Counting Our Blessings

By Jason, M.Ed., M.A.R., Headmaster

Yesterday evening was a sobering and inspiring reminder to me of how incredibly blessed I am. We had a wonderful fellowship dinner at church, followed by a presentation from a couple wanting to do work with Bible translations for the deaf. Their presentation was a reminder of the kinds of difficulties faced by hearing-impaired and deaf people all around the world. After the presentation, I walked outside to a spectacularly beautiful sunset, which almost moved me to tears and which held my gaze for a couple of minutes as I thanked God for such unspeakable beauty.

I went home and was greeted by two loving boys who cuddled with me on the couch. Then, as I put my oldest son to bed, I read aloud to him from By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We’ve been reading the Little House books at bed time for a few months now, and in the beginning chapters of Silver Lake, Mary Ingalls loses her eyesight. As a reader, we can see how Laura becomes so great at writing such powerful description; she becomes Mary’s eyes after Mary goes blind. It is a touching scene as they take a train ride together and Laura “sees” for Mary.

By the time I went to bed last night, I was so thankful to God for my own eyesight, which had allowed me to gaze on the beautiful sunset hours earlier. I was thankful for my hearing, which I found out is so critical to my relationship with my family, among other things. I just had so much to thank God for and I realized how easily and regularly I take it all for granted. On top of everything else, I could thank God for New Covenant Christian School and for His provision of a great Upper School facility for us at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd.  God is so good!

For eyes to see the sunset sky

For ears to hear the voice of my boys

For arms to hold them close to my side

For love to share in sorrows and joys

For all of this and so much more

The common graces of every day

I praise my God who from His store

Showers blessings to brighten my pilgrim way