Grateful Sundays

"Great men have always recognized the greatness of God and their dependence upon him, and they have with regularity rendered to him gratitude and thanksgiving....To the Lord Jesus, who bought us with a great price, we owe an undying debt of gratitude. It is impossible for us, weak mortals as we are, to fully comprehend and appreciate the suffering he endured on the cross so that he might gain for us victory over death. And even less can we understand the suffering he endured in Gethsemane so that we might obtain forgiveness of our sins." Marion G. Romney

This Easter Sunday, here are a few things I'm grateful for.

* Blueberries. This week, I picked up my order of blueberries from Marybeth Bohn's Bithell Farm's fruit and seafood order. (All 4 boxes and 56 pounds of them!!) These are the most delicious blueberries you will ever taste in your life! I eat them every morning with my grapefruit. By the time I finish my grapfruit, these tiny morsels of delicacy have thawed just enough to pop in my mouth with the most delicous, juicy goodness. And it doesn't hurt that my Handsome Husband's favorite dessert in all the world is Homemade Blueberry Pie. Believe me, by the time Miss Marybeth is ready to send in her fall Bithell Farm's order, we will be ready for more blueberries! For the best blueberries ever, Thank You!

* Wonderful Youth Leaders. This weekend, Mikenzie participated in our stake's Youth Conference. They all wore shirts that read "Service in Action" as they did 2 days worth of service for the Haltom City Senior Citizens Center. After a full hot day of service, a spaghetti dinner and awesome speaker at the stake center, all of the girls stayed at Sister Caroline Briggs home Friday night and were treated to a delicious breakfast Saturday morning before they were off and running again. After another long, hot rewarding day, they all showered and headed back to the stake center for another delicious dinner and a dance. I picked her up Saturday night, tired, sore and sunburned but glad for having participated in this most rewarding project. This morning, all the youth who participated in this event, met for a special testimony meeting at 8 a.m. My own daughter, as well as the other youth in our stake were richly rewarded and spiritually fed these last few days by numerous adult leaders in our ward and in our stake who truly love and care about these youth. I am so grateful for the sacrifice of their time, their effort and the love that they put towards planning all the lessons and activities that my daughters participate in. For Wonderful Youth Leaders, Thank You.

* A Long Weekend. Just when I needed a little extra sleep, here comes a 3-day weekend. I am always grateful for an extra day to spend with the kids, just catching up on whatever needs to be done around the house. This long weekend, we spent together coloring Easter eggs, watching Bolt, Bedtime Stories, Tales of Despereax and eating Easter candy. We held hands as we walked the mall, bought new dresses and church pants and enjoyed Mexican food together. For the opportunity to enjoy a very longed for long weekend, Thank You.

* My Handsome Husband. My Handsome Husband has been out of the country for what seems like weeks. I am so grateful that he loves his job, even amidst these turbulent economic times. I know that while he is away he is always thinking of us. Such was evident when we got home from shopping and were pleasantly surprised by the beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting at our door, wishing us a happy Easter from my Handsome Husband and my kids' dad. For everything my Handsome Husband does to provide us with a wonderful life, even while he is away, Thank You.

* Easter. It wouldn't be a Grateful Sunday if I didn't take this opportunity to thank my Heavenly Father for the gift of his Beloved Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for his life, his example, his atonement and his willingness to sacrifice himself so that we all might live with Him again someday with our families and loved ones. For this gift, this Easter Sunday, I will always be eternally grateful. Thank You.