We had a pretty low key Thanksgiving this year. Our little family and my Dad. I did cook the WHOLE entire Thanksgiving dinner from start to finish. That was fun :) We ended the day with watching Disney's, "Tangled". It is Disney at its best. The whole family loved it. It was nice to relax this year but I do hope next year to have a ton of family around for Thanksgiving. It just seems wrong sometimes that family doesn't live near to one another. One day....
As I sit back I realize how much I have to be grateful for. Although things may not always go as you would have planned, we seem to realize through those trials who we truly are. We seem to recognize blessings we may have never noticed.
I have no idea what was wrong with me this summer (health wise) whatever it was I was very scared andthe way I felt physically is hard to put into words. I am overwhelmed with the love and concern I had from some of my dearest friends and family. My sweet Mom was always so concerned, My Cheyenne Mom came and helped for a whole week, My Dad was so helpful in getting me the best help possible, April was always there to talk to all day everyday, Tara, Steve, and Trisha were always there to help with questions, Summer was someone I knew I could talk to and she would understand. The list continues with family (these are just a few of the many that were of strength to me). My dear friends Aubrey, Brooke, Samantha and Haleene showed such concern and such a willingness to help (also more names to mention). I wanted to feel better just so I could give thanks and payback the huge amount of love I felt from family and friends. I hope to never be in that situation again, that's the truth, but I would NEVER take back what happened. Over those few moths I came to learn so much. Obviously, I really realized what a blessing my family and friends are. For every hurtful person we may come across in this life, the lord blesses us with a dozen good :) I was reminded how important personal prayer really is. We have a loving Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ who know and understand us. When we are willing and ready to really open up to them our prayers will be answered according to their will. If it is not our own will, they will help us understand what we are going through and give us the comfort we need through some of our toughest times. I know the comfort of the Holy Ghost is real. I know it is so important to be worthy of that comfort. The biggest lesson I learned through that trial was the power of faith and the Priesthood. I know when Josh placed his hands on my head to give a blessing he was truly inspired to say the things he did. He talked about the amount of faith that would be necessary for me to be healed. It was months later when I truly realized what amount of faith that meant. Even though I thought I was having faith throughout the whole ordeal it wasn't until one hard night where I felt a humility, a meekness, and amount of faith I cant put into words. I woke up the next morning to virtually no pain, no rash, no fatigue, my blood pressure that week climbed back to what was normal for me. My husband through all of that truly was the biggest support. As I watch him struggle to keep his head out of water in this economy and provide for our little family he showed such concern for me. Everything in his life as busy as he was, was put on hold so he could come home, clean, take care of the kids, do LITERALLY everything. He didn't belittle the way I was feeling. I am embarrassed to say that for the first time in our marriage, I realized how truly amazing he really is and how much I need him in my life. He is a man of great spiritual strength and a eagerness to help that strength grow which most of us (yes, I'm guilty) forget to nurture and aid in growth. Through his willingness and devotion to the gospel I have seen such a blessing in our family's home. We aren't perfect as a family by any means, but when I take a step back and realize where we were at the beginning of our marriage to now I am overwhelmed with gratitude for where we stand today. It has required a huge amount of humility that most pride would destroy. I love you Josh and thank you for who you are and who you continue to become each and every day. I know your gifts will be a great strength to many through out your life.
I am so grateful for my two children who I love dearly. I can't begin to express how grateful I am to have them here on this earth with me healthy and happy. What a gift that is. I know life can change in flash and I thank the lord each night for blessing me with my children.
I am eternally grateful for the parents out there who have lost a child or have a child with a disability (most of whom I don't even know). Through their strength, integrity, faith, and love they teach me how much harder I need to try in this life. I truly believe that people who are placed with the most difficult of trials and approach them with great faith in our Savior are the most righteous people on this earth. I once had a boy in my high school who suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome tell me as I went to comfort him after watching him be teased, "Marcie, I sometimes get mad at what my Mom did to me but I know God put me on this earth to help people realize what a blessing their life is. If that is what I am here for, I am happy to do it!" Even though he wasn't of my faith I truly believe what he said applies to everyone everywhere. So thank you to those who face some lives hardest trials each day. I wish you can and do understand what inspiration you are to those around you.
I am grateful for the blessings we have experienced in this economy. I know we aren't alone when we see the effect it has had on our little family. It would be so nice to wake up in the morning and have a great sense of financially security. But life has been put into perspective this past year or two. I needed that. I also have seen the lords tender mercies as we try to get by. It really was a miracle Josh sold his truck in just a few days. There are a TON of trucks that have been trying to sell for months but we sold his right away. I am so grateful we were able to rent our Town home out so quickly we were very nervous. My neighbor came by with a whole turkey the other day she got for a great deal. I wanted to cry. It was one less thing I had to worry about. The list goes on and on. I know all of these things are the blessings of a honest tithe. It seems so small to pay a ten percent tithe when you realize the blessings you receive by doing it faithfully.
So to sum it all up I am grateful for good health, the priesthood, family, friends, people who help me be a better person, tithing, and my husband... My attitude towards all of these was strengthened greatly this past year. I guess it is safe to say, I am also grateful for my tials as small as they may be.
