To be grateful - sorry it's a long one!!

Why is it that I tend to take things for granted so often?  I forget about the many blessings that I have in my life and focus on only the things that I perceive and being 'wrong' or not going as well as I'd like.  I have 4 beautiful kids - with no complications during pregnancy or delivery.  They are all very healthy, smart, and sweet.  My husband is the best man I've ever known.  He is a wonderful father, husband, and bread-winner - allowing me to stay at home with the kids.  I have a beautiful home, plenty of food to feed the kid's bottomless pits, clothing to wear, shoes for our feet, scriptures to read, family home evenings together, church callings that are good for me, friends to good to be true, health and fitness, the ability to go on a run when I need or want to.  There are so many things that are so right in my life.  I was talking to my mom yesterday and she told me that she wished that all of her kids were doing as well as I am.  I hadn't thought of that before (being as selfish as I am) - so many of my siblings are struggling right now - with jobs or spouses - or both.  Sometimes I complain about my callings when I KNOW that I am in them because I have something to learn from them.... 

Some mornings I just don't want to get up for scripture study - but I have been SO BLESSED with Piercen who gets himself up in the morning and ready to go, then comes into me to wake me up to come out with him to read scriptures before he goes to school.  How in the world did this beautiful kid come to me??  Even Jax has been getting up without problems to read in the mornings.

I decided the other night that I'd start helping Donavan say his prayers at night.  He is SO cute about it.  He doesn't try to say the words, but points to things that he wants me to say thank you for.  He laughs, hugs and kisses me, and is just beaming while we are saying his prayer.  What a darling little angel.  He is still so close to his Heavenly Father and is SO happy to have a prayer said for him.  He doesn't act that way when we are saying Maddie's prayers right before his.  How could I not say my own personal prayers?  Why don't I feel so privileged to be able to talk to my Father?  I take it for granted!!  Here is my baby teaching me about how I should feel about prayer!!

Jaxton taught FHE this past Monday.  We have been taking turns teaching out of the Preach My Gospel book.  I really didn't help him out - I just showed him where he needed to look in the book for scriptures to use.  I've got to say - I was SO impressed with him.  He did a FANTASTIC job teaching about the plan of happiness.  He didn't read out of the book - he made himself some notes and used the scriptures to teach us.  He then explained what each scripture meant and asked questions that he came up with himself.  WOW.  I couldn't have taught such a great lesson at only 10 yrs. old - let alone 33!!

And my little Maddie is SO cute.  She says her prayers with NO help from me.  She ALWAYS prays that our little friend Spencer who is suffering from cancer gets better soon.  She will look around the room and thank Heavenly Father for everything in sight.  She then asks him to bless those things - like 'thank you for my toys, and please bless them.'  So cute!  She gets her little set of scriptures out and asks where we are and tries her best to pay attention while we are doing our FHE or scripture reading.  She tries her best to take care of her little brother (who doesn't always appreciate it).

Trent works his GUTS out.  His company is taking advantage of him right now - he has too many things to do and not enough time to do it in and they just keep adding more.  But he knows that if he doesn't do everything he possibly can he may be on their chopping block.  His work is just ruthless right now because they know that they can be.  He still does his best with his calling in the Young Men's even though by the time he gets home on Tuesday nights after their activity its almost 9pm and he hasn't been home or eaten anything yet.  He spends time with the kids that he really doesn't have - he tends to fall asleep if he sits down for very long because he is so exhausted.  Poor guy!!  I am so grateful that he is putting in so much effort though - so that the rest of us can have food on the table, clothes on our backs, and shoes on our feet.  He is a wonderful husband, father, and priesthood holder.  I couldn't ask for more!! 

I must remember to be grateful to the Lord for all things - and to stop taking things for granted!!  I must re-commit myself to doing better, trying harder, and being better than I am right now.  If I'm not improving and going forward then I am slipping back.  There is no stagnant sitting still!!