By Doug Dezotell
Musings and Memories
I’ve always like this little poem:
Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.
The poet is unknown, but I sure know the sentiment.
God has been so very good to me, and He is there with me no matter what I’m going through; and He has promised never to leave me or forsake me.
One of the titles that the first century followers of The Preacher from Nazareth gave Him was Rabbi, meaning Teacher.
Another title of honor that His followers gave Him was Master.
This Jesus of Nazareth was known to them as the Teacher, Rabbi, Preacher, Prophet and Master.
But, after three years of listening to their Teacher’s teachings, His instructions, His lectures, His sermons and His stories… After three years of traveling with Him across country, from village to village, town to town, and watching Him perform miracles, and signs and wonders…After three years of experiencing Him loving them, comforting them, encouraging them, and challenging them… Those followers, His disciples had learned that He was more than just their Teacher, their Master, and their Friend, but they realized that this Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God… They came to realize that He is Emmanuel, God With Us.
In my 7 decades of life I have traveled with the Master as well.
I was taught about the Master as a child, and then one day as a teenager I had a personal encounter with Him, the Teacher, Jesus the Christ, and I surrendered my life to His call, His purpose, and His plan for my existence.
I have been taught and instructed from the writings of His Followers, His Disciples and His Apostles. I have read and re-read their eyewitness accounts of the life of the Master; and I have studied, memorized and meditated upon the Word of God, and I too have experienced and witnessed His miracles.
And He has taught me to…Count my blessings instead of my crosses; to count my gains instead of my losses.
He has taught me to…Count my joys instead of my woes; and to count my friends instead of my foes.
I have learned to…count my smiles instead of my tears; and to count my courage instead of my fears.
And the Master is teaching me to… Count my full years instead of my lean; to count my kind deeds instead of my mean… And I am learning to… Count my health instead of my wealth… And the most important counting He has taught me to count is to…Count on God instead of myself.
The Methodist pastor, Johnson Oatman, Jr., wrote the words to one of my favorite hymns. The lyrics go like this:
When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Doug Dezotell is the Pastor of Cannon United Methodist Church in Shelbyville, and he is a columnist for the Bedford County Post. You can find him on Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. in the pulpit of Cannon UMC, 1001 S. Cannon Blvd. in Shelbyville. You can contact Doug anytime at dougmdezotell@gmail.com or at 931-607-5191.
