Day 294, October 21

Recently, a frieind shared with me a letter she received from her son who is serving a mission for our church. In it, he wrote that he was totally happy, a condition which he ascribed to counting his blessings and to doing exactly what the Lord wanted him to be doing at this time in his life.

What a profound insight from this young man.

Some of us who are much older are still trying to assimilate this lesson into our lives. (By "some of us," I mean me.) When I am grateful, when I am obeying the Lord, I am happier. No doubt about it. Why can't I remember this?

On those days when I struggle to get up in the mornings, when I struggle to get going and then keep going, I can nearly always trace it back to indulging in feelings of self-pity, of focusing on what's wrong in my life. Even knowing that, I still fall into patterns of self-defeating behavior.

So, for today, I am grateful for the wisdom of a missionary.

Day 293, October 20

Have you noticed that stores are displaying Christmas items already? This used to bother me. Now, I look at it as reminders of the upcoming holiday season, in particular the birth of our Savior.

Yes, I know, the stores probably aren't featuring wrapping paper, cards, decorations, and gifts in order to start us thinking more of Jesus, but I choose to see it that way. Of all the great and marvelous things that have occurred since the Creation, surely the birth of our Lord is the most momentous. Surely it has changed the world more than any other single event.

Like so many of God's plans, this particular one was brought about in humble circumstances. We know that Christ was born in a small stable, a shelter for animals. Not once in His life was He treated as the King that He was and is. Yet He remains the center of our lives, the anchor onto which we hold, during times both good and bad.

So, for today, I am grateful for reminders of the Savior.

Day 292, October 19

The son of some friends is preparing to leave to serve a mission for our church. A week before he was due to leave, someone stole his wallet (with his driver's license, other picture ID, and credit cards), a pair of new shoes, two pairs of new slacks, and other things from his car.

This was a setback, financially and emotionally. However, this young man didn't let it deter him from his goal. He set about replacing the stolen items and plans to leave on the appointed date.

What an example of resolve, determination, and faith.

Have you ever noticed that the more the worthy the goal, the more the Adversary tries to prevent an individual from reaching it? Could it be because he feels threatened by honorable people striving to do honorable things? Chances are you can point to instances in your own life when you worked toward a goal, only to find those efforts thwarted.

I know I have. Sometimes, I have persevered. Others, I've permitted the Adversary to defeat me.

So, for today, I am grateful for this example of courage and faith.

Day 291, October 18

My friends who garden are busy harvesting their gardens, picking lush fruits and vegetables. Depending on their desires and skills, they freeze the vegetables, bottle them, or use them in salads and soups.

I have always loved the look of bottled fruits and vegetables marching across shelves. Jellies gleam like jewels when the sun gleams on the glass jars. Humble green beans and prosaic tomatoes taste special when they are home grown and canned.

Preserving food, setting it by for hard times, is a time-honored tradition. What qualities do we preserve in ourselves? What qualities do we set by for hard times?

Have I preserved honesty and compassion? Have I set by generosity and unselfishness? Have I stores of self-reliance and independence to draw upon when times are hard, when life grows unmanageable? Have I been a wise steward of my strength as my friends have been wise stewards of their gardens?

So, for today, I am grateful for wise stewards.

Day 290, October 17

In previous blogs, I've written about having a family room added on to our home. In addition to that, we also had some much needed renovation done to a few rooms. What a difference new paint and new fixtures make.

It got me to wondering what kind of renovations I could make to my soul. Could I fill in nail holes left by old hurts and grudges? Could I shore up my desire to follow the Savior's counsel? Could I find the courage to try new things when I have always clung to my comfort levels in the past?

Renovations to a house take time. They take effort. They take money. Renovations to a soul are much the same. They, too, take time. They, too, take effort. They take a different kind of currency than money, however. They require a willingness to put aside pride and selfishness. They require a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

So, for today, I am grateful for renovations, in the home and in the soul.

Day 289, October 16

I like to laugh. I like to laugh at life's absurdities. I like to laugh at our shared human condition. I like to laugh at myself. Somedays, that is all that gets me through.

This week, I had the opportunity to do the last. In washing my hair the past week, I noticed that my shampoo didn't seem to be lathering very well. I rinsed and repeated and still didn't get the desire result.

Finally, I looked at the shampoo bottle and saw something I hadn't noticed before: it wasn't shampoo. It was mouthwash. I had been shampooing my hair with mouthwash. Of course I had noticed and appreciated the minty scent. What a nice change, I thought, from the more typical flowery scent of many shampoos. (In my defense, this was a "freebie" that I had picked up in a high-end hotel where my husband and I had stayed several months ago. I looked at the green liquid and decided it must be shampoo. I hadn't bothered reading the little print.)

Well, I had a good laugh and decided I'd better pay more attention to what I was doing. This is good advice in many areas of my life.

So, for today, I am grateful for the opportunity to laugh--even at myself.

Day 288, October 15

A friend related an inspiring story to me which I'd like to share with you. In conjunction with her job, my friend's 22 year old daughter attended a city council meeting. When the meeting was underway, a man burst into the city council room and ordered that all the Mormons in the room stand up.

He accused the Mormons of using their position to help themselves to city monies. As he made this and other wild accusations, his aggressive manner turned threatening. Still, this young woman, along with several other individuals, stood.

I don't know what it cost her to make this decision. It couldn't have been easy, but she put her beliefs before her personal safety and faced down this man. Could I have done this? I don't know. And that shames me.

So, for today, I am grateful for the courage of a 22 year-old girl.