I just realized it's been a little over 3 months since my last post... I've been busy with life and all. I decided to post in this Thanksgiving day. Story time: the other day I was blessing my dinner. As I prayed, I had so much to thank, that when I got to the "please bless" part I felt too inadequate to ask for anything other than a blessing on the meal.It reminds of that hymn, Count Your Blessings:
"When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
"Chorus:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.
"Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
"When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
"So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end."
In this Thanksgiving day, I decided to take some time and count all of my many blessings. And as I do, I feel somewhat audacious thinking about what else I could ask for. No, my life isn't perfect and I don't have it all together 100% of the time. And yes, there are many things and accomplishments in life I look forward to which I should actively pursue. But on the other hand, I don't think I have the right to complain when I've been given so much. Now, the purpose of this post isn't to brag or to compare myself to others; my hope is that those who do take the time to read this post will be uplifted and inspired to count their own many blessings. Here we go:
- My family: As I've prepared for my endowments, I've come to understand and appreciate the sealing ordinance more. I am so grateful for the unconditional love and support I receive from my family and that if we live righteously, we can live together through all eternity. The things of most value are those that money cannot buy; my family is one of them. I'm also grateful for all the babies coming to the world -- My cousin Nathalie and her husband Eddy had a beautiful baby boy named Ammon, my brother-in-law's sister Nana had a cute jabuticaba-eyed baby named Miguel, my cousin Gui and his wife Gabi just had a gorgeous baby girl named Luiza, my cousin Steph and her husband Andre are having a baby in April, and my sister is having her baby in May!! I'm so excited and grateful to be an auntie. I can only imagine those special spirits in the spirit world all lined up and coming to Earth and my grandparents telling them how excited they should be to join our family.
- The Temple: As mentioned earlier, I'm planning and preparing to receive my endowments sometime next summer or sooner (no I'm not engaged or going on a mission... I'll explain what led up to this decision in another post), depending on my parents' ability to come see me. I've been studying and reading a lot, attending as many baptismal sessions as humanly possible, and taking temple prep classes. The more I prepare, the more this decision feels right, the more I feel God's approval and trust in me, and the less afraid I am of this big commitment I'm about to make. I'm so excited! I'm so grateful these saving ordinances have been restored and that through the atonement, I have been able to get to a place where I'm ready and progressively prepared to make covenants with my Heavenly Father and show my love and commitment to Him.
- Atonement: These past couple years were pretty rough for me, that led me to a pretty dark state. My faith in the atonement was tested to its full capacity and through that test I learned how to accept the atonement. As I consistently got on my knees to plead for help and did everything that was under my control to turn things around, I allowed the atonement to work in me. My testimony has been strengthened. My knowledge and understanding have expanded. I've been shaped into a better person. I had a change of heart. But it wasn't overnight. It took time. But I can say that I know with all my heart that the atonement is real and that Jesus is indeed our saviour, because I have seen it change me. He is my best friend and I know that I can always count on Him in any circumstance.
There have been other blessings in my life (i.e. my job, a roof over my head, food, friends, etc.), but I'm honestly hungry and I need to clean my room now.
What are some things YOU are thankful for?
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