feeling or showing thanks : feeling or showing thanks to someone for some helpful act to understand the worth or importance of (something or someone) : to admire and value (something or someone) : to be grateful for (something) The song at the end is "Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep) sung by Krista Branch. Now it's time for you to "count your blessings." What are you thankful for? You can tell us in the Comments Section.Īnd I fall asleep counting my blessings.Īnna Matteo wrote this story for VOA Learning English. Good for you! I'm glad you're able to count your blessings!Īnd that's all the time we have this week for Words and Their Stories. You see, after I was fired I found a new job - a better job that I really love. But this time it was truly a blessing in disguise. So, why are things great? Getting fired is terrible. Things are great! For starters, I got fired last month. Hey, how's everything going? I haven't seen you in a while. It will be! They are the only people I wanted to see anyway. So, we're going to take another trip together next month.
It turns out my two best friends from high school couldn't go either. So how was your high school reunion? Oh, I got sick and couldn't go.
Here's how to use the expression blessing in disguise. But the outcome or result is actually good. So, a blessing in disguise is a bad event or situation. Or a bottle of perfume might disguise an unpleasant smell. For example, a secret agent might wear a disguise to hide her identity. It is a little more complicated: a blessing in disguise.įirst of all, a disguise hides something that you do not want seen or noticed. So, when we use this expression, we often use the terms "on one hand" and "on the other hand." On the other hand, you look great and may be treated badly by other people. On one hand, you look great and may be treated really well by some people. For example, being really beautiful can be a mixed blessing. That brings us to the expression " mixed blessing."Ī mixed blessing is something that is both good and bad. Now, not all blessings are simple and easy to recognize. I should count myself lucky and give thanks for small blessings." But then he stops and thinks for a minute and says, "Well, at least I have a car. So, let's say a friend of yours is angry about a flat tire on his car. Now, when we want to show our recognition of all the little things that prove helpful, we sometimes say " give thanks for small blessings." We often say this expression in the middle of a troubling or difficult time.
If a young man wants to marry a young woman, he may want to first get her family's blessing. For example, a traditional marriage custom involves a blessing.
To religious people, a blessing is approval and help from a higher source - God.Ī blessing can also be a sign of approval. As we said, a blessing is something that brings you happiness or helps you. In English, the word "blessing" has at least two meanings. Sometimes we are not appreciative of our good fortune and blessings until they are gone.īut now, let's take a step back. When we take something for granted, we do not appreciate it. It is better to be grateful for our blessings than to take them for granted. When people count their blessings, they can say it like this: "I am thankful for my family. Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation or thanks. The United States observes this holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.Ĭounting your blessings is important. Thanksgiving is a time when many Americans count their blessings. This helps us to appreciate how good life is. When we count our blessings, we note all the wonderful things in our lives. FILE - Pen Pu (center) and Chelsea Peng play with their three-year-old son Dore Peng at the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney, Australia, 2015.