So Much to Be Thankful For

It is Thanksgiving morning. About 5:30 this morning I woke up, and couldn't get back to sleep. I felt like I needed to write this morning, and count my blessings. I have been really focused inward lately, and have not counted my blessings. We had an apostle of the Lord come and teach us in September, and he told us that we needed to look outward instead of focusing inward. That thought just kept coming to me this morning, and I felt like I needed to do this before I get going on my day.It is easy to dwell on negative things, and it takes more effort to consider the positive things in your life. My mother loved Thanksgiving--and I need to take her attitude and be glad for this day where you can think of all the ways you've been blessed.

So here I go--listing my blessings. This is more for me than for anyone else who might happen to read this, because I need to be more grateful. First of all, I am thankful for my health. Two years ago I didn't even know if I could go to Thanksgiving dinner because I was feeling so poorly. I laid on the couch at my sister-in-law's house, and couldn't eat anything, but that day I was glad that I could just be with my loved ones. I have been so blessed with my health, and can do just about everything I want to--and sometimes I forget what a blessing that is. I have amazing sisters, who care so much about me. They are constantly in touch with me, and even when I don't reach out to them, they reach out to me. What a gift they are to me--each and every day of my life. I am thankful to have a wonderful husband, who also cares deeply about me--and who puts up with my ups and downs, and still loves me in spite of myself. He is very patient with me, and tries to understand me, even when I act like an emotional woman, which I am. I am thankful too that right now he is feeling pretty well--which in an ongoing challenge for him. I am thankful for the way he has always provided for our family, and also saved for our future. He is so good to our children, and they love and respect him very much. I am thankful for my children. As with every family, we have our ups and downs--we don't always get along, but there is an underlying caring that runs deep. I am thankful that my children seem to genuinely love each other, and enjoy being together and being friends. I am thankful for 3 cute little grandsons, who call me "Grandma Weez" and who make me laugh just because they're cute and active little boys. This Thanksgiving my daughter, Kelsey, is home from BYU, and she is so thoughtful and caring. What a blessing she is in my life--she cares so much about people, and tries so hard to show that. She just really touches my heart. I am thankful to live in my beautiful home. I love it, and I am so grateful that I have such a nice place to live. I am thankful I can do things like sew and quilt because those things bring me a lot of pleasure and satisfaction. (plus they are lots of fun to do!!) I am thankful I have the means to make beautiful things, and the time to do it. I am thankful to work in the Church--to have the opportunity right now to work with the children's organization, the Primary. Sometimes I feel quite inadequate in that responsibility, but it gives me the chance to serve, and it makes me look outward...which I need to do. Anything that makes me get out of thinking just about ME helps me to focus outward and to be more caring towards others and their
needs. I am thankful for this time of year--fall and winter are a wonderful time here in Arizona--it's the time of year which makes up for all the super hot days of summer. I am thankful for good neighbors--I love the neighbors on our street and how they look out for each other and truly care. We are blessed to live in such a nice place. I also have many friends who truly care--who listen to me when I need a listening ear, and who care and are sensitive to my feelings. There is nothing better than true friends--and they can be in your family as well as outside of your family. I have many more blessings, and I guess I could make this a super long entry, but if you've stuck with me this long, you probably don't want to hear anymore. Like I said at the beginning, this was an exercise more for me than for anyone else--to help me remember many of the ways I'm blessed and to think more of those and less of the ways maybe my life is lacking. I need to be thankful to my Father in Heaven for all that He does for me...and to reflect on those things so much more. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!











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