A Reason to have Peace...

"Blessings"
Laura Story

Although my "reason" series was going to go through December, it seemed that life had a different plan. Between sicknesses (mine and Steven's...but mostly Steven's), Christmas planning and get togethers, work, and family--the blog posts took a bit of a back seat. However, I have a lot of other songs and lot of other reasons to share, so I'll keep sharing as long I have something to share:)
This song is so perfect as we look at starting a new year. 2011 definitely wouldn't seem like a year that I would want to re-live--but then stop to consider that many of the bad things that happened this year were closely followed by really great things. Most significantly, my mom nearly died in October, but by the middle of December she was shopping, celebrating Christmas, playing Minute to Win It, WALKING, and even visiting the nurses and staff that took care of her this year. I can't think of a bigger blessing--but would all of those things seemed so significant if she hadn't been diagnosed with AML and later coded in the ICU? Probably not. Not that I would wish any of that to happen ever again, but when we come out on the other side of "bad" things, the good things seem a little better and little quicker to come. That's why I think this song speaks to me--what if our blessings come through raindrops? And if our healing comes through tears---well I'm good at healing then, because I've cried millions of tears this year. And to remember that those friends and family that we've lost this year (and the years before) are waiting for us when we begin our eternal life? Well, sometimes we need that reminder for just a little bit of peace.

I was listening to KLOVE this week (if you don't know the station, consider tuning it...it's a national station, and it's available online at klove.com)....anyhow, when listening to KLOVE they mentioned that we could start 2012 with PEACE and one of the ways they were going to 'do' something to get there was by writing down all the things that you wanted to get past on a piece of paper and then shredding it. Wouldn't that be symbolic? Maybe you don't need a symbol, but if you do, that's a way to start. I think I might make a list of things that I want to shred, but I think that I may also make a list of all the blessings that I want to remember too. Just something to consider for the new year.

"Blessings"
Laura Story
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise