Staking my Claim

I have a very dear friend. We are as different as night and day, from upbringing, to theology, to appearance, and yet we get along so very well. I have only known her a little over a year but it seems like longer. We talk on the phone at least once a week and she blesses me with every conversation. Like I said, we are different, especially in our faith--although we both believe in God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit, she believes mostly in the Holy Spirit (if you get my drift). We often talk about God and His workings in our lives and in the history of the world. She is forever throwing out little sayings, some of them too charismatic for me and others just hit me in the heart. We were talking last night about the beauty of the season, the changing of the colors on the trees, the replacing of hot, dry air with crisp, cool air, the shortening of the days and the promise of winter. My friend was telling me how everyday on her walk, she is awestruck by some creation of the Father's. She said, "I look around me and I think, "I'll claim that blessing and that one too." (Don't you just love that?)
It caused me to think about just how much the Father wants to bless us and how He continually surrounds us with blessings, waiting and hoping for us to claim them as our own. Don't you think we would see more of our blessings if our spiritual awareness were heightened? Imagine sitting in worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ and claiming each and everyone of them as your blessing! And that sink of dirty dishes would seem less like an unending task if we remembered that not having to eat off the ground is a blessing. Praise God for the dirty laundry that piles up because the blessing of clothing is ours. There are blessings everywhere, we are surrounded by tokens of His love and caring for us---we just have to claim them as our own.
I often behave like I am at the airport and I stand next to the baggage carousel, so busily engaged in just the act of living, that my own luggage goes around and around and around. Sometimes life keeps me so busy that I forget to claim my blessings--
A wonderful christian husband who desires me, who works to help me get to heaven, who helps me be a better person, who protects, comforts and fights for me--well, I'll claim that blessing!
A church family who treat me like blood, who love me and are happy to see me, I'll claim that blessing too!
Faithful readers of my blog, who pray for me and with me, who offer encouragement and challenge my mind----well I am staking my claim on y'all, too!
My friends, open your eyes, look around you--see how much the Father loves you--He was just dying to bless you---stake your claim---the blessing is waiting!

Blessings
Neva