Who Can You Bless Today?

Top O’ the mornin’ to ye!

 

I love St. Patrick’s day! While we didn’t really celebrate growing up, the holiday always made us excited about my mother’s heritage.

 

Mama's father was a full-blooded, red-headed, hot-tempered man who came to America from Ireland sometime before Mama was born. He died during her childhood, so I was never able to meet him. But he passed on the love for his home country and the Irish brogue he could never shake. We were always delighted when Mama would talk to us with old Irish phrases and her Irish accent.

 

Now that I have a family of my own, holidays are usually pretty simple and only involve specials foods. I wish I was better at family traditions and celebrations, but alas, I'm not! I do take the time each year to appreciate my Irish heritage.  

What I love most about St. Patrick’s Day is the concept of blessings. Those folks sure knew how to bless others! But for me, it’s not just that the poems are often cute or funny.

The concept of blessing actually originated with God.

In the Bible, there are several places where God blessed his people, or His prophets blessed His people. We are also called to bless God Himself and to bless those around us. 

What does it mean to bless? According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of bless is:

 

·         to make (something or someone) sacred or holy by saying a special prayer

·         to ask God to care for and protect (someone or something)

·         to provide (a person, place, etc.) with something good or desirable

 

It's so easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget to pay attention to others. The world could use a little more kindness. Favor. Blessing. Let today, and every day, be a day where we choose to put others first. Who can you bless today?

And now, let me leave you with an Irish blessing. Here’s my favorite, taught to me by Mama when I was a kid:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
~ Jen