I recently read something about being grateful for what we don’t have as much as for what we do have. I can really relate to that, because after injuring my shoulder and having physical therapy, I can now use it pretty much as before. I am glad to be without pain.
Every time I take a pan from the oven or reach for something overhead in a closet or cupboard, I say, “Thank you, Lord!” I am overcome with gratitude for the absence of pain. I am so grateful for not having that pain.
Today is a sunny day after a few chilly, rainy days. I am so grateful for the absence of rain! I know we often need it, but rain when the temperatures are in the fifties is no fun. I’m glad we have no rain today.
We used to occasionally see signs of a mouse having been in one of our kitchen drawers. What an aggravation! But in the last couple of years, we seem to be past that problem and I am so glad not to have to set mouse traps in my drawers.
Our house has new windows, and I am delighted not to have those cranky old wooden windows and even crankier storm windows and screens. I used to break a couple of fingernails every time I opened those windows. I am so glad they are gone!
I’m glad to be without students. I loved my years of teaching, but I love retirement as well.
On the email front, ever since I changed to Gmail, my emails that aren’t considered spam are sorted into Primary, Social, Promotion, and Updates. I love it! I am so grateful not to see all the ads and social notifications when I open my email. I can choose if I want to know who posted on Facebook, or political tweets, or a suggested summer reading list. I rarely look at those.
Even less do I look at Promotions. I really don’t need to see sale ads from Talbots or Ann Taylor, nor do I need to see ads for concerts at Riverbend. If I want to know about any of those, I can choose to, but mostly I’m just delighted not to see them. I’m glad to be without them.
I can also look at Updates when I choose. I may need to know when a package will arrive or read a devotional I’ve subscribed to, but I’m really glad to be able to do that on my own time and not to have them mixed in with my personal emails. I’m glad my Primary mailbox just has personal emails.
This week I’m grateful to be without deer. As beautiful as they are, they often nibble on my hostas and blooming plants until they are only nubs. So far, all my flowers are intact. I am SO glad not to have deer roaming my yard. Glad to be without deer or rabbits!
We all are showered with numerous blessings. If we tried to list them, the list would be interminable. I could even continue with my list of how I am blessed to be without something.
Give it some thought. Surely you, too, can feel grateful for what you do not have. Thank God today for your blessings of being without.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8
