Do you ever wonder what the story is behind some of the songs we sing? As we approach Thanksgiving let me share with you a story that comes from the book, "Then Sings My Soul," by Robert Morgan. It's about the hymn, "Count Your Blessings," written by Johnson Oatman.

            Johnson was born in New Jersey just before the Civil War. His father had a powerful voice which some people claimed was the best singing voice in the East. That's why, as a boy, Johnson, Jr., always wanted to stand beside his father in church. As a young man Johnson stood beside his father in another way. He became a partner in Johnson Oatman and Son, his dad's mercantile business. At age 19, Johnson joined the Methodist Episcopal Church and was ordained into the ministry. He preached often, but never entered the fulltime pastorate. He enjoyed the business world and it paid the bills which gave him the freedom to minister without cost.

            In 1892, with his father's voice undoubtedly ringing in his memory, Johnson began writing hymns. He averaged 200 hymns and gospel songs a year - 5,000 during the course of his lifetime. Among them: "Higher Ground," "No, Not One," "The Last Mile of the Way," and "Count Your Blessings," which was published in a song book for young people in 1897. It reflected Johnson's optimistic faith and the fact that he believed it is impossible to be thankful and, at the same time grumpy, cantankerous, critical or ill-tempered.

            Grab a song book and find the hymn, "Count Your Blessings," (or Google the title) and read the words. Then spend some time doing what it tells us to do: "Count your many blessings name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." Don't let another day go by without spending some time in thanksgiving to the Lord!

God is Good All The Time!

Jason Yarbrough

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