I love the short story of how a child tried to describe an elevator. She said, “I got into this little room and the upstairs came down.” That phrase has stuck in my mind, “…the upstairs came down.” Isn’t it an apt description of the blessings we receive from the Lord?

As I think about those blessings, I realize that there is a wide array of good things we receive from Him. Some of our blessings are spiritual in nature. We have been forgiven (Eph. 1:7). That’s huge. God has given us salvation through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. We have an eternal inheritance set aside for us (take a look at Eph. 1:14).

We also have a boat load of material blessings. The scripture says that the rain falls on the just and the unjust so regardless of our spiritual focus, God is busy blessing us all (Matt. 5:45). He controls the weather, so we have food. In His graciousness, we have a warm place to live and enjoy the normal “treats” like running water and electricity.

We have cars and clothes, glasses and gazebos, hair and hair dryers and everything in between. Literally for most of us, “the upstairs has come down.”

But there is another classification of blessings and I like to call them the “personal blessings.” These gifts come in all sizes. Sometimes, they are a “biggie.” Maybe an estranged brother suddenly calls you out of the blue and you get to chat for half an hour. What a blessing!

Sometimes, these personal blessings are just little things that make us smile. Maybe it’s a parking spot right up front when we are running late. Maybe it’s noticing that the first words spoken by our baby sound a lot like our name (not our spouse’s). Maybe it’s a kindness that wasn’t expected from a co-worker. Maybe it’s a brownie from a neighbor.

These personal blessings are just little “post-a-notes” from our Heavenly Father reminding us that He is thinking about us. He cares for us. He is attuned to all the nuances of our lives, big things and small.

So, this week, let’s do what the song says: “Count your blessings see what God has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done!”

The upstairs really has come down!