can you count your blessings?

It was an ordinary Sunday morning when i received a text message:

"In a class, the teacher asked her students to give an example of things that can't be counted. One student answered WATER. Another one answered SAND. The teacher noticed that everybody was participating except for one. She called his attention and asked the same question. 'What things can't be counted?'. The student then stood up and answered, 'BLESSINGS!'. Have you tried counting yours?"

The message may seem ordinary, but if you ponder about it you'll realize the meaning beyond the words of the innocent child.

Most of us if asked if we could count our blessings would probably answer yes. In my case, I even tried counted some, and then I lost count. We may not be aware of it, but every minute of the day, we are receiving so much blessings. Most of the time, we overlook little things that we only count on the big ones as blessings. We would even sometimes forget to thank the Lord for the little things that happen to us--like a smile from a loved one, or a tap from a friend. Despite our heedlessness, God has never forgotten us. He is always there for us.

As of this time, I have a few things I would like to thank God for. I may type a lot, but when you try to equate it, it would only measure a small percentage of all the blessings I have received since the day my Mom gave birth to me. Just as the text message implied, we cannot count our blessings, nor we can measure them.

Here are the few things I felt so thankful right this very hour:
*I'm still alive and breathing ( I just had a recent asthma attack last Friday)
*Everyone that is dear to me are still alive
*My Lola's pacemaker still keeps her in good shape
*Everyone I treasure are safe
*My sister has adjusted already on her new school (she just transferred)
*I passed my exams (whew!)
*My family are still intact (there are a lot of broken families out there)
*I have plenty of friends! (here and abroad)
*I am in my graduating year
*I just got my allowance
*I traveled across the sea safe and sound
*I am able to enjoy life
*We have a semi stay-in helper
*Mom still gets to work despite her condition
*Papa remains enthusiastic despite our present problems
*We never forget to hold on to prayer
*That a lot of people value me
*My previous classmates still recognize me
*Those that don't like me doesn't have plans on killing me (i presume.hah!)
*Those people who are willing to protect me
*That my rhinitis are off now
*That sembreak is fast approaching
*I am valued
*I am cared for
*I am loved

There's a lot more. But it will take me forever to list every single thing down. See? That just proves that you really can't count the things you're so thankful for.

it happened again..

it was three years ago when this jogging issue happened..i dunno if my friends could still remember it.. way back summer 2006, during one ordinary day of april, my comrades and i (the y0c'mon to be specific) planned on a scheduled jogging activity. we we're to bring the bikes, skateboard and basketball to fully equip our "physical activity". but unfortunately, the wimpy one (that's me) was forbidden to go out on the said day. well, being a very optimistic and stubborn 'little kid', i did not lose hope. i did not inform my mates that i wasn't permitted so that they would still come knocking at our gate in the wee hours the next day. at 4am on the said day, i was awake already (getting things done, hoping that if my folks would see me being responsible of waking up early, they's let me go). i was almost done when Papa woke up and told me not to bother getting ready anymore 'coz i won't be going anywhere. i got what he meant, i'll leave and get grounded or i'll stay and could still hang with my buddies in the afternoon. of course i chose the latter. i immediately ringed my friends not to bother going at my house anymore 'coz i won't be going. they insisted of asking permission from my folks, but i refused. i already made a choice. though they didn't want to go without me, they still pursued the plan ( and don't want to ruin it anyway, so i said just enjoy and we'll still be able to catch up). right then, i went back to bed (but wasn't able to go to sleep until breakfast was ready).

what happened to me this time was somewhat similar to that three years ago. it is about a jogging activity (again). this time, with my 'little' cousins who've grown much much bigger than i am. i was suppose to went jogging with a bunch of sportees--a basketball player, taekwondo player, badminton player, etc. but i, being a 'wimpy' one, wasn't alone either. i have with me a my fellow sleeper and lazy walker. but despite of my effort being the one to 'organize' the plan, i was still not permitted, AGAIN. (poor lil sister, she won't be able to go out with me, she might have wished then i wasn't home home 'coz perhaps he might have been allowed..=P). Papa thought that my sis and i were 'brainwashed' by our beloved 'healthy and fit' cousins to join them. he sermoned me again about me being sickly (does he always have to remind me about that? oh well, Papa just cares for me so badly). and so the same choice i made three years ago. thus, the plan was postponed (they can re-schedule anytime they want anyway). yet, another jogging activity was initiated by Papa. the four of us (Mama, Papa, Tin2 and I), went walking early in the morning at my aunt's house (which is so not far away), played with the dogs and used the skipping rope and had a bountiful morning meal. isn't that nice?

after all of these, i did not regret those choices i've. well, yeah i did quite ponder those 'what ifs'..but i couldn't go back anymore. i have moved ahead and i'm glad that i did not have any bitter moments from my past 'physical activities'. Let's jog!