ThankFULL

"Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; 

yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, 

that he may watch over you in your sleep; 

and when thou risest in the morning 

let thy heart be FULL of THANKS unto God; 

and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

 - Alma 37:37

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Random thoughts of gratitude - in no particular order:

• I'm thankful for my parents: Our family wasn't perfect growing up.  It was a rough road for all of us but I'm so glad that my parents are still together.  I'm so thankful that they haven't given up on life, the Gospel, their children, or each other.  
• I'm thankful for my husband: No matter what his struggles have been, he's constantly faithful in daily prayer and scripture study and has never sought for excuses to avoid Sacrament Meeting.  He has far more faith than he gives himself credit (but he's the kind of man where credit for anything doesn't really even cross his mind) I love that he's humble and genuine.  He works hard every single day and does his very best to provide.  He is interactive with the children, he plays games with them, reads them stories, shows genuine interest in their work, listens to what they have to say, teaches them truth, shares his testimony of the Gospel regularly, he wrestles and plays, he's goofy and smart.  He's easy to converse with.  He thinks deeply about life. He's very fun to be with and he's mighty fine to look at, mighty fine. ;) I love his family and that it's so big.  I love their traditions, the closeness they share.  I love that we have awesome get-together's all throughout the year and that our kids have regular sleep-overs with their many cousins. 
• I live better than a queen:  Go back 300 years and beyond to the dawn of time - Q: Who had indoor plumbing and hot water? Who had several articles of clothing to choose from? Who had swift transportation protected from the elements with heating and air-conditioning? Who had music or entertainment to listen to any time they wanted, any style they wanted? Who had machines that did their washing? Who had lighting in every room with covered floors and painted walls? Who had plenty of food and never went hungry? Who had access to books, education, and learning larger than any library could hold? A: Not even royalty had all of these things.  Conclusion: I live better than a queen.
• I'm thankful for my children: Each of them have helped me grow and have taught me things far more than I could ever have learned without them.  I love their different personalities.  I love that they aren't afraid to be unique.  I love their creativity. They all make friends very easily, with any age or any background.  They are inclusive and non-judgmental. They enjoy being around each other. They really don't demand much and they are easily entertained with the simplest of things life has to offer.
• I'm thankful for music:  This has to have its own category because music is my life-blood.  I could never live without it. It makes my day brighter and my soul lighter.  Depending on the style I can instantly find healing, touch heaven, feel joy, laughter, playfulness, energy, excitement, fun, give expression, share passion, and feel motivation. 
• I'm thankful for the Gospel:  I could go into further detail but it would take so much room to expand on this one.  Just read other posts on my blog and you'll see why I feel so incredibly blessed to have this truth.
• I'm thankful for God's creations: Where do I even start? I love campfires, starry nights, thunder and lightning storms, waterfalls, ocean waves, evergreens and the smell of pine.  I love the crunch of autumn leaves, the splash of spring puddles, the warmth of the summer sun, and the sparkling stillness of freshly fallen snow.  The list goes on and on... It is truly glorious!  

-Alicia