God's Breath

"Gesundheit!" That is a German word that is usually said in response to someone who sneezes. However, some people say, "Bless you." At any rate, the intent is to wish good health on the sneezing person.

Nice enough sentiment, don't you think? Uh-hmm, but wait a minute. Let's analyze that practice of saying, "God bless you." Take a look at the following scripture:

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7, KJV)

So, that scripture means that "We are walking around in God's image with God's breath in us." (Bro. Brooks) Do you realize what that means?! It means that whatever we do in this life, we are using God's breath to do it. It means that He cherished us enough to shape us in His image and then to breathe life into us. Whoa! That is a big thing to consider! We are walking around with God's breath in us! I never quite thought about it in this manner until a preacher mentioned it this past weekend. Don't you get it, folks, we are already blessed, and it is with inexpressible gratitude that I acknowledge the fact of the blessing! I won't be so quick to complain anymore or be disgruntled with my life. I will, with humbleness, remember Whose breath I am using to complain. Wow, y'all. Just wow!

Gift of My Momma

When I think about my life and what else I am grateful for, I think about my "Momma." (I know that momma in this sentence should not be capitalized according to grammarians, that is. But we are talking about my Momma, and I will capitalize it anytime I please because no rule can compare to the blessing of a woman that the Lord God gave me to. No rule!) Her name was Lula Mae Peters Carr, and I carry the spitting image of her likeness on the outside and her morals and values on the inside. She was a blessing to me, and she still is, though she walks the other shore now.

You see, when I, as a teacher saw some children that came from homes where no values and morals were taught, I realized how blessed I had been in my upbringing. That is when I placed my Momma up on a pedestal in my mind where she belonged. She and I had become best friends and often talked about various things. I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to tell her what a blessing she was to me and to explain in detail, how.

You would have to have known her to realize how extraordinary it was that she had been rendered speechless by my profuse compliments to her. We had a good old laugh about the fact that I had rendered her speechless. She went on to tell me about a couple of other times in my life that I had rendered her speechless, but that is a story for another day. (sweet memory)

Gift of My Singing

I had always wanted to sing but couldn't; in fact, a bullfrog could out sing me. Several old people told me to keep trying and that I would be a singer one day. I laughed at that. I figured, "You either have a voice, or you don't!"

Ha, little did I know. Now, I am not the greatest singer in the world, but people seem to gravitate to my singing, and for that, I am thankful. I sing when I am bothered or unhappy and feel better after a couple of songs. It's the way the Lord has made us. (I talk about this in my current manuscript that is soon to be published, Tallest Mountain In My World.)

I also sing when I am happy. It is unusual to be around me for long and not hear me singing or humming something. I admit I sing softly to myself or hum in the grocery store, when I am window shopping, etc. It seems to make people feel nice. So, that is fine by me. I figure that is another way I can say, "I'm grateful," to the Lord.

Gift of My Speaking (Teaching Skills)

Just as when I sing, when I speak, people seem to gravitate toward me to hear what I am saying. So, I was drafted into being a public speaker. I was petrified. It might not seem so now, but when I was a child, I was very quiet and afraid to speak in front of a group. I was a mousy introvert who kept her mouth closed and her big eyes and ears open.

I have since learned that the Lord God was training me, even then. So, I do public speaking of a motivational, inspirational, devotional type. I keep being asked, so I guess that means that I do a good job. There again, I am grateful to the Lord God for giving me the gift of public speaking and teaching.

As for my teaching, I was named Who's Who Among America's Educators the last 15 years of my teaching career. (This list included colleges, as well.) But that is a story for another day.

Length of My Life

I have been blessed to live for several decades and for that I am grateful. I try to keep Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care.

This blog posting is quite lengthy today, but I hope that it blesses those that it needs to bless.

Until tomorrow, if the Lord wills.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

On tomorrow, I will finish my sessions of having an attitude of gratitude, not because this is all that I am grateful for, but because of expediency. I could write an entire book about being grateful!