Thanksgiving, or Gratitude Day 8

This year's Thanksgiving celebrations were much calmer than last's. Nothing burned, no one was left homeless, no one called with a tragedy. I was grateful. 

We gathered with the DeMartinis at Christopher and Tysen's house for a delicious meal and game playing. Eugene and Sharae's family has had Covid, and while most of them are over it, Sharae is still under the weather, so they stayed home. Eugene came and gathered foodstuffs, then went home bearing a feast, just in smaller portions and to be eaten without company. We are glad they are all on the mend.

After eating, we played Telestrations. Brandt, Crew, and Griffin played, and while I love them all, they aren't super great at drawing. Many drawings were misinterpreted, and many guesses were not even close. At one point in time, I was laughing so hard I nearly peed my pants. I had to stand crossed-legged while I laughed, then make a dash for the bathroom before my bladder exploded. It was a very funny game. 

On this eighth day of giving thanks and expressing gratitude, I will list the first ten things each person in the family says they are grateful for.

Blythe: friends, family, music, writing, Wattpad, good books to read, home, food and water, comfy hoodies, the Cutler's swing set

Brandt: family, school, Dad working (somewhat), house, clothes, warm bed, books, electricity, water, toilet, tech crew, swimming, games (card, board, and video) "I could go on, if you'd like," Brandt said. "I've got lots to be grateful for." Truth.

Kent: health and strength, friends and neighbors, family, good plumbing, warm house, blessings galore, work to do

Katherine: color, sounds, working in the yard, being with people, food glorious food, bike, playing games, animals in all their varieties, good books to read, good television to watch, being a wife, Mom, and Grantie Kake

And just to add a bit of levity to this post (has it been at all serious?), I thought to include a text chain about what to have for dinner. I love it when someone, especially me, can get Christopher.

 

Gratitude Day 5

Today I am extraordinarily grateful for my body. It's a bit rounder in places than I would like, but it works so well. I can bike, hike, walk, run (sort of), dance, hug, kiss, cuddle, move, canoe, work, lift, play, smell, touch, taste, feel, talk, sing, hear, listen, swim, breathe easily, sleep, eat, digest, stretch, read, learn, think, laugh and laugh. My body does everything I want it to do, almost always easily and without pain. As my current job requires significant physical effort, loading, hauling, and delivering packages, I am grateful to know I can rely upon it to do the work it needs to do, when it needs to be done. I'm grateful, too, that through the pandemic, I have remained healthy. 

 

Gratitude Day 4

It's the Sabbath. I've so much to be grateful for as pertains to the gospel. Jesus Christ, son of God, bled and died for me, atoning for my sins and providing a way to return home to Heavenly Father. Nothing can compare to his love. I am grateful I have Him as my advocate before the Father.

Jesus Christ was resurrected, and because of his resurrection, I will be resurrected too, and will see those I love so much who have died before me. What a joyous reunion that will be! And Christ will come again to rule and reign in righteousness upon the earth. It is obvious from the wickedness in the world that we live in the latter days. I eagerly await Christ's return and lasting peace on Earth.

I am grateful for the temple, especially this temple that is only two minutes from my house. This year, I have so badly missed being able to be in the temple each week, to feel the peace and spiritual strength that accompanies each visit. I long to return and eagerly anticipate the reopening of temples to all patrons. 

I am grateful for the Lord's chosen prophet on the Earth today, Russell M. Nelson. He is truly extraordinary. I am always encouraged by his words and know he is a man who I can look to in all things, knowing he will not lead me/us astray. He is a man of integrity and spiritual strength, and I feel his love for all members of the Church. I feel the same about all the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. I wish we had similar sorts of men and women in government. 

I am grateful to be able to do home-centered, gospel supported Church each week, and to be able to partake of the sacrament in our home because Kent is worthy of the priesthood he holds. I feel God's love and forgiveness as I partake of the emblems of Christ's death, and am sincerely grateful I can be reminded each week of the need to improve my efforts and strengthen my faith.

