Count Your Blessings

A favorite hymn I often sing is "Count Your Blessings."
You can hear it and many others by going to Cyberhymnal.

The words are:

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,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

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
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
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

I have found that it is almost impossible to be miserable and grateful at the same time.

I can experience tremendous pain, sorrow or grief and remain grateful. But so long as I keep gratitude present in my consciousness, I do not perceive the pain in the same miserable way that I do when I let gratitude slip from my grasp.

I choose what energy happening around me I will focus on. At any given moment on any given day there are horrible things happening all over the world. At many points there may be specifically difficult or worrisome things effecting me directly. Choosing not to FOCUS on those is not the same as ignoring, minimizing, denying or rationalizing. It's merely accepting that the world and my life include a multitude of things and I get to pick which things I give the most brightness and volume.

At any given moment on any given day there are also amazing, wonderful, awe-inspiring things occurring in the world. At many points throughout my day there are very specific things I have to be grateful for which I can choose to be mindful of. Or not.

It really is up to me.