The word blessed is used so often now--I don't know if I am noticing it more or if it's become an "it" word. The word blessed means several things. Dictionary.com gives the following definitions:
1. consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified
2. worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship
3. divinely or supremely favored; fortunate
4. blissfully happy or contented.
Most people, I think, mean the final definition when they say blessed--blissfully happy or contented. "I am so blessed to have won X award!" or "I feel so blessed to have scored the winning touchdown in the championship game." Blessed has ceased to be a Godly word and has become a catchy self-righteous phrase.
When I use to say it, I think I started off meaning divinely favored but I think it slipped into blissfully happy. I feel like I had forgotten the true meaning of the word blessed. I had a job I adored, my family was in good health, I had a home and a dog I love.
Then about 18 months ago I lost my job and I began a journey that has led me to the realization of exactly HOW blessed I am. Exactly how Divinely favored and fortunate I am. You see, God provided me a job that meets my needs. I am not employed full time yet but I have a job and my mortgage get paid every month. Some months I eat peanut butter sandwiches every day for lunch and some months I can afford to eat out a little.
You see, I don't have the life I grew accustomed to while I was teaching. I can't afford it. But I made the choice to take a job that gives me enough to meet my needs, not get into any more credit card debt (and continue to pay off the debt I already incurred) and remember every day that I am Divinely favored. It is not easy. But that is a heck of a lot better than just being blissfully happy in my book.
I don't blame big corporation for my bad luck or for my financial struggles--it is because of them our country is great. It is the innovation of ideas that have given rise to the factories that dot our landscape. It is the creativity of great American minds that has led to an easier way of life--just think of the recently late Steve Jobs. It is because of the tenacious spirit of the American people that we have continued to thrive through war, famine, depression and national tragedy. We were not a country of whiners. Until now.
As I have been watching the news on TV and seeing all of the discontent that has been bred over the last several years, I am amazed. I see people who appear to be healthy, have a home to go home to when they get done protesting or working--which ever they choose that day, clothes on their back, Starbucks coffee cups in their hands, and dissatisfaction in their hearts. All because they view themselves as a "have not."
They are NOT the have nots. They claim to be the "99%." 99% of what, I ask myself? Once they get whatever it is they are seeking--are they willing to acknowledge that they themselves are actually a part of the 1%? As Americans, they possess and have access to more of the worlds wealth than anyone else? Are these malcontents really willing to give up to the other 99% of the world their share of what they're demanding of Wall Street?
Just curious.
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