Blessings are all around us
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:8
As I write this I’m sitting here looking at the sunset over the ocean in San Diego, CA.
So it’s easy to say that I am blessed.
I get the amazing opportunity to look out from the deck of the beach house I rented and see the waves crashing into the beach and the amazing sunset that god is showing me.
And just a little bit ago we were tide pooling and these amazing girls found an octopus. Not only did they find it, but they also showed it to the kids and then the kids messed around with it for a while.
As I said it is easy to say we are blessed!!
But here’s the thing.
I’m blessed even when we aren’t traveling, or things aren’t going the way I think they should be going.
Being blessed and knowing that you are blessed is a state of mind.
When I was younger and Jenna and I first got married and we couldn’t afford a pot to pee in (excuse my language, but it’s true) I still knew that I was blessed. Because God introduced me to an amazing partner for life.
Even when we fight I am still blessed that we get to argue together.
Or when the kids were born and pretty much every day we spend together is a blessing. We don’t have to get them new things to be blessed. And I’m pretty sure that since we have had more than one kid there has never been a full day they have gone without fighting.
We still live a blessed life.
And when the business we run has TONS of issues (like every single day) instead of feeling cursed that things are running perfectly. It’s a blessing that we are encountering the issues that we do because it makes us stronger.
You see God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called!!
A back to my original point.
Blessing is not a place that you go or the things that you get.
It is a state of mind and is your choice if you choose to feel blessed or not.
And guess what?
No one can control whether you feel blessed or not!!!
It is 100% on you. That’s right it is completely your choice whether you are blessed or not.
Someone who wants to not worry about anything other than going to work in the morning and going home at night might think that owning a business is a curse. (heck I might even think that way sometimes. Lol)
But not me!!!
For me building the business we have built has been nothing but a blessing!!!
Another great example I got the opportunity to learn today is from my amazing queen, Jenna.
We went out as a family deep sea fishing. And it was all of our first times, except hers, she had gone before when she was a kid.
About 1 hour into our trip, Nathen started chumming the water. (throwing up over the edge of the boat.)
Then about 30 minutes later Jenna joined him.
Then about an hour and a half later I decided that I needed to see what all the fuss was about so I joined the chumming.
Bless Jenna’s heart she threw up more than any of us. And she was by far the in the best mood (except for Billy because he caught the most fish and didn’t get seasick, lol). Afterward, the first words out of her mouth before we even got off the boat were, that was so much fun, I am so glad that we went what a blessing!
Personally, I was still trying to get over my sea stomach. She was too, but her attitude of it all being a blessing was amazing.
Time to Take Action
Now is the time to take action!!!
I want you to think of the last time that you were blessed, but you didn’t realize it.
Can you think of any????
I have about 200,000 times!!! Like being seasick just earlier today! (my head is bobbing like I’m still on the water. Lol)
Now I want you to pause and give thanks to God for the blessing that came from it.
Prayer
Lord, God today I want to take a moment to thank you for everything that you have done for us! Thank you for all of the blessings that you have given unto us. Thank you for the blessing that we might not have realized were actually blessings at the time.
Thank you for continuing to bless us even we don’t acknowledge and give thanks to you for the blessings. God, today I would just like to pause and ask that you help us not only see all of the blessings you give us but to acknowledge them to you and the world.
Help us to give you credit for everything because you are the reason for it all. Thank you!
In your precious son’s name, we ask all these things.
Amen
A Little More
I am taken back to our first-ever trip to the ocean as a family.
Jenna and I have saved all of our pennies (and dollars for that matter) to take the kids to southern California to visit the theme parks.
I did tons of research on the biggest bang for your buck.
That is just the type of family we are. We are ALL always looking to get the most for our hard-earned $$$.
I found this thing called the Southern SeaWorld California pass. It was a pass that gave us 1 day in Sea Word, 3 Days in Disney, and 2 days in Universal studios. And to top it off it was like this amazing deal.
Jenna and I talked about it, and talked about it some more, and talked about it some more.
Finally, we pulled the trigger and bought the tickets.
We were going to be off on our first amazing trip as a family to theme parks.
As we started planning the trip we decided that we would start our trip off in San Diego at Sea World.
Back in those days, we drove everywhere. And we did it through the middle of the night. I would go to work, come home take a few hour nap then we would jump in the car and take off.
I would drive until about 3-4 am. Then Jenna and I would swap seats and she would drive for a few hours while I napped.
Then about 6 am we would switch seats again and I would take over and get us to the final destination.
On this first trip, we got to San Diego WAY too early to go to Sea World.
So Jenna and I were talking and I said, Wanna go to the beach?
She said YES!!!!, but the kids can’t get wet because we are going to Sea World and I don’t want them to be miserable.
We didn’t have a smartphone (No GPS, lol) at the time and I saw this magical sign on the freeway that said, BEACHES so I followed that sign.
It took us straight to Ocean Beach. Which has the longest concrete pier on the pacific ocean (we didnt know that at the time though.)
As I parked in the free beach parking I got out of our Lincoln and some surfer dude walking by said, Nice Car Bro!
I was like thanks.
Then Jenna and the kids all piled out he paused, looked straight at us for a moment, and said, Nice Family Bro!!!
That right there made my day. It is something that I still talk about 10 years later.
It was AMAZING. Watching out kids play in the ocean for the first time!
We let the kids get in up to their pants that we rolled up into shorts. And they had a blast from 7am to 10 am when sea world opened.
Now every time we make it to San Diego, we had over to Ocean Beach and it brings back so many memories for both Jenna and me.
There are some things that we have learned.
Check out the farmers market, we google it every time we are close. It has been Wednesday late afternoons for as long as I can remember. It is absolutely amazing!!
Also if you like hamburgers, heck even if you don’t you have to hit Hodads!!! Ask for the grilled onions on your burger, and do NOT, I repeat DO NOT order a double unless you have a mammoth-sized appetite. My teenage boys eat a single each, Jenna & I split a single and we both walk away FULL!!
Today I want to pause for a second and encourage all of you to get out there and find something that you love.
Then share it with me on social media!!
I’d love to hear what you love and where you like going!
Dan Greer