Count Your Blessings

For the past year I have been going through boxes of photos that have been stored away in my closet from years gone by. I have begun to mount them in albums so our children and grandchildren will have a record of their ancestors on both sides of the family. We all make memories every day. I have been reminded of many blessings and of the protection and care that I have taken for granted throughout my eighty-three years of life. Through all the travels and moves our family has made, God has never stopped protecting, loving, and caring for us. In our early married years, my husband, my two little children, and I lived in a small trailer, fulfilling tree planting contracts with a team in the high mountain areas of the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana in the United States of America.

We would move about every four to six weeks, beginning in Oregon and working our way up toward the Canadian border. When the snow melted enough for the team to plant seedlings in the forest, the team would move north a little farther.

Bundling up our little son and daughter, my husband and I sent them to play outside in the fresh air. We enjoyed the wonderful wildlife and being surrounded by nature. One place we camped was at the base of a waterfall that originated in warm springs above the falls. It created a warm creek where the children spent hours playing.

There was an old tub from the early logging days and a pipe that brought warm water to the bathtub. After the men left to plant trees each day, the children and I would enjoy a warm bath. From 1970 to 1973, this was our “home away from home.” We collected and pressed wildflowers and made many happy memories. When we finally returned to our home in California, our children had to learn about flush toilets and showers.

What a wonderful life we were able to provide our children. We all have such fond memories of the times we enjoyed in the wilds of the northwest.

We thank God for every precious memory and each wonderful blessing. Let us all remember to count our blessings. As we name them we will be reminded of all God has done in our lives.

Marcella Lynch