Blessing?

We were talking with friends last night and the subject of being blessed by God came up. People tend to think that God is blessing you if you have a good job, making lots of money, a lovely family, the kids are doing well etc. etc. I sometimes think that these things are actually a trap - not that they are wrong, in and of themselves, but they can so easily take us away from what is really important. I wonder if those that are truly blessed by God are the ones who have to struggle for their health, or through the loss of a loved one etc.
The blogs that I have stumbled across and yet continue to be drawn to, are the ones whose owners have suffered indescribable loss yet they cling to God. They would be the first to admit that their path is one they would definitely not have chosen but having walked it, they know that God walked with them in a way that is almost just as indescribable as the loss. They have grown so much in their relationship with God through the hard times and they are thankful for them.
While waiting for the results of some medical tests back in July, I read from Paul's letter to the Colossions "Since then you have been raised up with Christ, set your hearts on things above...set your minds on things above, not on earthly things!"
Oh how I needed to be reminded of that - stop dwelling on the things of this earth - things that do not last, things that are corruptable. Instead, I was instructed to set my heart and mind on Christ. God met me in my feeble attempt to focus on Him and Him alone, rather than on uncertain test results. He gave me a peace about the whole thing and even a sense of excitement about what He was going to do in my life through this whole experience.
Fast forward three months - where is my focus now? I would love to say that it has stayed on Christ, that my heart and mind are on "things above". Somehow it was easier to look to Him in the storm than it is now. The hum-drum of everday life has a way of taking my focus off of Christ and back onto me. There has got to be a balance between being so heavenly minded that I am of no earthly good, and being so distracted by things of this earth that I no longer look to Him.
There are a number of health issues that are still rearing their ugly head in my life and I was forced last night to question wether I see myself as being blessed by God in my current situation. I have to admit that while I don't think of myself as being cursed by God, I definitely hadn't been looking at my situation as a blessing either.
I know that God wants more of me but I get so scared of what He will require of me. I want the benefits that come from a relationship with Him with out the responsibilities, if that makes sense. I know that God loves me unconditionally but for relationships to work they need to be two way. It is only as I allow Him to work in and through me that I will be able to see this season of my life as a blessing.
I so long for that to happen in theory, in practice it is another matter!