November is the month of Gratitude and this week is when we traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States.
I am a big proponent of keeping a gratitude journal and hadn’t realized that I had been doing so long before I had heard it described as keeping a gratitude journal.
Years ago, in 2007, I had listened to Henry B. Eyring, express the following in a talk. His words touched my heart and gave me greater direction on living a life of gratitude.
Click on the link to not only hear him speaking but to immediately feel the spirit of his words. (Video is only 1 ½ minutes long).
https://www.mormonchannel.org/blog/post/advice-from-president-eyring-on-how-to-show-more-gratitude
I am quoting from the Mormon Channel Blog, Nov. 11, 2015
“In 2007, President Henry B. Eyring gave a general conference address about how he maintains a grateful heart in his life. He told the story of how his father-in-law was serving his family one day by helping them with some heavy housework. As President Eyring witnessed this, the Spirit whispered to him that he needed to write these blessings and experiences down, whenever he saw the Lord’s hand in his life.
This experience led President Eyring to adopt the daily practice of writing down the blessings and witnesses of God’s love that he saw in his life. He says:
“I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: ‘Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?’ As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done. More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.”
As we embark on this week of family gatherings can we keep in mind that God is ever aware and watchful of us and our needs and is ever helping us?
My desire to live a life of gratitude has been guided and enhanced by this desire to look for and “see the hand of God,” in the events of each day.
My hope for you, as you begin your process of keeping a gratitude journal or of noticing the hand of God in your life, that you will come to discover the richness and fullness of your life, blessed by Heavenly help!
Much love,
