Count your many Blessings

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I have had a song running though my head.  This is a normal occurrence for me.  During my few idol moments, I’ll notice a song flittering through my memory.  I’m of the age when the new contemporary worship songs didn’t begin to make an appearance until I was in High School.  Most of my growing up was done singing traditional hymns.  It amazes me how well I remember them after all these years.  This week the song was, Count Your Blessings.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

 

This hymn was first published in 1897. It was published in a songbook called, Songs for Young People. After several years and yes I mean several years, people were still singing it in church.  

Johnson Oatman who wrote the lyrics was a Methodist minister, but that was not all he did.  He ran a Mercantile and a large insurance company, in addition to writing several hymns. He obviously kept himself very busy.  The person that wrote the music was Edwin Othello Excell. His life was devoted to music. He ran a large publishing house that published; you guessed it, song books. 

Sometimes when I watch the news I get a little sad and sometime a little mad. It depends on what they are talking about. Hurricanes, floods and disasters are sad and I pray for people. The political rhetoric is maddening.  Either way, I have a verse that I remind myself of to keep my thoughts from running crazy.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

If we are counting our blessings, we are definitely thinking along the lines of Philippians 4:8. When racking my brain for noble, right, pure, lovely etc., I sometimes will remember the songs of my youth. 

If you have a favorite song from childhood, try and remember the words to see if you don’t feel a little happier also.  If you don’t, I have attached another old hymn below.

Gaither Vocal Band - At the Cross [Live] from emimusic on GodTube.