Count Your Many Blessings

A lot of literature recommends doing a gratitude journal. The idea is to list three things to be grateful every day—and write them down. It helps you recognize the good and feel happier. It’s actually a therapy activity for depression. Making it a daily habit makes a difference.

Some comics have been doing this exercise this week. (I got all these from the Houston Chronicle.)

A few days ago I read a piece about thanks, extending this activity to something bigger—not for every day, but just so you know you can do it. It suggested that it’s pretty easy to come up with a thousand or more things you’re thankful for. You do it by coming up with 10 categories and listing 100 things in each category. Here’s their list: 

100 foods you love (think desserts!)

100 animals or things in nature

100 household/modern conveniences (walk around)

100 benefits from society (use a phonebook)

100 people you love (check your contacts list)

100 body parts or things your body can do

100 books you love (read the bookshelf titles)

100 movies you love (look through the DVDs)

100 songs you love (check the playlist)

100 bad things that have never happened to you

That was just the secular list. They went on to list categories related to our religion, including musical moments from hymns and Primary (children’s) songs; favorite scriptures, people who’ve been living examples to you, and more.

I think I’d like to add a few categories about living in America. Maybe I wouldn’t get a hundred for each category, but I could probably get 20 in almost any category. Then I’d just need more categories to reach 1000 or more things to be thankful for:

·         Places in America where I loved visiting or living.

·         Founding fathers and historical figures that led to our freedom.

·         Beautiful words and phrases in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

·         God-given rights.

·         Blessings of living with freedom.

·         Blessings of living with economic freedom and prosperity.

·         Blessings of living with civilization.

This year the feast and festivities are at our son Political Sphere’s house. We’re just bringing a couple of easy things. And in our part of the country, the weather’s good, so the two-hour drive should be pleasant. I’m thankful for this holiday that brings us together as families.

May your day be full of things to be thankful for as well—and the happiness that comes from noticing those blessings!

Thanksgiving Yields Happiness

There’s an axiom about God’s commandments: He commands us to do exactly what will lead to our greatest happiness. One commandment is to give thanks in all things. It is mentioned a lot.

Here’s one:

Psalm 107:1

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

And another:

Mosiah 26:39 (Book of Mormon)

… being commanded of God to pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things.

And another:

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Earlier this week, Dennis Prager put out a new Prager U video on the connection between gratitude and happiness. Worth watching, this week while we’re purposely thinking about being gratitude.

As for me, I’m especially grateful for a new grandbaby. We were traveling on the day she was born, but she waited until just after we arrived at our hotel for the night, so we got to tune in with video chat (we used Duo) in the nick of time for her grand arrival. And there she was, right on our tablet screen. I’m grateful for technology that can make that possible.

It was another full day’s drive, and then the following day before we got to meet her in person, just an hour before coming home from the hospital.

So, this week of Thanksgiving, I’m writing less. Sitting around holding a baby. Doing a lot of cooking, and playing with her big brother (almost 3 years old). And taking lots of photos. We have plans for a Christmas card photo with the littles playing the main roles.

Here’s a quick glimpse of this new, perfect, little blessing.

Little Social Sphere 2, 4 days old

5 days old, still sleeping a lot