Count your many blessings!

This song has been running through my head for the past half hour and so I decided I should share. First off, this song is very sentimental to me because of a gentleman I taught on my mission. He had his share of difficulties and still struggles with them. However, when my companion and I were teaching him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he would cry like a baby. This song became his favorite hymn because he realized that, despite his share of problems, he also had so many blessings! He had a wonderful wife and kids, a job, and, most of all, a Savior who loved him.

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 has done

We all have been given so many blessings. Just now I was looking around my apartment at all of the furniture that we have. We have bought very little of it. So many loving people have passed things along to us that we probably couldn't afford otherwise. I look around me at the world today and I'm scared for Lydia. There is so much evil and corruption. But, I am awe inspired by the good out there. So many wonderful, loving people. I need to focus on more of the good. We truly have so many blessings in our lives.
Lydia is such a beautiful little girl. I took her to the park today and played with her on the swings. She loved it! She laughed and laughed! She has brought so much more joy into my life. Though I'm scared for the temptations that lie ahead for her, I am comforted by the love of the Savior that I can feel through her. Christ suffered all for us. That is the greatest blessing we could ever dare ask for.
The other day Lydia was having a very trying day. She couldn't seem to get in a good nap. So, I chose to sing songs to her. (This is for my children's ears only! I don't typically sing for people!) I found myself singing "A Child's Prayer" to her. As I sang it, I remembered that that was the song all of my cousin's sang at my grandpa's funeral just a couple weeks ago. And, as I sang the song, the words filled my heart.

Heavenly Father, are you really there?
And do you hear and answer every child's prayer?
Some say that heaven is far away.
But I feel it close around me as I pray!
Heavenly Father, I remember now
Something that Jesus told disciples long ago.
Suffer the children to come to me!
Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee!

Pray, He is there.
Speak, He is listening.
You are his child.
His love now surrounds you.
He hears your prayer.
He loves the children
of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of Heaven.

I felt the spirit more at that moment than I have for a very long time. (I admit, I had to wipe a few tears from my eyes.) We have a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to pray to him. He wants us to return to him. He LOVES us! Wow! We really do have so many blessings! I'll ponder more on all of my blessings. What are some of yours? (if you don't mind sharing) Or, you don't need to share. Just ponder on it.