Sunday, September 4, 2016

Another Gratitude List

Our Stake President has recently challenged us to start/stop doing something that will enable us to have the Holy Ghost as a more prevalent figure in our lives. As I pondered how I could meet this challenge, the thought that came to me was that I needed to have a more grateful heart. And since I haven't expressed my gratitude in list format in a while, I thought I would share a few things now.

  • My children. Boy Howdy and Cheeks still like to sit in my lap throughout the day and hugging them and rocking with my cheek in their hair does good things for my heart. Today, as I sat in church with Boy Howdy on my lap and then again tonight at bedtime with Cheeks I was overwhelmed with gratitude for this period in their lives when they want to be close to me and are still small enough to sit in my lap and let me rock them.
  • My husband. I am grateful for his work. The work he does outside the home that enables me to stay at home with my babies. The work he does in our home, like dishes and vacuuming and making the bed. The work he does at church as he honors his priesthood and loves the Lord with all his heart. The work he does to show me how much he loves me and truly is my helpmeet.
  • Service. My calling at church is Compassionate Service coordinator. And while my job is more to facilitate other's service, I am grateful that it's made me more service minded. I love that when I feel inspired to offer service, especially service I wouldn't ordinarily offer I feel confident the Lord will strengthen me and make me up to the task. And although I serve because I want to show love to others, I almost feel selfish by wanting to serve to feel the Lord's love as well. It is a win-win-win.
  • Motherhood. Every now and again I still feel pangs of disappointment that I will never feel life growing inside me. That I will never hold another infant of my own. But then I remember that I was miraculously blessed with my two and they are more than enough for my heart.
  • My Booren family. I am so grateful that I have such positive, and loving relationships with my siblings and their families and my own parents. I am also especially grateful to live in the same Stake as my sister Melissa and enjoy all the blessings that this close proximity allows.
  • I am grateful for the Holy Ghost. Three times I have spoken in church (a talk, a lesson to the Young Women, and bearing my testimony today) and three times the Bishop has gotten up directly after me with words of his own. I'll be honest, it made me insecure, as if I were saying things he felt he needed to correct. I was sitting in Sunday School today feeling emotional, about it when I felt prompted to find him. No sooner did I see him then he also felt prompted to lay aside his multitude of tasks and minister to the one. The peace and love he spoke to my heart was directly from our Heavenly Father and answered more than one prayer offered today. How grateful I am that the Holy Ghost is able to do such wonderful and miraculous things in all lives if we but let Him guide us.
Ok, I think I have cried at my computer for long enough this evening. Thanks for letting me share this with you.

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