Let Them Be Little: GRATITUDE DAY 30

KEEPING GRATITUDE.

"A grateful heart is a happy heart."

Isn't that the truth?

When I recognize the blessings in my life, whether they are great or small, it is easy to feel happy. The more I acknowledge and count my blessings, the more I find.

I'm sure that happens for everyone; I hope so, it's a spectacular feeling.

Throughout the month I have thought of many things for which I am most grateful. At the top of that list are family, faith, friendship and love. (I love it when I get to mix those up and call family - friends, and friends - family!)

When I was younger, I enjoyed Thanksgiving because it meant that we would be able to be together with family and usually with our cousins.

Those were happy times for me, even the Thanksgiving when Teresa and I got in trouble for stuffing rolls into our mouths during the prayer. We were caught on my uncle Deareld's brand new video camera that he had set up ( secretly) on a tripod in the corner.

Oh, I can still feel that gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of my stomach when we realized after dinner that the video we were about to watch also included the prayer! We gave each other the look - the look of dread - yet it was combined with a look of hope as we hoped and prayed we were out of viewing range.

But as the tape rolled and we tried to exit the family room unnoticed, we saw ourselves, front and center and ready for the big show!

It cost me a few weeks. Yep, I was grounded.

Teresa was not. (I think her parents thought it was funny, once they left our house.)

Anyway, back to this year and keeping gratitude.

As I have aged, I find this holiday to be so much more wonderful and special than a one day celebration of food.

Keeping gratitude is a beautiful prelude to the most beautiful and illuminating season of the year, Christmas!

I'm grateful to have a time set aside for remembering and recognizing the blessings in my life. Even those blessings which have come to me by difficult means; they contain the great lessons in life.

I am most grateful to remember that all blessings come from Him, our Savior, and our Father in Heaven.

(I'm also thankful for The Piano Guys...do you like them too? It's a favorite Sunday setting on Pandora. I went to their website to see if they had anything new and found the video below, it's awesome! Jonathan said this video is also on the LDS website.)