Magrath Days...

Happy Sabbath everyone...

Each morning when I wake up, I love to just lay in bed, with my eyes closed....and think.  It doesn't matter what I'm thinking about(for the most part), but I love to just think.  One of the thoughts that came to my mind this morning was gratitude.

It can be sooooo easy to focus on the things that you WANT instead of the things that you have.

Hello...my name is Melinda, and I am not always grateful for the things that I have.

Admitting your lack of gratitude can be embarrassing, and just plane scary.  We all want to show the world how happy we are in our perfect lives right?  I mean...I can admit it.  But at the end of the day, before you're drifted away into dreamland, what are your final thoughts?  Are you wishing for a better life?  Do you wish for a bigger house, bigger car, more money, to be thinner, to be healthier, to have more children, to have less children, to not have to work?  The list can go on and on and ON.  I know, it has for me.

I have so much in life to be grateful for, yet am I really grateful?  I try to be, I really do.  We have so many projects that we need to take care of, in our home, in our backyard, and in other areas of our life.  I feel overwhelmed and wrapped up in the "we have to get this done, and this done", that I forget what good things I have staring me right in the face.

I have a home...YES.....I HAVE A HOME.  Do you?  Most of us do.  We are blessed.  It doesn't matter the size, style, or shape of our homes.  WE have a home.  It doesn't matter if your walls have scuff marks, if they need a new paint job or if you REALLY WANT new floors in your kitchen because they will be sooooo much prettier...we have a kitchen.  We have a place to cook, to store our kitchen accessories...and a fridge....that has FOOD.  Yes, we have food.  Most of us do not starve, we have food to fill our stomachs, and to keep us living.  We live...we have been blessed with the life that we live.  Sometimes you may not see it that way, but its the truth.

I remember reading a story years ago...I cannot quote it perfectly, but it has a good meaning.

One night, there was a man, who was complaining of his burdens, and struggles.  He wondered why they seemed so heavy.  He begged God to let him change his burden.

 That night he had a dream; the Lord led him to a warehouse. "Go ahead and change it," the Lord said. The man saw crosses of all sizes and shapes, with the names of their owners. He picked an average size cross -- but when he saw the name of an "old friend" written on it, he left it aside.

Finally, as God had permitted, he chose the smallest cross he could find.

To his surprise, he saw his own name written on it.

The grass is NOT always greener on the other side.  It is usually just another side.  We do not pick our own trials, but they are our own.  We have them, we can get through them.  

Some of our trials, can become some of our greatest blessings.  As hard as our experiences have been with getting Richard's(my husband) Canadian Permament residents status has been...I am grateful for these experiences.  We've been able to share with others in our same situation, ways to make their journey easier.  

I have many other trials I have learned from, who have made me a better person.  To me, these trials as warped as it may seem, are blessings.

I served a Mission for the LDS Church(as many of you know). In most of the areas that I served, we hung a piece of paper to the wall that said " Attitude of Gratitude".  Each day, we would write down something we were grateful for, or something that was funny to us, or something we wanted to remember.  I have kept these pages, and I read them often.  I love them.  It reminds us of our blessings.  It helps us to focus on the positive, and what is right in front of us....instead of what isn't. 

Life is not meant to always be easy, but we are given great blessings to make this journey easier.  

Do not forget what you have been blessed with.  From the simple things like being able to smile and walk, to having a roof over your head, and a job to support you financially.  A lot of our blessings are "every day" kind of things....so it's easy to forget they are blessings...and often put into the "burdens" pile.  

I am grateful personally, for all I have.  I know I need to show more gratitude for what I have, but I am working on it.  

Today's "attitude of gratitude" is for my cat Shelby.  I love how she crawls up to my face almost every morning, curls up in a ball and puts her head to my hand wanting me to pet her.  She loves me, and I get to show my love to her.  She has been a wonderful blessing in my life.  She gives me the opportunity to love, and serve her.  She came from a situation where she was abused, and left to die...and over the years she has become one of the most important blessings of my life. 

When you are feeling sorry for yourself, or for your life....I will urge you to STOP and think about what you HAVE in your life....and what your blessings are.

toodles :)