Indeed the blessings I have received over a lifetime are many and varied.
The first and most monumental is the salvation that God, our Father, has provided through his Son. It is the most wonderful gift we could ever hope for. Jesus paid the price for our redemption on the cross. His work was done and we are rewarded with life.
I have always considered Mary to be a wonderful gift from God. In His excellent timing God brought us together. We have been wed for over 40 years now. She has been a blessing all the way.
Ryan and Jill were two of the most wonderful gifts God could have given me. I am so proud of each of our children and pray for them often.
Erin and Ben are our children-in-laws. They both are very precious in our sight. Erin is wonderful for Ryan; Ben is a true blessing for Jill. We are quite fortunate to have them in and we welcome them to our family.
Reece is a most wonderful grandson; he is a most precious gift from God. Wyatt is another wonderful grandson. He has a personality that is unique to him which makes him so very special. Claire is the youngest grandchild. She is so very precious. She has grandpa wrapped around her little finger. I love my grandchildren dearly.
Little Ron and his two siblings too were gifts, however short their time on earth. They have provided me with memories that will be with me to my dying day. I anxiously await the day I can see them in our heavenly home.
Our neighbors are some of the best, especially Jim next door and Betty across the street. We have known them for 22 years and cherish their friendship. Jim is like a brother to me. We trade tools, visits, stories, and enjoy each other immensely. We trust each other, we like each other. Jim is a real blessing to me. Betty is like a sister to Mary. They visit, go shopping and walking together. They share their concerns and cares. She is a real blessing to Mary.
Mary and I enjoy a warm home in the winter and a cool home in the summer. We have electricity and running water. The house is not large but is of sufficient size for the two of us. It is our home.
Our bills are paid all the way around. God has blessed us with constructive and rewarding work. We have worked hard and long, saved what we could, and God has rewarded us generously.
Mary and I have traveled the U.S. quite a bit, not all the states but many locations which we have enjoyed. We took a Caribbean cruise last year; we have stayed in a cabin in Southeastern Tennessee. We have lived in Florida, Kansas, Kentucky and Spain. We traveled in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. We have visited Ryan and Erin in Virginia, visited Washington DC, and Walt Disney World, and the Colorado Rockies. God has been generous with the gifts of travels.
We are a part of a wonderful church family, one we dearly love. The congregation is blessed with a pastor who is Spirit filled and led. She is a real blessing to all of us in this family.
We live in a very good community. For years I thought that a city about the size of 50,000 would be a good place to live. I was right. We have everything we need here in our community. If there is anything we need that is not here it may be found in several cities just a two hour drive from home. (Rarely do we have a need we cannot find in our adopted home.) We have lived here since 1989; it was a good move in all respects.
I probably am missing a large number of gifts that God provides on a daily basis and that we take for granted. I will add to this list as God reminds me. He is an awesome God that we serve.
