Count Your Many Blessings

My 26th birthday was Sunday. I think it was the first time I have experienced the "your an adult your birthday isn't the most important thing today" birthday. It was sad. Then to top it off Carson started throwing up and other lovely things, then Micah and I got sick, I miss my family, we are alone for thanks giving,I want another baby, and life is not what I would like it to be right now. As I sat feeling sorry for myself on the couch the other night this came into my mind:

 "when upon lifes 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 has done. so amid the conflict whether great or small, do not be discouraged God is over all. Count your many blessing angels will attend. Help and comfort give you to your journey's end." 

My attitude totally changed. I felt stupid for being such a debbie downer even though i'm the only one who really knew I felt that way. Life is hard. But I feel like I spend too much time thinking about what I don't have rather than what I do have. I have wanted to move back by family pretty much since the day I moved to Washington. Oh silly me. If I have learned anything in the past 5 years it has been that my plan and the Lord's plan are very different. I might think I have a plan, but every time I make one it usually doesn't happen the way I think it should. I know his time is not my time, and that if I am happy with my right now, and count my many blessings life will be better, and better days will come by faithfully living happily now. I have had times where I've felt forgotten and unheard, Or that Heavenly Father didn't care what I wanted. But that is just not true. He loves me and wants me to be happy and I need to trust in his plan for me. I am grateful for my little family. I'm grateful for our home and food to eat, I'm thankful for a wonderful loving husband who works so hard for our family, I am so thankful for a knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father, because with out that I don't know where I would be in life. Today I forgot my little experience of remembering to count my blessings. I laid carson down for a nap and started in again. Thinking I don't know what we are supposed to be doing, or  where we are going, I felt stressed and unsettled. I said a quick prayer for comfort, and had a good cry for a few minutes. The same thought came to my mind. A little while later I saw a messaged David A Bednar shared on facebook. It said:

"A number of years ago, our family learned a meaningful lesson on gratitude that we have never forgotten.

While I was serving at Brigham Young University–Idaho, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited our home. Earlier in the day Sister Bednar and I had been informed about the unexpected death of a dear friend, and our immediate desire was to pray for the surviving spouse and children.

As I invited my wife to offer the prayer, the member of the Twelve, unaware of the tragedy, graciously suggested that in the prayer Sister Bednar express only appreciation for blessings received and ask for nothing.

Sister Bednar responded in faith to the direction she received. She thanked Heavenly Father for meaningful and memorable experiences with this dear friend. She communicated sincere gratitude for the Holy Ghost as the Comforter and for the gifts of the Spirit that enable us to face adversity and to serve others. Most importantly, she expressed appreciation for the plan of salvation, for the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, for His Resurrection, and for the ordinances and covenants of the restored gospel which make it possible for families to be together forever.

Our family learned from that experience a great lesson about the power of thankfulness in meaningful prayer. Because of and through that prayer, our family was blessed with inspiration about a number of issues that were pressing upon our minds and stirring in our hearts.

The most meaningful and spiritual prayers I have experienced contained many expressions of thanks and few, if any, requests. Let me recommend that periodically you and I offer a prayer in which we only give thanks and express gratitude. Ask for nothing; simply let our souls rejoice and strive to communicate appreciation with all the energy of our hearts." 

I will leave it at that since I cant say anything much better than an apostle. I'm grateful for the peace and comfort that I am able to ask for and receive. I know I'm continually learning and will probably need to be reminded of this like 20 more times in the next year. But I know that if I continue to trust in the Lord's timing , and be grateful life will be just fine.