O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures for ever...
It is he who remembered us in our low estate,
for his steadfast love endures for ever...
O give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
(New Revised Standard version)
My mother, Olive, (she hated the name "Mum" which was then the name of a deodorant), has been dead for many years, but she was a wonderful Christian. A baptist by choice, she had some wonderful habits, like singing when she was happy. It might be a chorus from chapel, or it could be music hall songs (learnt from an uncle I believe), but things were even better at the seaside. She loved the sea and would go swimming as often as she could, singing "Throw out the life-line" or "Will your anchor hold in the storms of life" (both choruses). But the thing I remember most was her saying "Count your blessings". If things went wrong, or she was fed up about something she would tell herself to count her blessings.
These weeks as we live a life that we have never lived before, one filled with fear and worry, each of us can possibly still find things with which to be grateful. It will be different for each of us, and we may need to dig deep to find something; while for others there may be many things with which to be grateful and to thank God. As the chorus of the hymn "Count your blessings" says:
"Count your blessings name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings name them one by one,
and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."
Lord God,
we thank you for all your gifts to us.
Help us to be grateful for small mercies
at this difficult time in the life of our country -
for the weather, or food, or loved ones, or ..........
May we continue to look to you for help
and thank you for small mercies.
Amen.