Making Life More Joyful

This past month my Facebook feed has been flooded with statuses of gratitude. Some people find this annoying and complain that we should be thankful all year long. Similar to how some people find Valentine's Day a silly holiday because we should show love, affection, and appreciation to those we love every day of the year. While I agree with being thankful and showing love every day, I also think that these holidays simply serve as reminders for us. They help us to remember to show love. They help us to remember to be grateful. How many of us have a spotless record when it comes to remembering everything that needs done? I can tell you with absolute certainty that I do not. Remembering things is actually something I have a really difficult time with. Just ask Derek how many loads of laundry have been forgotten in the dryer. It's pretty bad.

As I was driving home from the store this morning I glanced down at the external temperature reading on the dash. It read 30 degrees. Yet that didn't bother me one bit because I was inside my car, with my seat warmer turned on, and the climate control set to a perfectly comfortable temperature. I didn't have to walk home in the cold because I'm fortunate to have a dependable car. I had a smile on my face because I have been blessed with a funny, smart, and sweet little girl who loves to sing and says the funniest things. And it made me think of all the statuses I've been seeing this month, which reminded me of all the things I have to be grateful for. My car, my daughter, my husband (who fixes said car when there's something wrong), and employment (which allowed me to go to the store and get what we need for our family). My list could go on and on, and tonight I plan on making my entry in my journal full of the things I am so grateful for. But in that moment, driving home from the store, I felt incredibly happy. I felt fun, light, and joyful.

"There is one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious. We can be grateful!" 

-President Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

We can live every day with gratitude in our hearts. It is this Thanksgiving season that has helped remind me, once again, that being grateful is one of the greatest things we can do. Our lives can truly be joyful, even though we once again forgot about the load of colors that are sitting in the dryer waiting to be folded. And we can make our lives sweeter, more joyful, and even glorious by remembering (or at least doing our best to remember) to be grateful every day.

As this Thanksgiving season ends and we come into the Christmas season, it reminds me of how grateful I am for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I give thanks to Him and to God for all of the blessings in my life. 

"That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."
Alma 34:38

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Luke 17:11-19