All the time

God is so good. It makes me sad how easy it is to forget that fact in times that are harder than others. I spend every waking moment of my day trying to help others realize that God is so good to each of us, and sometimes forget to realize how He has been good to me in my own life. I was a bit discouraged just last night on the way home at the end of the night. I wasn't saying anything because I was afraid that if I did, I'd burst out in tears. My companion, Sister Lamborn, did her very best dealing with the situation. She asked me if there was anything she could do to help, and I said that I would let her know. After a few minutes of driving in silence, she turned on the music. The song that came on was the song that God really wanted me to hear in that moment. It's called, "Count Your Many Blessings". 

1. When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

(Chorus)

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.

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings; ev'ry doubt will fly,

And you will be singing as the days go by.

I knew in that moment that I needed to think of all the things that I was grateful for, especially all the things that God had blessed me with! Once I started listing off the things that were going well in my life, I was reminded of how good God really is. 

Last Saturday I went to the Nationals baseball game in DC with all the missionaries in my mission! It was SO much fun!! We sat in the nosebleed section, of course, but we finally got to our section at the tippy top of the stadium. There was a lady at the top of the stairs of our section to help us find our seats. While I was waiting at the top of the stairs during a play, so that I wouldn't be a distraction from the game to those who were intently watching, I decided to talk to her. She's worked every game for the past two years and has loved it. She told me about how there were season ticket holders that sat close to where she stood and they always bought her Nationals gear as gifts for doing such a great job. She showed me her baseball earrings that they had just given her.

I heard myself say, "Oh God is good!" 

She replied, "Oh honey, ALL the time!!!" She went on to tell me about how that is an old fashioned phrase because she hasn't heard very many people say it any more. She told me, "It doesn't matter who says 'God is good', I will stop whatever I am doing to reply, 'ALL the time!'. He isn't just good SOME of the time, or MOST of the time, but ALL the time."

I told her that I would bring it back! Every time I saw her after that, I called out, "God is good!" and she would call back, "All the time!" with a big two thumbs up in response. 

So whenever you're feeling down, rather than thinking about all the things that aren't going right in life, think outward and look up! All you have to do is count your many blessings, and before you know it, you'll see that God has been good to you. Not some of the time, not most of the time, but all the time.