A glowing horizon and a bright crescent moon provided a delightful inspiration one morning. What if I stayed on the lookout for more of God’s blessings that day and kept a list?
The time was spring—sunbeams spangled the sky, a light jacket warded off cool breezes, daffodils and hyacinths dotted neighbors’ yards, and the birds sang their equivalent of the “Hallelujah Chorus.” By day’s end that list included twenty delights. (You can access that list here.)
Spring is an easy time to count blessings, when creation displays God’s glory in numerous ways.
But what about winter, when skies are often overcast, when much of the landscape offers only shades of gray and brown, and when most birds are silent or absent altogether? Is it possible to find twenty delights in quick succession?
As a matter of fact, yes.
Let’s begin with the first matter of morning: coffee.
Within minutes of hitting the start button, our coffee maker gurgles with gusto as the last of the water pumps through, thus providing the first item for my list:
#1: That happy burbling sound indicating the coffee is almost ready!
#2: The sublime flavor and fragrance of coffee.
#3: The fact that black coffee has no calories! (Yes, I realize the first three mercies on this list involve coffee. But I’m sure you agree: its supreme delight warrants attention to the details!)
#4: The view out the kitchen window, especially when it includes virtual mountains—a pale gray cloudbank spreading along the horizon, looking every bit like a ridge of the Smokies.
#5: For that coffee, my new Ember mug (a Christmas gift), keeping the last sip as hot as the first.
#6: The lamp on my desk perfectly backlighting the graceful steam curls from my mug. Mesmerizing!
#7: Sunshine pouring in the south-facing windows across the back of our house, especially welcome after several days of gray.
#8: Blowing cantaloupe-sized bubbles (sometimes bigger) with my fingers. (I discovered this bit of fun during the early days of pandemic hand-washing. With sudsy hands, make a ring of forefinger and thumb and blow!)
#9: Running an errand in my new, cozy and comfy boots—the outcome of a two-month search.
#10: A collection of herbal teas to choose from, once I’ve met my daily quota of caffeine.
#11: Lazing in our recliners before the fireplace, with books, computers, and tea, reveling in the warmth, crackle, and wood-scent. All five senses contentedly engaged.
#12: Discovering by chance the last item needed for my Colors of Winter list. Red was easy—cardinals and holly berries. Orange—robins and red foxes. Yellow—prairie grass. . .
. . . Green—the pines and evergreens. Blue—blue jays and blue-gray Northern bayberries. And finally, for purple, a snow-dusted beautyberry shrub.
For eyes that seek, winter offers more than brown and gray after all.
#13: Restoration through creativity, as a scented candle flickers, restful music provides background, and occasional sips of tea offer refreshment. Again, all senses engaged.
#14: Playtime with the grandgirls.
#15: The luxury of a cozy nap!
#16: A snow flurry, providing more stars for another list, included in my post two weeks ago, “Emblems of Love.”
#17: Fairy lights and candles to dispel the gloom of a wintry dusk.
#18: A happenstance glimpse of a fox trotting by, as we view the snowfall one last time before dark.
#19: Popcorn—a guilt-free snack (if prepared properly) and . . .
#20: . . . dark chocolate–just one square, offering a lesson in savoring. How wonderful researchers have determined dark chocolate is good for us!
The more we look, the more we see of God’s mercies and immense graces—a truth that applies even in bleak winter.
Have you been on the lookout? What mercies and graces have you seen? Please share an example or two in the comment section below!
Photo credits: http://www.maxpixels.net; http://www.pixabay.com; http://www.pixaHive.com; Nancy Ruegg (2); http://www.pxhere.com; http://www.flickr.com; Nancy Ruegg (4).
From the Inside Out 
Hallelujah and Maranatha Amen Sister in JESUS-YESHUA CHRIST-MESSIAH Nancy!!
Love ❤ Always and Shalom, YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
Thank you for your kind blessing, Kristi Ann!
Nancy, Love your (contagious) Delights list. I kept flagging numbers I wanted to mention in the comments, but ended up feeling mutually grateful for more than I could hold in my mind. A spring tonic in words and photos, my friend.
Oh the delight of mutual gratitude for the same blessings! So glad I could provide a spring tonic for you, Laurie!
I am on the lookout every day, Nancy, and with you, I’ll have to put morning coffee, and all the warmth and comfort it conveys, right at the top of my list. And there are so many colors in our yard if I take the time to truly look, from the sunbeams of morning to the painted skies of sunset. And yes, we still have birds aplenty at our feeders to watch and to marvel at. Winter is full of wonder when we have eyes to see.
Blessings!
I know well from your blog how you savor the everyday blessings, Martha! And now I know that we share a love for coffee! : )
nancy, thanks for nudging us to count the mercies, graces, blessings, joys each day. complaining and whining head right out the window when we focus on what Godis doing!
You are so right, Linda. You’ve reminded me of a quote: “A nail is driven out by another nail; a habit is driven out by another habit” (Erasmus). Gratitude is surely a habit that will drive out complaining and whining!
I am happy to see you blogs again. I got hooked on them while I was at the cabin in Idaho. I love the way you observe the little things in life and those little things actually make up a lot of life. I see those things all the time and even winter lets us see the shape of a tree and its branches. Thanks for posting again.
Thank you Sam for your kind, encouraging comments. As for the winter trees–oh yes! Many of them look like black lace against the sky. A different kind of beauty from the other three seasons, but beauty all the same. Thank you for adding that to our list, Sam!
Count our blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done
I remember that old hymn too, and find myself humming the chorus every now and then. Thank you for adding it here, Brenda!
Great list Nancy, I can sure relate to that sunrise cup of coffee.
