fresh flowers for September 10

Hidden Blessings
©2005, Lani Wiens
a fresh flowers original

I was talking with a friend yesterday about hidden blessings. If you’re like me you tend to focus on the not yet rather than on what is here and now. It’s somewhat depressing and should really be avoided. I chide my children on that point quite frequently, reminding them of what they have rather than what they don’t have. It would seem I need to preach that sermon to myself. So as my friend and I chatted about her own wilderness experience I encouraged her to embrace the possibilities, perhaps God had an unexpected blessing in store for her. After she left I sat down with myself to look back on our own journey to see where my hidden blessings were and are.

In the midst of the grief over the loss of our baby we found some blessings that were hidden and very unexpected. Every other year my husband’s family treks to Fairmont, BC for a holiday in November, this is the year for that trip. It is a wonderful time that the kids anticipate for months. My due date was in early December and with my medical maternity history going to Fairmont would have been very risky not to mention uncomfortable. The loss of the baby ensured my participation in that holiday, a bittersweet blessing but a blessing nonetheless. Another blessings was that as we dealt with our own grief through having a memorial service other lives were touched and healed in a way we could not have anticipated, the loss of our baby has given us a new avenue of empathy and ministry.

The moving experience is still locked on pause. We had anticipated a quick sale of our home. Obviously that hasn’t happened as we still sit here waiting. However, in the time of the waiting we’ve had time to make some improvements to our home. Our friends have had time to come back and do some work on their house that needed to be done that we were anticipating having to do ourselves, blessings for both of us on that front. As well, the price has come down which makes the move even more desirable for us. We’ve also learned many valuable lessons and found some treasured prayer partners as we’ve walked this path.

Every journey’s end really only means the beginning of another, different journey. Here are a few examples of friends and family who have completed one journey only to begin another. They are experiencing the blessings from the trip and now are going to learn even more lessons and experience new blessings.

My sister just finished the journey of pregnancy in her forties. She experienced many unexpected twists and turns on that road, most of them unpleasant. Now she holds her healthy, precious daughter in her arms and starts down the road of training, nurturing, post-partum adjustment and learning the wonder of this new life.

My friend just came through several years of single motherhood and being a widow. Now she starts the journey of married life again, but to someone completely different, adjustments in parenting and living space and the wonder of this new relationship.

My blogging friend has just taken a turn on her journey of a dream to create a country space for her family. The house is sold but where to go is a question. Now they will experience the thrill of tracking down the perfect property and changing it into the image of their dreams while experiencing the questions of how and where.

I have to remind myself daily to look for the good things, the wondrous things, the beautiful things that God puts in my path. Sometimes I miss them because I am too busy blubbering in my soup. God reminded me recently that most of my angst is tied up in my own attitude toward the situation. If I keep my eyes up, to the mountains, where my help comes from, I will see the blessings that God is leaving on my path like so many hidden treasures. Today I encourage you to go on a treasure hunt for hidden blessings. Something or someone is waiting to bless you today.