Searching for the "Honeysuckle Blessings."

There is ALWAYS something that needs to be done.  I find that the very moment I think I am finished I instantly remember five more things that need to be accomplished.  Rather you are a stay at home mom, a businessman, a student, or serving in Haiti I think it's safe to say we ALL find ourselves caught in the trap of "Go, Go, Go..."

Living a lifestyle that is always on the go causes us to miss so many of the blessings that the Lord gives us on a daily basis.  My mother-in-law refers to these blessings as "honeysuckle blessings."  These are the little blessings the Lord gives us each and everyday that we fail to recognize or "stop and smell."

The above picture is a cactus that sits outside Ms. Elsa's house.  Ms. Elsa is a missionary who has been serving with BHM well over 20 years.  A few weeks ago Ms. Elsa invited us to her house at 10 p.m.  This is VERY late in Haiti considering it gets dark at 6 p.m.  She told us she had been noticing her cactus outside and knew that it was going to be a very special night.  With our pajama's on and flashlights in hand we walked across the mission to see Ms. Elsa and her cactus and we were not disappointed.

There sitting on top of all the pointy needles and in the old dingy pot sat this BEAUTIFUL flower.  This is a night blooming flower that only blooms once or twice a year.  As I stood and looked at this flower I was amazed at the timing and the work of my heavenly Father.  Ms. Elsa said it best when she said it was as if God had given her that flower for just that one night to say "Look, my child, and enjoy!"

How many ways is the Lord shouting at us saying, "Look my child, enjoy this!  Look my child, don't miss this!  Look my child, can you believe this?"

Psalm 84:11 says, "...No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly."

Matthew 7:11 says, "...How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

Oh, how quick I am to forget.  Oh, how quick I am to move on to the next task.  Oh, how quick I am to focus on the sharp edges and the dirt in the pot that I miss the beautiful flower my Father has created for me to simply ENJOY!

I want to challenge myself and you today to not miss the blessings.  May we start each day asking God to show us Himself.  May we ask to see and recognize the blessings of our Lord.  At the end of the day, when we place our heads on our pillows, may we Praise our God for his blessings the "big" ones and the "small" ones.

The Lord has placed a heavy desire in my heart today to search for His blessings and for this I am so thankful.  I wanted to share with you just a few that are running through my mind this afternoon...

1.  The gift of laughter first thing in the morning!

2.  The smell of warm food in the oven.

3.  The ability to read and write, to learn and understand.

4.  Technology, living miles away from friends and family but still being able to connect.

5.  Attending church with my brothers and sisters.  The "honeysuckle blessing" from this morning, a special guest pastor from the States preached in English!

I pray I do not allow the list to stop there.  May we search for the blessings and at times search hard.  The blessings are always present.  "Look, my child, and enjoy!"