Good morning, everybody. Let me tell you something I was thinking about this morning while sitting here reflecting on life.

Sometimes we get so caught up looking at what we don’t have that we forget to appreciate everything we do have. We live in a world where people are constantly showing you the newest car, the expensive vacations, the jewelry, the fancy dinners and everything else money can buy.

And don’t get me wrong there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting nice things. Honestly, if God blessed me with a big house one day, I’m going to walk through that house like I own the whole neighborhood!

But I’ve learned something. Being Blessed doesn’t always look like being rich. Sometimes being blessed looks like having a roof over your head. Sometimes it looks like opening your refrigerator and actually finding food inside. Sometimes it looks like having somewhere warm to sleep at night. And sometimes, being blessed simply means waking up in the morning with another opportunity to get life right.

I may not have a whole lot of material possession. I’m not wealthy. I may have moments where I’m watching my money and trying to figure out how I’m going to make everything stretch. A lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck, and I’m not ashamed to say that I understand what that feels like.

But you know what?

When I stop and really think about it, I realize just how blessed I am. I have a roof over my head. I have food in my refrigerator. I have a place to lay my head at night. I have people I love. I have another day. And I have the ability to sit here and write these words and share my thoughts with people all over the world.

That’s a blessing.

We have to stop measuring our lives against somebody else’s highlight reel. Because social media will have you thinking everybody is living their best life except you.

Somebody is buying a new car.

Somebody is buying a new house.

Somebody is taking a vacation.

Somebody is wearing something that cost more than your rent. And you’re sitting there thinking, “Lord, what am I doing wrong?” Baby, you might not be doing anything wrong!

You might simply need to stop comparing your chapter to somebody else’s chapter. And let’s be honest you don’t know what somebody had to sacrifice to get the things they’re showing you. You don’t know what’s happening behind that pretty picture. You don’t know their bills, their worries, their struggles, their loneliness or what’s happening when the camera gets turned off. So I’m learning to appreciate the little things.

That cup of coffee.

That cup of tea.

A peaceful morning.

A good laugh.

A phone call from somebody I love.

A meal in my refrigerator.

A comfortable bed.

A safe place to come home to.

Those things may not look impressive on Instagram, but they are priceless. There are people right now who would give anything to have what some of us take for granted every single day.

There are people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. There are people sleeping in cars. There are people trying to figure out where they’re going to live.

There are people who would love to have the things we sometimes complain about. And that’s why I believe we need to pause every now and then and say:

“Thank you, God, for what I already have.”

Because wanting more isn’t the problem. Forgetting to appreciate what you already have while you’re chasing more that’s where we get ourselves in trouble.

So today, I’m encouraging you to take a look around your life. Don’t just look at what’s missing. Look at what’s there. Look at that roof over your head. Look at the food in your refrigerator. Look at your family. Look at your friends.

Look at your health, your talents, your opportunities, your memories and even the lessons you’ve learned from the things that didn’t work out. Because sometimes the things we consider “small” are actually some of the biggest blessing we have.

I may not have everything I want. I may not have a pocket full of money. I may not have a house full of expensive things. But when I wake up and realize I am here, I have a place to live, I have food to eat, and I have another day to keep going I’m blessed. And that’s something nobody can put a price tag on.

So before you go chasing the next big thing, take a minute and appreciate the things you already have. Because somebody, somewhere, is praying for the very thing you’re taking for granted.

Stay safe, stay blessed, stay grateful and don’t forget to smile and enjoy the moment.

Until next time, I’ll see y’all from the porch 💙💙