Grateful Sundays

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. (Cicero)

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven. (Johannas A. Gaertner)

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. (Melodie Beattie)

"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.. (D&C 59:21)

This year I am trying to give thanks each day for the abundance that exists in my life. Each Sunday, I'll record a few of the many things that I am grateful for. Here goes.

I'm grateful for...

* Great Visiting Teachers. I love to visit with these two special sisters who have made time in their busy day for me. I'm thankful for the spiritual messages they leave each month that always give me 'food for thought' and lets me know they love me. Thank you.

*A Wonderful Sister. I love my sister, Danae. She's seven years younger than I, but oh, so much wiser. I value her wisdom on children, the gospel and life. She makes me want to be better and do better. She makes the most menial of household tasks (like folding laundry) pass by quickly and painlessly as I chat on the phone with her for what seems like hours. Thank you.

* Wonderful and healthy parents. My mom and dad are simply the best. Even though my dad is battling a very serious eye virus that has, hopefully, just temporarily taken the sight in one eye, I am grateful for both of my parent's overall health and vitality. They go, they do, and they find joy in the service of others, whether it's a widowed neighbor or a returned soldier. For their health, for their examples to me, I am grateful. Thank you.

* Beautiful cool weather. We have had a beautiful week. Bright, blue skies; a crispness to the air; days filled with beautiful sunshine. The kids have had a glorious week of playing outside, jumping on the trampoline and riding bikes and scooters. This weather reminds us that the darkest days of winter are (probably) behind us, and that hope for the wonderful days of new birth and spring are just around the corner.

* Kind police officers. On our way to church this morning, and yes, just a little bit late, a kind police officer gave me a warning instead of a ticket. A good lesson learned for the newest driver in our family. The moral of this story is, going a few extra miles over the posted speed limit doesn't get you to your destination any faster if you have to pull over and explain to the policeman why you are not obeying the law. Thank you, kind officer.