall asleep counting your blessings.

Kathy Christensen
Survivor
Member of Lifting Hearts