Refocusing my Brain

Now that I've got all the Thanksgiving posts finished up, I need to wrap my brain around this Minimalism of Christmas quest of mine.  I had a lovely commentor mention focusing on experiences rather than gifts which is exactly what I was thinking.  Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing with you my ideas, thoughts and experiences on the simplification and refocusing of a Christ filled Christmas.  I will also be participating with a group of bloggers on a Bloggers for Christmas link up.  (See the linky there on the right?)  Why don't you join us?

Have you noticed how the Book of Luke has exactly 24 chapters?  My first item of business in focusing more on Christ during Christmas will be a study of the book of Luke.  I will be reading one chapter a day up until and finishing on Christmas Eve.

What could be a more perfect read for the month of December?
**Tune in tomorrow for a free gift**

Toaster Teens

I am blogging today at Pear Shaped Thoughts.  

Please join me and leave some comment ♥

A Thanksgiving Miracle Part 3

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You can read Part 1 here
You can read Part 2 here

I’m sure we are all familiar with the Great Oprah Winfrey.  We may snicker and giggle about Oprah and her counsel for happy living, but her advice on Gratitude Journals was surely inspired.  As we thank our Heavenly Father verbally for our many gifts, is it not also appropriate to write them down, to journal them for later reflection?  There have been studies done on the effect of keeping gratitude lists or gratitude journals.  Studies have shown that those who keep lists have

• A significant absence of stress and depression
• They make better progress toward important goals
• These people report high levels of energy and determination
• They feel closer in their relationships and build stronger relationships
• Feel an increase of happiness of more than 25% over those who do not list their gratitude's

I don’t know about you, but who doesn't want to live happier!  This gratitude thing is like the “Holy Grail” of happiness. 

In Luke Chapter 17 we read about Christ and the Ten Lepers.  We all know the story…Christ healed ten, but only one returned and gave thanks to the Savior.  What I find interesting is the Savior in verse 19 says “arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.”  Hadn't the Savior already healed the Leper?  I wonder if the Savior was referring to the healing balm of gratitude in this man’s heart.  His heart was healed.  Thomas S. Monson said of this, ”Through divine intervention those who were lepers were spared from a cruel, lingering death and given a new lease on life.  The expressed gratitude by one merited the Master's blessings; the ingratitude shown by the nine, His disappointment." End quote.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to disappoint my Savior.  

 Joseph B. Wirthlin goes on to say in his article Living in Thanksgiving Daily, “Those who live in thanksgiving daily, however, have a way of opening their eyes and seeing the wonders and beauties of this world as though seeing them for the first time.  I encourage you to look around you.  Notice the people you care about.  Notice the fragrance of the flowers and the song of the birds.  Notice and give thanks for the blue sky, the color of the leaves, and the white of the clouds.  Enjoy every sight, every smell, every taste, and every sound.  When we open our eyes and give thanks for the bountiful beauty of this life, we live in thanksgiving daily.” End quote.   

When the Lord went up to teach the people in what has been called the Sermon on the Mount.  After realizing that the multitude was 5,000 strong and that there were only a few loaves and fishes to feed them, the disciples became concerned.  But Christ, blessed the food and gave thanks, and it was enough.  Brothers and sisters, it was enough.  Thanksgiving precedes the miracle, and it will be enough!

I really love Psalms, in Psalms 69:30 & 32 it says “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving…The humble shall see this, and be glad; and your heart shall live that seek God.”  A thankful heart is a heart filled with God.  I’d like to close with the words of President Thomas S. Monson, “Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings but it also unlocks the doors of heaven.”  

**Sources:

• Bible
• Book of Mormon
• lds.org
• A Holy Experience
• (in)Courage

A Thanksgiving Miracle Part 2

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Read Part 1 here...

"Isaiah 11:6 says, “And a little child shall lead them…”  I am reminded of the prayers of my own children when they were young.  They would often say things like, “Thank you for our matchbox cars, for bugs, milkshakes and butterflies.”  Their young, innocent spirits still could recognize all the God given gifts in the world around them.  As an adult, I have found that my prayers of thanksgiving often become rote, maybe saying things like, “Thank you for our many blessings” but never actually spending the time naming them one by one.  Perhaps a meaningful mother’s prayer could include gratitude for the car noises her young son makes or for butterfly kisses from her daughter.  In the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, Ann reflects on an epiphany she has.  She is a farmers wife and a homeschooling mama.  She works all day long.  Standing before her 3^rd sink of dishes of the day she is feeling tired and despondent.  In that moment, the sun reflects on the bubbles in the sink and she sees the rainbows and a display of bright colors.  She realizes that even in the mundane task of washing dishes that the Father blesses us and she gave thanks. 

