Thankful Comes First

I haven't really posted much about Thanksgiving {because I was out enjoying it of course!} so I wanted to get in one 'Be Thankful' post before I start gushing about Christmas. {Christmas! *GASP* I'm so excited!}

The other day in R.S. one cute gal said something that stuck with me. 

"Thanksgiving comes before Christmas because you have to learn to be thankful for what you have  before you can get what you want."

And I, for one, am extremely grateful to have so much. 

We weren't able to go north for Thanksgiving this year because I had to work the day before and the day after {sigh...such is life}, so instead my family made the 300-mile trip down to spend the holiday at our house. 

1. I am grateful for family.

It was so much fun! It was us, my parents, my little brother, and my uncle and his fiance {who are by far some of my coolest relatives}. Chris deep-fried a turkey and helped me set up the table and all the chairs and clean the house. 

2. I am grateful to be eternally sealed to my super-sweet & awesome husband. 

Going back a few days, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving we have hosted for the past 3 years what we call our"Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner," which basically means we invite all of our friends over and eat lots and lots of food. {ahh....it makes me feel stuffed just thinking about it}. Everyone brings something--we did the turkey, someone else brought yams, someone else brought mashed potatoes...etc etc. And every year we do our Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner it reminds me how wonderful it is to be surrounded by the people you love {I suppose they could be using us for the free food....but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt}. One friend turned to me in the midst of our chaotic 28-people-full kitchen and said, "Jeez, you and Chris have a lot of friends!" 

3. I am grateful to have lasting friendships.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Our roomy apartment, our cats, our jobs, our working furnace, all our grandparents, fun neighbors, hot chocolate, great co-workers, movie theater popcorn....and the list goes on and on and on!

A recent talk in church focused on how we could add more gratitude to our lives. So even though it's after Thanksgiving, I'm still giving thanks. And I'm trying to remember to say thank you, even for the small stuff.

So don't forget: Blessings always show up--even on the bad days. 




And to end, in words stronger than mine, I quote:

"In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help from both sides of the veil and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike--and they will--you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see, riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed.


I close with this promise from heaven.


'Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;


'And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along.'


'...I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, ...and mine angels [shall be] round about you, to bear you up.


'...The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours.' (D&C 78:17-18; D&C 84:88; D&C 78:18)


Oh yes, 'we'll find the place which God for us prepared.' And on the way, 'we'll make the air with music ring, shout praises to our God and King; above the rest these words we'll tell--All is well! All is well!' "


--For Times of Trouble, by Jeffrey R. Holland