Blessings
I love this word.
It makes me feel happy. It even sounds happy.
Definition:
1. Approval; Encouragement
2. Acts or words of one who blesses
3. Something conducive to happiness or welfare
4. Prayers asking for God’s favor and protection; Grace said before meals
My entire life, I have heard this word used in all of the ways listed above.
However, it has always been difficult to truly grasp its real meaning.
The definition could be so ambiguous or inexplicable, at times.
I have always heard the word used in the following four sentences:
“Count your blessings.”
“It turned out to be a blessing.”
“You are a blessing.”
“She received a blessing.”
When I stop and think about this word, I always think of my four sons.
They really are blessings to me.
They do provide happiness.
When I turned 16 years old – 5,844 days into this adventure called life, I cried.
To this day, I am not sure why I cried.
I just remember it was a very emotional time for me.
It was a pivotal birthday – a milestone!
I remember spending a lot of time in prayer that day.
I wanted God to bless me with a long life.
I wanted as many days as possible in this adventure called life.
I also prayed for God to one day make me the mother of 4 sons.
I remember that prayer vividly.
I.asked.God.to.bless.me.with.4.sons! 😯
Four short years later, I would meet and marry the love of my life.
Five years later, I received my first answer to that prayer.
Seven years later, I received my second answer to that prayer.
18 years later, I received my third answer to that prayer.
21 years later, I received my fourth answer to that prayer.
When I was expecting my last two blessings, everyone always asked me if I was hoping to finally get a girl. They found it hard to believe me when I told them I was hoping for another boy.
I am beyond thankful God answered my prayer!
I have learned so much about life by being the mother of four sons.
I have enjoyed this adventure of life so much because I am the mother of four sons.
I participated in a writing conference about 3 years ago. In that conference, we were given the assignment to choose a topic and list six things about the topic. This assignment was modeled after articles in ESPN Magazine entitled “6 Things You Should Know About …”
I chose the topic, “Being the Mother of Four Sons.”
I could have easily listed many things on this topic but I had to narrow it down to six.
Here is my writing piece.
Six Things You Should Know About Being the Mother of Four Sons:
1. You will know more about sports (every sport) than you ever thought possible.
2. You will always be the Queen of the home while you are rearing Princes.
3. You will be able to leave home quickly because nothing has to match.
4. You will not have to work out arguments because the four sons will yell, smack each other, and quickly move on to their next adventure – taking you with them and keeping you right in the middle of the action – laughing all the way.
5. You will always carry a purse containing a menagerie of cars, sticks, rubber bands, a deck of cards, and bandages.
6. You will never help choose prom or wedding colors but you will have a heart full of love and pride when you are asked to tie a tie for your young Prince as he goes off with his Princess or when he goes off to live out his own adventure called life, but not before he stops and kisses you on the cheek.
So today, when I think back to my prayer on my 16th birthday, my 5,844th day of this adventure, I can state the following sentences using that word with confidence:
“I do count my blessings.”
“My prayer turned out to be a blessing.”
“My sons are a blessing.”
“I did receive a blessing – fourfold.”
~ Jan 💓
#MySonsAreBlessings
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