Sunday Thoughts - What Is a Blessing?

When I was a child, my brothers and I took turns "saying the blessing" before meals.

"Bless us, oh Lord, and these thy gifts..." and so on. 

As children, we didn't think much about it or the real meaning of the words we were taught to say.

As a church goer, another habit from childhood but one I cherish for many reasons, I learned the profound meaning of those words learned in childhood.

DEFINITIONS

If you look up the word blessing, you'll find these definitions: "a prayer asking for God's favor and protection, grace said before or after a meal, a beneficial thing for which one is grateful, sanction or support."

ACKNOWLEDGE BLESSINGS

I'm not talking about religion now even though I do acknowledge the blessings I have based upon my beliefs. I am truly grateful for those blessings. 

I'm talking about why it's a good thing to acknowledge blessings whether they come from your religion or from your neighbor next door. Acknowledging a blessing is conscious recognition of the beneficial thing you have received and being apprciative of it.

APPRECIATION = GRATITUDE

Being grateful or feeling gratitude has been scientifically proven to benefit people.

In fact, gratitude has been proven to enhance physical and mental health because it reduces stress hormones like cortisol and increases the feel-good neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine.

Feelings of gratitude promote cardiovascular health, boosts immune function, lowers blood pressure, and improves sleep. It also helps crete emotional resilience and deeper social connections. It can help with pain management and help you live longer too.

EXPRESSING GRATITUDE

You can express gratitude in many ways like saying grace or a blessing—which was the inspiration for today's post. Listening to a blessing took me back to my childhood and the blessings and prayers I was taught.

Throughout the morning, I kept thinking about the reason behind those words of appreciation or gratitude. I believe in keeping track of the blessings, or beneficial things, that happen each day even if it's something like, "the wind didn't blow off the winterized wraps on the loquat tree."

Try writing in a notebook or a journal about the commonplace or extraordinary happenings in your life each day that may be blessings in disguise. Be grateful. 

Express that gratitude to a person who does something kind for you or express it on the pages of a journal or express it in a prayer if that's what speaks to you.

What do you think about the subject of blessings?

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

 Well, that's my Sunday Thoughts for this cold, wintry day. Have a great week ahead.

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