Yesterday's Miracles

Here is the talk I gave in my church's sacrament meeting last week, before Thanksgiving.

{Learn more about my faith here}

A few years ago, I was in the midst of a few very difficult trials, all at once. (Isn't that how it always happens?) It was a soul-anguishing season, to say the least. One of these trials included my precious Daddy. He had discovered that he had a cancerous tumor in his small intestine. I remember desperately pleading with my Heavenly Father to please just spare my Daddy. I would be on my best behavior forever more, if only my Daddy could be okay. Immediately after finding the tumor, he was scheduled to have surgery where they would remove the tumor, and get a better idea of his prognosis. Needless to say, we felt agonized by this waiting game.
{To read more about this experience, click here}

The day of his surgery, our number one prayer was that the cancer hadn't spread to his lymph nodes-- because if it had, it would be very bad news. We found out, following the surgery, that unfortunately, the cancer had spread. I remember my Mommy, and Daddy and I holding each other on my dad's hospital bed, sobbing, after hearing this heart-breaking news. It couldn't be true! And then, soon after, we learned that it had just spread locally, and it was contained, and was completely removed-- the surgery was a total success! It was truly a miracle! The sequence of events that led to this amazing news, was inspired all along, and we were, undoubtedly the very blessed recipients of a miracle!

I vowed that day, that I would always remember the miracle we had received, and that I would always thank Heavenly Father for it. It turned out, that every one of the difficult trials we faced during this season, turned into absolute miracles, at the hand of God. We were witnesses of many modern-day miracles, and we were graciously blessed. As I pondered the events that surrounded this experience, a very simple truth was revealed to me, that I strive to remember.

{Taken right after his surgery in 2008}

I will never allow yesterday's miracle, 

to become today's normal. 

Once again,

I will never allow yesterday's miracle, to 

become today's normal. 

How appropriate that on this beautiful Sunday before Thanksgiving, we get to share some thoughts on gratitude. I am truly grateful for this opportunity today.

I don't know about you, but when I study the Gospel, I love to get to the roots of doctrine. When referring to the roots of what's important pertaining to gratitude, there is nothing more meaningful, deeply rooted or sacred than the gift of our Savior's atoning sacrifice. It is the foundation for all other blessings we receive. This gift, alone, is cause for rejoicing every day! And this gift, is what brings true joy, happiness, and peace in this life—for this infinite gift, I know each of us is deeply grateful.

Pres. Marion G. Romney said it best.

“We should be thankful and express appreciation for all favors received—and surely we receive many. The chief objects of our gratitude, however, should be, and are, God, our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer. …

“To the Lord Jesus we owe an undying debt of gratitude, for he bought us with a great price. It is impossible for us, weak mortals as we are, to fully comprehend and appreciate the sufferings he endured on the cross that he might gain for us the victory over death.” 

To me, to be grateful and to remember are closely related. My all-time favorite word is the word remember. I love it. It has a sacred place in my heart. To me, it denotes Divinity. It reminds me of keeping all that is sacred, true, and holy in the front of my mind and heart. To “remember” means to live from this space of remembrance, and keep a bright recollection of God's handiwork in my world. To stay united with Christ in all that I do. To always remember, and be grateful for the miracles I receive.

I love what King Benjamin said in Mosiah 4:11,12. You can turn there with me, if you'd like.

"And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel."

I love this, listen carefully to what “always” happens when we do this...(four things)

“And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.” 

It's interesting to me, that being grateful is a commandment. In D&C 59:7 it says, “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.” And yet, while we are commanded to give thanks, we reap such huge benefits for obeying.

Who in the Saratoga Springs 7th ward, wouldn't want to ALWAYS rejoice? Or ALWAYS be filled with God's love? That might come in handy?! With Kids? Or ALWAYS retain a remission of our sins? Or ALWAYS learn more about our Creator? Or ALWAYS receive more truth from Him? How much sweeter would each of our lives be if we more fully obeyed the commandment to give thanks? Here's a few questions for us to ponder: What healing could take place for you and me, personally, if we can be just a little more grateful? And claim these promises? How can we be blessed, and bless those around us by being more grateful? If something pops into our minds, I challenge all of us to make a note of it, and test this out for ourselves.

Being grateful is a commandment, and carries with it rich promises. So, what about ingratitude?
This poem says it well:

“How Different.”

Some murmur when the sky is clear

And wholly bright to view,

If one small speck of dark appear

In their great heaven of blue:

And some with thankful love are filled,

If but one streak of light,

One ray of God’s good mercy, gild

The darkness of their night.

