I feel like this year has been a slog thru the trenches of life for me and my family. One of the things that has helped me this year as I have navigated some pretty big trials is to be grateful and to show gratitude is hand writing thank you notes. I bought a big box of thank you cards in the spring when I was recovering from a broken foot and spent time each day writing thank you notes to people that had come into our home to serve me and my family. It felt good to hand write a card, to stick a stamp on it and wait for the mailman to take it away. I love a well written thank you note. Its something we need to bring back, don’t you think? (The only answer is yes here).
Sister Bonnie D Parkin, former Relief Soceity General President said of gratitude,
“Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God’s love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence. “Live in thanksgiving daily,” said Amulek, “for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.”
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to concentrate on gratitude in our family — even more than I already make my kids do — they roll their eyes most days, because I won’t let them complain until they’ve told me three unique things they are thankful for. Usually by the time they get to the second thing, their gripe is dampened, or gone altogether. I hope you will join me and my family in our daily thanksgiving, and comment here on my posts as I make them. I’m inviting you to reach deep inside and think and ponder on the things you are thankful for. I’m also inviting you to share that gratitude with those in your circle — and beyond just social media, which is fine, but let’s take it to the next level which is connecting with people. Reach out to the people in your life and share the spirit of gratitude with them I feel like if we can be grateful ourselves and encourage others to also be grateful, we might be successful in diffusing some of the angst in our respective circles, with the hope that we might all be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit in the process.
Happy November!
I am grateful to Joyce and all the others who share their thoughts on Millennial Star. Our culture in general has become less open in some important ways even as some things that were once sensibly kept private have been bared without reserve. Gratitude for openness about gratitude and other positive emotions is welcome to me. I find it necessary to my peace of mind to remain grateful to God for the journey he has given me. It has not always been comfortable, but it has been interesting.
Thank you Pat, that was very nice of you today. I always enjoy your comments.
We had a very good lesson on gratitude in the teacher’s quorum last week, and it has stayed with me the entire week. Thanks for this post Joyce.
Geoff,I didn’t realize you were in the Teacher’s Q. That’s my favorite age of kids to work with. Fun!
Yes, I got released as ward clerk and called as a teacher’s quorum adviser. One son is a teacher and the other is a deacon, so I imagine I will be there for some time — unless of course I get released with the new YM program changes announced at conference.
They’d be silly to release you. I keep hoping my husband will also get released from EQP and get put into the Deacon’s. Our son will go into the quorum in January.
I am grateful for the tender mercies I received a week ago Sunday, culminating with a cat (not mine) that liked the neck-scritches I gave it.
https://www.jrganymede.com/2019/10/27/church-kids-investigator-cat/
The investigator got baptized and confirmed this weekend; the first male convert in the ward’s 2 year 10 month existence.