Thank you, Gary. A sure sign of spring: when that first cup of coffee IS at sunrise and not before–even though we may be rising at the same time!
Early morning quiet time. Winter snow making everything beautiful. A break from bugs! A new grandbaby imminent.
Love your additions, Sheila! Winter quiet times offer do offer the pleasure of coziness as we wrap in fuzzy robes and light a candle or two. Snow is definitely a wondrous delight. Your third idea about bugs made me smile. Now there’s a blessing I hadn’t thought of, but you are so right! And congratulations on that new grandbaby! A glorious blessing indeed!
Absolutely love this! Especially the nods towards coffee. Lol! God is always showering us with gifts. We just have to open our eyes and look around. ☕️♥️🌹🙏🥰🙌
Ah, you’re another coffee lover, Bridget! Amen to your last statement. Much joy is available to us by that simple discipline: opening our eyes and looking around!
What a wonderful list and you started off with coffee!! You bring such joy to me. thank you for being you!
Oh, Jean, what an HONOR for me bring joy to you! I thank God for you too, my friend. Your encouragement to me and the wisdom you share on your blog have ministered greatly to my spirit ever since we started following each other in 2013 (?). Little did I know back then, when we lived over a 1000 miles apart that we’d get to meet face to face one day! What a privilege that was for me!
You had me at coffee. There is no finer beverage than a steaming mug of fresh-brewed coffee to wake the senses. Add a familiar view out the window and the Word of God, and my day has properly begun.
Indeed, Robert! Couldn’t agree with you more, though my “view” is my office with its memory-rich accents–plus a glowing candle many mornings. If I opened the blinds, the joggers/walkers would see me sitting here in my robe!
: )
I truly love enjoy the winter season. The falling snow calms me, giving me a feeling of peace; and the glistening jewel-like snowflakes are magical as they settle on the ground! And just today as I was driving home I got a glimpse of two graceful young deer darting into the road. The creations of our Lord are such a blessing…even in winter.
You’re right, Cheri, there is something calming about snow–the gentleness and grace of its descent? The quietness? Its beauty? Probably all four factors. Such a delight God gives us to enjoy in winter. / We used to see deer quite frequently, but haven’t for awhile. I did see a neighbor feeding them one evening. Perhaps they now focus their attention at her house! Agreed: the creations of our Lord are a wonderful blessing. I never tire of watching the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, the occasional fox, and deer.
The snowflake is magnificent, Nancy; looks too perfect to be real!
Isn’t it beautiful–even if one of the points is not quite perfect and it was just a Smartphone photo! That was the best snowflake out of about a dozen pics. Not one snowflake made it without some damage. Makes me appreciate Wilson A. Bentley’s photos all the more! Such close-up photos also allow us to marvel at God’s glorious artistry–even on a minuscule scale!
Nancy, that is a long and lovely list and I agree–Coffee should definitely be first ish. That new Ember mug intrigues me….and your glorious nature sightings delight, as does your artwork.
Your life is full–thank you for sharing your ‘view’ with us (especially the one over your slipper tops!)
Thank you, Jody. I do desire to keep my life full of gratitude to God. / You’d love the Ember mug. Perhaps it could be a group gift for Mother’s Day! Of course, by then, you might be ready to switch to coffee on ice. But if you’re like me (and I have a feeling you are!), the morning cup MUST be hot!
Morning coffee with an open Bible and snuggling cat on my lap.
Love your blog Nancy! So thankful it found me!!
Welcome, Stacy! I’m so glad the blog found you too. Morning coffee-plus-quiet time seems to be a favorite mercy that many of us enjoy. You’ve got lots of company!
This is a coffee company here in Georgia owned and operated by a local Pastor. Wonderful company philosophy and delicious, ethically sourced coffee!
https://phoenixroasters.coffee
I’ll check it out, Stacy. Thank you for the recommendation!
Oh how I love this blog, Nancy! Remembering to be thankful is such a vital part of our lives, especially in this stressful world in which we live today. As we go through our huge remodel, and live in our upstairs and downstairs, I feel so very thankful for God’s blessings. We have warmth, we have food, we have the gadgets with which to cook our food, and we have our comfy beds. And coffee! I am with you there! Thank you for such a heartwarming reminder to give thanks every day!
You are a poster child for thankfulness in the mess, Patty! And no doubt your attitude of gratitude is allowing you to thrive, not just survive your remodel. I pray Aaron has adjusted to the temporary arrangements!
Thank you, Nancy. Aaron has adjusted really well. Tonight he said he misses eating at our kitchen table. 😊 But all in all he’s doing so much better than we thought he would.
Oh that’s good news! Praise God for his faithfulness in this regard!
Nancy,
These are some good everyday practical blessings. I am sure you enjoy them sll.
Thanks,
Gary
Thank you, Gary. Yes, I do enjoy them all–and many more!
Wonderful blessings!! And your pictures bring out even more color to your words!!
I was just having coffee with my best friend this past week and joked we need those coffee cup warmers!! We talk so much our coffee gets cold in the mix!!
That snowflake picture is especially amazing!!
Thank you, Alicia. If you’re a coffee lover, put the Ember mug on your birthday, Mother’s Day, anniversary list! I am thoroughly enjoying mine. As for the snowflake picture, I studied numerous flakes across our deck, trying to find one with all “arms” intact. This was the best specimen, though far from perfect. Makes me appreciate all the more that fellow, Wilson Bentley. What patience and perseverance he must have had, producing hundreds of photos of near-perfect snowflakes!
Oh yes that’s a great idea and Mother’s Day is just around the corner!! ☕️
I had to show my family the snowflake, they were in awe.❤️
That photo was taken with just my phone too. The built-in cameras these days are AMAZING!
No kidding!! They are for sure!!