Feeling Gratitude

Recently I've been reading a book called One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp. I'm not sure if I recommend it yet or not. The book is written in a poetic style that's hard to read, so I've been doing a lot of skimming and I'm not done yet, but I like the idea of feeling gratitude all the time and finding joy in all aspects of your life.

The author found herself being very unhappy with her life, for various reasons, until one night she had a very vivid dream in which she was diagnosed with cancer throughout her body and was told she would die shortly. The nightmare wasn't true but it was a pivotal moment for her because she realized that someday she would die, as we all will. Her question was "Which road through this brief land? What is all most important? How to live the fullest life here that delivers into the full life ever after?...How do we live fully so we are fully ready to die?" (p. 28-29) She thinks about those bucket lists people have and lists like "1000 Places to See Before You Die." But she asks if we can't recognize beauty and joy in the everyday life we all live. She decides that the key to this is Eucharisteo which means, essentially, thanksgiving. She realizes that she has missed the commandment in the scriptures to be grateful.

So the big question is how do I live with thanksgiving in every part of my life? How do I feel thanksgiving when the children aren't cooperating and the baby is sick and coughing up a storm and there's dinner to be made and it's already late and the laundry isn't done... This morning I wasn't feeling very thankful after a poor night's sleep and endless coughing from my youngest and a husband out of town. But I want to. I want to recognize my blessings even in the challenges and the moments of frustration.

The author decided to make a list of 1000 things she was thankful for. She put things like "243. Clean sheets smelling like wind, 244. Hot oatmeal tasting like home, 245. Bare toes in early light." (p. 55) Making it tangible, always looking for something to add to her list helped her be thankful. Her relatives noticed that it changed her and made her happier. Don't we all want that?

So I've started making a list too. Every night I write 5 things I'm thankful for from that day, in my journal. I'm not thinking about it as much during the day as I would like to be, but so far it has been pretty easy. I haven't had to stretch much to come up with things. It's probably a journey of a lifetime, but I'm hopeful that I can become completely grateful with my life.

Comments

Our Cousin Drew

This last week, my brother and his wife lost a very precious son, just 13 years old. He collapsed while running with a cross-country team and passed away before he could be revived. Everyone that knew Drew is broken-hearted at this loss. He was the happiest, most agreeable kid we knew. I remember him being at my house without anyone close to his age to hang out with, so he found our Duplo blocks and started building even though it is a toy that boys his age don't usually enjoy. He was so content. He didn't complain that I ever remember. His mother always called him the perfect child. He will leave a big hole in not only his immediate family but our extended family as well. Here is a poem my aunt shared that seems fitting: Leave Taking How I would have liked to wave goodbye and watch until you turned and smiled and disappeared on the horizon. You who taught me to dance and let me teach you, who laughed at my stories and winked at me when I was sad. I can just see you trav

Remembering Drew

This weekend we celebrated Drew's life. On Thursday night, we gathered as an extended family and had a dinner then sat in a big circle and talked about our memories of him. I took some notes and here is what people said. Grandpa (Gary Hansen): The last time we saw Drew was last week on the 4th. I remember all the cousins on the trampoline, bouncing up and down and playing basketball. Grandma (Susan Hansen): I asked Drew to come over last winter to teach my Activity Day boys how to make origami stars. He was very patient in working with them even though they were pretty clueless. Eventually they all went home happily with their stars. Paula: This last winter we invited Bruce and Michelle over for dinner and we didn't have anyone his age for him to hang out with. I remember that Drew found the Duplo blocks on his own and played with them all by himself, quite cheerfully entertaining himself. I asked him if he wanted to play with a different toy--maybe something more sophistica

Drew's Funeral

Yesterday was the viewing for Drew and then today was the funeral. There were a LOT of people at the viewing. Bruce and Michelle greeted people for almost four hours yesterday and then again this morning before the funeral. Bruce said that if weren't for Drew's death, it would be the best week of his life with so much love being shown to them. Friday actually began with a family run in Drew's honor. We started at a church by the new Lindon temple and ran to Bruce and Michelle's house with breakfast following. Friday night was the viewing. There was a very nice display of all things Drew. This was one of the pictures displayed and I recognized someone I know: We stood in line and the paramedics who worked on Drew stood in line behind us so we got to talk to them. Here's a fun fact: They cover both Orem and Vineyard but Vineyard gets a lot more 911 calls than Orem per capita. It's a younger population and they are quicker to call. They said it's hard when the

Search This Blog