Counting the good things

When I was a child, I was taken to church and made to attend Sunday School. Most of it brings back very pleasant memories and I would admit a lot of it shaped who I became. It seems so long ago now and there is one thing I do remember and try to practice. We used to go to church with my grandparents a lot, and we sat on the hard wooden pews in a tiny country church and when I couldn't understand the sermon, I read the hymns in the blue cloth covered hymn book.
There was a hymn that I remember a few lines from and I still try to practice what it says.
"Count your blessings, name them one by one."
Sometimes, when life is really chewing at me, and things seem to be all wrong, I tend to worry away at problems until they fester and infect my life in a very negative way. It can be an insidious thing, and I don't realise how far down I'm spiralling, picking away at the problem until it's become a large unhappy chunk of each day, using up my time and energy. I become someone not even I want to be around.
It's hard to stop this growing, but fortunately for me, something usually happens to stop me. It could be something that happens, or a comment from someone. It need not even be related to the problem, it's just a shift that puts things back into perspective.
That's when I find I need to count my blessings.
It's amazing how just listing good things can become an incredibly long list and the problem reduces with each thing added to the list.
Lately there has been a situation at work and thanks to a few kind people, the brakes went on and I've stopped worrying about it. It doesn't make the problem go away, but it makes life far happier.
So what do I put on my list? This is just from today.
Last night it was cold and raining, with the wind blowing the rain drops against the window. I was warm and cozy in bed, listening to the rain. Such a good thing and I relaxed and had the best night's sleep in months.
During the afternoon, I made some scones with my family's secret recipe, and spent a pleasant half an hour measuring flour and mixing dough and remembering my grandmother and her wonderful cooking, and as the smell of hot scones filled the house, it felt like she was close to me. Such a good thing.
Yesterday morning I spent time with my other half. A warm loving hug is such a good thing.
Today I matched up some soft white cream yarn with a pattern I have wanted to try and knitted the beginning of a sleeve to see how it looked, and it's exactly right. Such a good thing.
I had a long chat to my Dad this afternoon. Such a good thing.
Tonight I have my freshly laundered winter dressing gown on. So cozy and warm and smells lovely. Such a good thing.
Tomorrow is work again. I have lots to do and I can ignore the person with the problem, because she's the one with it, not me. I will work through my to-do list for the week and that will focus my mind and that's a good thing.
It's going to be cold, and I know where my winter leather gloves are, and that's a good thing!
It's time for bed, I'm warm, happy and know I'm loved. And that's a good thing.
Tomorrow I can count some more....