"Men are that they might have joy..."

Happiness comes in small moments of laughter and surprise. Joy is a destination - something that we reach after all of the lessons have been learned, and blessings counted. This is my journey to joy, one baby step at a time...

Sunday, April 1, 2012

COUNTING MY BLESSINGS (19): All That I Have

I have been enjoying a quiet house this morning, listening to the messages of General Conference.  I've been a bit under the weather, so my goal this weekend was to rest up and recuperate.  This can be a difficult thing to do when the pressures of life are so powerful that I don't seem to have the ability to let the stress go and find some peace. 

I always look forward to the presentations during the intermission between the sessions.  Today, there was a story about a woman who was unable to move past the grief of losing her baby boy to illness.  Natalie knew that she had to find the strength to move on in order to be a good mother to her three little boys who still needed her, and so she went on a geneology search to see how her ancestors dealt with hardship, hoping to find some strength from their experiences.  Natalie learned that her grandmother had gone through the same heartbreak several times, and it had broken her.  She then learned of another ancestor who had also led a difficult life, but had found joy in her life despite her circumstances.  This woman's motto had been "Look at all that I have!"

This reminds me of my friend Marie, who has experienced much difficulty during her lifetime.  I would expect her to be bitter and unhappy, but she isn't!  Marie looks to the gospel to heal her soul at every turn, and is engaged in acts of service always.  She is such an inspiration to me.

I hope that I can remember to always be thankful for what I have, and not look backward toward what is lost, wishes left unfulfilled, or troubles best left alone.  Today, I feel blessed to have friends like Marie who can show me the way.

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