Elder Wirthlin states that “Our minds have a marvelous capacity to notice the unusual.  However the opposite is true as well:  The more often we see the things around us-even the beautiful and wonderful things – the more they become invisible to us.  Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.”  End of quote.    Robert Louis Stevenson wrote, “The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.” End of quote.  The opposite of Thanksgiving is ingratitude or apathy.  Apathy to our blessings creates greed, resentment, jealousy, covetous living, dissatisfaction, depression and as some prophets have said is a very serious sin.  Apathy is like a cancer eating away at our soul.  When we can’t open our eyes to our God given blessings, not expressing thanks, then we are living empty lives not filled with the capacity for true joy.  An Author wrote "Both abundance and lack of abundance exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities.  It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend...When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present-love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us happiness-the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth." End of quote.   

Let us not forget to thank the Lord daily.  As a popular hymn tells us, “When upon life’s 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.  Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?  Count your many blessings every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the days go by.  When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.  Count your many blessing money cannot buy, your reward in heaven nor your home on high.  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 gives you to your journey’s end. “ Alma 34:38 says “…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 blessing which he doth bestow upon you. “  The Lord makes us a promise in D&C 78:19 , “And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more.”

 

Some ways that we can show gratitude to our Heavenly Father besides the obvious Thanksgiving in prayer are.

• Choosing not to complain
• Being good stewards of our possisions and people
• Writing Thank you notes and expressing gratitude to others
• Enjoying the little moments and not letting them slip by unnoticed
• And Making lists

To be continued....................

A Thanksgiving Miracle Part 1

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I had to speak in church Sunday.  Now that in itself is a miracle, because I despise, no, HATE, public speaking.  The rapid heart bead, sweaty hands, shaky knees....yeah, it's not my thing.  But, I thought I would  share my thought with you that I shared on Sunday.  This will be a several part series, because, it is along, and if you have a little attention problem like me, then long posts are a deterrent.

"Between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the word Thanks and it’s derivatives are mentioned approximately 340 times.  That would be Thank, Thanks, Thanked, Thanksgiving, Thanksgivings, thankful, thankfulness, thanking and thankworthy.  Clearly the Lord is trying to send a message to us on how important it is to Live in Thanksgiving Daily and surely this is a divine principle.   A little research into the word Thanksgiving revealed some interesting observations.  Thanksgiving comes from the Greek word Eucharisteo.  Eucharisteo is a word often associated with the last supper, communions or the sacrament.  The root word of Eucharisteo is Charis which means “Grace or favor”.  When we are thankful we are grateful for a favor or grace.  And a favor or grace from whom?  All favors or graces or blessings ultimately come from our Heavenly Father.  But, there is more.  The root word for Charis is Chara meaning joy.  When we fully are appreciative and thankful, we can live with more joy.  

We can learn as much as we can about the topic of Gratitude and Thanksgiving.  We can listen to or read talks and a book on it, but Thanksgiving is more than learning, it is acting.  Putting into action Thanksgiving, allows us to feel that gratitude all the way through to our heart.   Gordon B. Hinkley said, "When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives." end of quote. 

In the last hours of Christ’s life he broke bread with his disciples and gave thanks.  He knew he was going to be crucified, but He still gave thanks.  If our Savior is our brother and mentor, the one we try to emulate in all we do, should we not give thanks continually?  When we partake of the Sacrament we do it in remembrance, and we are thankful.  Just as Christ expressed Thanksgiving that last night, we, too, express gratitude as we partake of the Sacrament.  We remember we thank and we partake of the atonement; the greatest gift ever given. 

The act of Thanksgiving or expressing gratitude is so important that our modern day prophets have reiterated it over and over.  “Be Grateful” was one of President Hinkley’s 6 B’s to the youth.  There is a whole section in For the Strengthof youth devoted to Gratitude.  We often hear of the importance of gratitude during General Conference.  Modern day scripture indicates that this being grateful and expressing Thanksgiving is not merely a suggestion but a commandment.  D&C 59:7 says, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things” But do we really do this?  If we are honest, my bet is that more than often we fail to thank the Father yet, expect so much more...."  

To be continued....

Read Part 2 Here
Read Part 3 Here