What I Am Thankful For

I am thankful for many things in my life this year of our lord, two thousand and nine. This has been a tough year for our family. We have faced many challenges, and it appears that early next year there will still be more, however, when I sit down and honestly consider every blessing that I have, I am reminded that no matter how hard life can get there is always something I can find to be thankful for. It helps me to remember that tough times are short lived and not always as bad as they might seem to be. I know that there will aways be someone worse off than I am and that when I place myself in someone else's shoes, I can see with clarity just how blessed I am.

• My husband and I have no mortgage payment. We were blessed with the ability to buy our home outright, and are grateful for it. I feel compassion for those individuals who are facing, or who have already faced foreclosure of their homes.

• We have two vehicles that are in good shape that take us wherever we need to go. One is paid off, and we are trying to eliminate the debt on the other.

• We have enough money to pay the bills and have a few extras. We are learning to be content to live within our means, which is not as easy as it might sound, especially when we are used to having much more income than we do now. We made the choice to eliminate our debt and live with less so that we could spend more time together as a family.

• Our kids are happy and healthy. They have friends and are learning that there is much more to life than "things". Our family loves each other and we always try to show it.

• I am thankful that I live in America. I am thankful that the founders of this country created a constitution that gives me the right to speak my mind and to seek a better life for my family. We have our problems, certainly, however all in all, it is still a great place to live.

• I am grateful that I have a Savior who died for my sins, thereby extending grace to me so I could be in heaven with Him and my loved ones throughout eternity.

When I am in the dumps and feeling sorry for myself because I can't have something that I think I "need", it helps when I sit and take stock of the blessings in my life, remembering that nothing stays the same forever. The life I am living now is different than the one I lived before, and if I remember to count my blessings, I will enjoy the journey so much more.