It is good to be reminded of all that is positive in my life and the blessings that the gospel brings. I know I am better off with God in my life than I ever would be without him.

Gratitude Day 1

I've been struggling for weeks. I've been at odds with family members, concerned about life challenges, feeling a spiritual emptiness I've never experienced before. It's been soulful unrest for a long time. And what can help? Prayer and gratitude. Funnily enough, I'd come to that even before President Nelson's wonderful message. But I've been talking myself out of sharing anything on social media because I don't want to project positive wonderfulness when it's not been like that. However, acknowledging the Good in my life is not fake and will certainly invite positive wonderfulness where it is much needed.

So Day 1 (I'm behind): These three are my everything. They are challenging and difficult while simultaneously bringing me unmeasured joy, and teach me much needed lessons.

President Russell M Nelson on the Healing Power of Gratitude

President Nelson, our dear prophet, delivered a wonderful message today about the healing power of gratitude. It was just what I needed at this point in my life. I've been feeling spiritually hungry, concerned about challenges, at odds with Kent and the children, struggling with the need to find another job as Kent is getting his business back on track, worrying about money, and lacking a positive outlook about our future. I've just been in a really hard funk. 

I've been making efforts to be more positive. I've been reading the October General Conference talks, being faithful about my scripture study, trying to be more sincere in my prayers. I've been doing my part to apply for lots of jobs, and I've been working to be more patient with the children and with Kent, appreciating all the good things about our family instead of dwelling on the negative. But it's still been hard. I've avoided social media, not wanting to compare myself to others who seem to have it all put together, and staying away from all the political nastiness. 

As I listened to President Nelson's message, I felt like he was speaking to me. In all the upheaval we're dealing with as a society, what can make it better? What can heal us? 

Prayer and gratitude.

President Nelson asked us to flood social media with gratitude, including the hashtag #givethanks, and to say a prayer of thanks. He quoted several scriptures about being thankful.

Psalms 92:1  It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High.

Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

D&C 98:1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks.

President Nelson said gratitude soothes our feelings, and counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. We should even be grateful for our trials because they teach us lessons we wouldn't have learned otherwise. Prayer, and especially prayers of gratitude, bring forth miracles, something we certainly can use.

President Nelson further suggested that we turn social media into our own personal gratitude journal, expressing what and who we are grateful for, and then see if we don't feel happier and more at peace. 

He then offered a beautiful prayer which I am going to include. I certainly need to feel happier and more at peace, so I am going to take this challenge to heart.

Here is President Nelson's prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, as fellow passengers on Thy planet Earth, we humbly pray unto Thee.  We thank Thee for life and all that sustains life. We thank Thee for the beauties of the earth, for order in the universe, the planets, stars, and all things of eternal significance. We thank Thee for Thy laws that protect and guide us. We thank Thee for Thy mercy and loving watch care. We thank Thee for our families and loved ones, who fill our lives with joy.

We are grateful for all who are striving to combat the COVID pandemic. Please bless them with protection and inspiration. Wilt Thou help us end this virus that has plagued so many of Thy children.

We thank Thee for the leaders of nations and others who strive to lift us. We pray for relief from political strife. Wilt Thou bless us with a healing spirit that unites us despite our differences. 

Wilt Thou also help us repent from selfishness, unkindness, pride and prejudice of any kind, so that we can better serve and love one another as brothers and sisters, and as Thy grateful children.

 We love Thee, our dear Father, and pray for Thy blessings upon us, in the name of Thy Beloved son, Jesus Christ, amen.

Thanksgiving Lists

We have so much to be thankful for.  Our blessings abound and I am continually amazed at all that God has blessed us with.  We gathered for dinner at our house with the Barruses this afternoon, with Lee, Cammie, and Aaron, David, Sharon, Josh, Jonathan, and Micah, the four of us, Richard Ledford, and Leland Stout.  We ate delicious food, had lively conversation, and all went away sated and happy.

