From the archives

Fifty praises between bed and bathroom

May 2012

I vowed not to ask for anything, but to simply praise God during the day. I found fifty things for which to praise Him just between the bed and bathroom:

1. God's protection, providence

2. His love and grace

3. I slept straight through the night

4. No horrible nightmares resulting from real-life trauma

5. I don't work the night shift

6. My CPAP (Constant Positive Air Pressure) machine was a gift

7. I woke up refreshed

8. I can hear the cell phone alarm

9. Cell phones

10. Electricity

11. Birds singing

12. I can see the cell phone

13. I can click "snooze"

14. I have two working hands and arms

15. I can get out of bed on my own

16. Or, I can pull up the covers and roll over

17. I'm not in pain

18. Clean air

19. I'm waking up in a water bed with flannel sheets

20. I'm waking up in a warm, dry house with central air

21. The house isn't in foreclosure

22. I'm waking up in a free country

23. I'm not waking up in a war-torn country

24. I'm not waking up in prison

25. I'm not waking up in a hospital

26. I'm not waking up in a nursing home

27. I can walk unassisted: no crutches, walkers, braces or casts

[Walking past closet]

28. Clothes in the closet—and on the floor

29. Walking on wall-to-wall carpeting rather than dirt

30. Sense of touch: toes on carpeting

[Walking past photos of kids and grandkids]

31. Loving family

32. Loving, faithful Christian wife

33. Both kids are gainfully employed

34. Both kids are strong Christians

35. Grandkids!

36. All five grandchildren are "normal" and healthy

37. Picture of daughter at seven with mischievous grin always makes me smile

[Bathroom across from home office]

38. Being able to work from home since 1982

39. Hundreds of advantages of being self-employed such as being there for wife, kids and grandkids in good and bad times

40. Computers: I wouldn't be a writer if I had to do all that re-typing!

41. Laptop and desk

42. The Internet, email, Facebook

43. Meaningful online ministry

44. Meaningful work—today

45, Remembering where the bathroom is. No Alzheimer's—yet.

46. The house has indoor plumbing

47. My "plumbing" is working fine, I'm cancer free!

48. I can read

49. Freedom of the press

50. Toilet paper

You may not have the same fifty, but I bet you could come up with your own list.

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