Journal: Check-In and Gratitude

It's been a crazy few days. I think this might be the longest I have ever gone without blogging. But after a whirlwind vacation and less than a week to prepare for back to school, life definitely seems to have sped up. Overall things have been very good. I feel like my routine is working and my support system has been a wonderful blessing. Things work when I trust the Lord and do my part. The trick is being humble enough to keep at it even when things seem to be working.

My support list has grown of late and I actually have 8-10 guys that I am texting on a regular basis. We share scriptures, quotes and messages of hope with one another. It is like a shot in the arm of spirituality over and over again throughout the day. It is becoming more and more apparent that not only can I not do this alone, but it works so much better when I have LOTS of help. Not just from the Lord, who is always with me. But also from friends, family and brothers from my support group.

Seeing these blessings in my life has really made me aware of how blessed I am. This past Monday for Family Home Evening, I challenged my family to write lists of what they are grateful for. I had hoped that this would help all of us focus more on what we do have and less on what we don't. I then gave a lesson based upon President Monson's wonderful talk on Gratitude from the October 2010 General Conference. 

There were numerous quotes and scriptures in his talk that touched me but one in particular really jumped out at me;

My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love.

I had never thought of gratitude in those terms before.  Being genuinely grateful really is a wonderful way to understand God's love and understand that I truly am a Child of God.  If I recognize that his hand is in my life, that the goodness I have comes from him, it is so much easier to understand how much he loves me.

That isn't to say that gratitude is easy.  It's not.  When the trials of addiction and the whirlwind creates run wild in my life, it is easy to get sucked into "Why me?" mode.  President  Monson even addresses this in his talk;

When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given.

What a wonderful reminder.  Words to live by, even when things are not all well.  I am grateful.  I am grateful for my family, for my recovery group, for the gospel.  Most of all I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  It is through him that true joy reigns, that progress comes and that the ability to overcome all trials in life is a reality.