Elder Eyring said:

“The Prophet Joseph said at one time that one of the greatest sins of which the Latter-day Saints would be guilty is the sin of ingratitude. THE SIN OF INGRATITUDE. I presume most of us have not thought of that as a great sin. There is a great tendency for us in our prayers and in our pleadings with the Lord to ask for additional blessings. But sometimes I feel we need to devote more of our prayers to expressions of gratitude and thanksgiving for blessings already received. We enjoy so much.”

Elder Eyring also said this:

“We so easily forget that we came into life with nothing. Whatever we get soon seems our natural right, not a gift. And we forget the giver. Then our gaze shifts from what we have been given to what we don’t have yet.”

I can't speak for you, but I know that I have absolutely been guilty of the great sin of ingratitude. A couple of years ago, as part of my New Year's theme, I knew it was time to cultivate a more grateful countenance. So, here's what I did. Every time I felt the need to complain about something, I would stop, and find SOMETHING, ANYTHING directly related to the forthcoming complaint and search instead for a blessing.

For example:
If I'm about to complain about the mountains of laundry that I get to keep washing, drying, folding, putting away, and picking up off the floor, instead I stop. How are these mountains a blessing? Well, they keep my angel babies warm, and clothed. And, the clothes, the many many clothes...a blessing? Or a curse? Immediately, the rage melts away, and instead, my heart is full. As I sit there watching James fold them all. Wink wink.

If I am about to complain about the toothpaste splatters on the mirror, instead I thank Heavenly Father for giving me such a kind, incredibly handsome and intelligent sweetheart. The toothpaste splatter means that my husband is alive, he woke up this morning, he is capable of providing for us, and that he values oral hygiene, which I am, indeed :) grateful for ;)

When my strong-willed little off spring is expressing his great dissatisfaction with being in time-out, and his refusal to comply with the “we must wear clothing to school” rule, when I'm about to look to the heavens and ask REEEAAALLY!?! Instead, I thank Heavenly Father for sending me such a valiant, strong soul! And I am grateful for the opportunity to fulfill the role I have always aspired for most, being a Mommy.

This little spin on gratitude has proven to add light to my heart, brought me closer to Christ, and is a stepping stone on my pathway to discipleship. I can testify of the truthfulness of the promises that come from choosing to be grateful.

Another effective way to cultivate a grateful countenance, is to write. President Spencer W. Kimball described the process of inspired writing: “Those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives. Journals are a way of counting our blessings and of leaving an inventory of these blessings for our posterity.”

President Eyring adds to this: 

"As you start to write, you could ask yourself, “How did God bless me today?” If you do that long enough and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes, you will have gifts brought to your mind which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know were a touch of God’s hand in your life."

As poor, young newlyweds, James and I started writing “our little list of miracles.”
Here are a couple examples:

July 6th, 2003--We found the perfect shoes for James for 12.99 at Big 5. YAY! Our brand new box springs from the DI for 10 bucks! Christy broke her tooth, but it doesn't hurt at all! Aka We don't have to spend money to fix it until it hurts. No joke: 7 months later: Christy's tooth broke even more, still NO PAIN! :) June 2004 Found out we are pregnant!! So excited!

These are just a couple of examples, but we have pages and pages of these kinds of miracles throughout our first years together. I can also testify of the reality of writing our little miracles down. For me, it's my way of taking ownership of my own, personal relationship with my Heavenly Father, and recognizing His hand in the details of my life.

Here's another question: What miracles have each of us received that have gone unnoticed? Are we missing opportunities to record these blessings that could bless us and our posterity? What miracles have I received that deserve to be written and preserved? I challenge each of us to write these things down, just a little more.

In closing,

Elder Hales said, “Gratitude expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer for what we have brings a calming peace—a peace which allows us to not canker our souls for what we don’t have. Gratitude brings a peace that helps us overcome the pain of adversity and failure. Gratitude on a daily basis means we express appreciation for what we have now without qualification for what we had in the past or desire in the future. 

President Eyring said, “The remembrance King Benjamin urged upon us can be ours. Remembrance is the seed of gratitude which is the seed of generosity. Gratitude for the remission of sins is the seed of charity, the pure love of Christ.”

I know with all my heart that as each of us remembers Christ's atonement, records our miracles, and chooses gratitude, we will more clearly see the very Hand of God in our every day and experience more joy and peace in this life.