When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you discouraged, thinking all is lost.

Count your many blessings; name them one by one –

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are we opening our arms to our blessings?  You know! the things we are grateful for?  Are we showing any gratitude?  Is there anything to be grateful for?

When we acknowledge what is coming our way, i.e. breathing, a new day, a job, the ability to look for a new job, transportation, a family, the ability to pursue a family, etc, with a grateful heart, we open ourselves up for more increase.  It’s when we stop acknowledging or start thinking this is what I deserve, that we close our arms to more.  Want more? Open yourself up to more with gratitude.

A simple thank you when the server brings you lunch at the diner, a thank you when the cashier hands you change, a thank you for a door held open for you, (wow, that doesn’t happen often anymore).  Smiling at a total stranger and offering salutations brings more, we are opening up when we open our mouths and arms each day.

It’s hard, I know it’s hard, I walk around looking for dropped change a lot, but that’s all I’ll ever get, those little bread crumbs that are so difficult to find because the birds don’t leave much behind.  But if I lift my head, open my heart, mouth and arms, I am showered with increase, albeit maybe not money to start with, but keep it up and it will start to flow your way as well. 

Looking for ways to be grateful is called service.  Are you an inward kind of Joe?  Are you only concerned with you and getting ahead?  Here’s the key to getting ahead, serve others!  It breeds gratitude, happiness, fulfillment, and joy.  Who doesn’t want these things in our lives?  I’m not talking about going across country and helping victims of disasters, if you want and can go for it, no I’m talking about seeing a need around you and filling it and not tooting your horn afterwards.

You may or may not believe in God, but one thing most believe in is Karma.  Karma in universal and it does come back to you.  Count your blessings or what you are grateful for everyday, take a daily inventory, and not just the same old thing.  Look for the new things coming in and keep a list of the new stuff, and pretty soon, you will see that glass overflowing.  Test it and see!  Keep yourself open to greater possibilities and be there for it to happen!