At family home evening this week, we all wrote down things that we were thankful for, and I wanted to include those lists.  Kent asked us to come up with at least 20 things we were thankful for.  The spirit of the activity really gripped the children because both of them came up with way more than 20.  Here are the lists of all the things written down, though we know, of course, there are many more.

Blythe's list: (I love her spelling)

1. The plan of salvashin
2. a hows
3. a tv
4. cusens
5. woter
6. the fetum of amaraka (freedom of America)
7. matem lother king (Martin Luther King)
8. mom
9. dad
10. Brandt
11. me
12. gopel
13. Jeses
14. tolet
15. tolet paper
16. Lilly
17. emma
18. ellen
19. maggie
20. calen
21. sara
22. lite
23. ether (the guy in the Book of Mormon)
24. party of stone supe (soup)
25. merakels
26. clooks
27. fish plat
28. thaksgiving
29. valetins
30. betheday
31. fon (phone)
32. books
33. tepel (temple)
34. cherch
35. pukins (pumpkins)
36. feet
37. motins (we are free do to whatever we want to)
38. lodrey (laundry)
39. corea (Cora)
40. killa
41. heven

Brandt's list: (I love his spelling too!)

1. Star Wars
2. tron
3. food
4. water
5. toilets
6. trees
7. air
8. Jesus
9. holy gost
10. books
11. school
12. math
13. tv
14. friends
15. mom
16. dad
17. batman
18. superman
19. antman
20. Legos
21. light
22. electricity
23. sun 
24. bed
25. moon
26. home
27. church
28. cars
29. toots
30. clooks
31. blythe
32. temple
33. dogs
34. cats
35. sunday
36. monday
37. tuesday
38. wandas
39. tp
40. thursday
41. friday
42. bday
43. starday
44. schris

Kent's list:

1. Katherine
2. Brandt + Blythe 
3. Family members
4. Food
5. Home
6. Work
7. Books--scriptures
8. Hot water
9. Good neighbors + Friends
10. Cars that work + Scooter
11. Healthy body
12. Dentist to fix teeth
13. Fixing skills
14. Leaders of Church
15. Movies
16. School Teachers
17. Indoor Plumbing
18. Music
19. Time
20. Tools
21. Clocks

Katherine's list:

1. Kent
2. Brandt + Blythe
3. Extended Family--siblings, neices & nephews, parents
4. House
5. Gospel
6. Friends
7. Temple
8. Holy Ghost
9. Food
10. Kent's job
11. School
12. Slippers
13. Healthy Body
14. Opportunities to serve
15. Yard
16. Bike
17. Jesus
18. Ice Cream
19. Sharp Mind
20. Mountains
21. Art
22. Music
23. Books
24. Family activities

And while we're speaking of all this gratitude, Brandt had is picture taken in school in front of the "I AM THANKFUL FOR . . . " sign with his sign that read: "Star Wars and Batman and video games and books and freinds."  All great things to be thankful for.  Blythe's class was not posted, so I don't know what she was thankful for at school.  Turns out she didn't get to do this activity, so that's why there's no picture.

Stone Soup

Blythe's class has read the book Stone Soup and then been doing some fun activities related to the story.  She wrote her own version of the story, they watched a movie of the book, and today they had a class party and made stone soup themselves.  Blythe was so excited to bring something to contribute (I signed up for a chopped onion), and to have me come and help out in her classroom.  It's only two days before Thanksgiving, so it was also sort of a quasi Thanksgiving party.  They made the soup right after class started, so by the time parents arrived to help (about 10:30), the room smelled really good.  The soup was delicious and the kids all seemed to have a good time sharing and eating their creation.  They also got to share five things they were thankful for, and I was delighted to hear Blythe share that she was thankful for the gospel, "Because I'm a Mormon," she said.  Warmed my heart that she is grateful for the gospel, and pleased me even more that she wasn't ashamed to say she loved it.

Hey waiter! There's a stone in my soup!