Tonight at the General RS broadcast we sang this Hymn and I love the lyrics and thought I'd post them.

Count Your Blessings

Brightly

31243, Hymns, Count Your Blessings, no. 241

1. 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.

[Chorus]
Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your blessings;
See what God hath done.
Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings;
See what God hath done.

2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.
Count your many blessings; money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

4. So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Text: Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1856–1922

Music: Edwin O. Excell, 1851–1921

Pinched Nerve

Tonight Anthony's foot fell asleep and he couldn't walk. He said it was completely numb. He was gimping along grabbing onto first the chair, then the entertainment center, then the wall, etc. to get where he was going. I was laughing (as he does when his foot falls asleep) and told him he looked like me when I'm pregnant!

Usually during my 3rd trimester I get a pinched nerve in my lower back and can't walk anywhere! With Felicity it was particularly bad. I had to crawl up the stairs, couldn't stand to do dishes or any "normal" Mom chore. It was very difficult and I had a hard time taking care of the rest of my kids and constantly felt burdened with the pain it caused as well as the guilt that I wasn't getting other things done.

So tonight as I watched Anthony and remembered those times, I felt grateful that I'm not pregnant and I don't have any pinched nerves.

Plumbing

The other day I took a bath. As I was there I pondered all the things we clean in the bath tub. As I did I was grateful that I don't have to stand outside in whatever type of weather to clean and wash all these things. I'm glad I can do them all in the comfort of my own comfortable home. I'm glad for the modern convenience of indoor plumbing.

Hearst

Yesterday I was driving on the road and saw a white hearst. It reminded me of my daughter's funeral and what a horrible time that was. And I realized that for someone somewhere today their world is being shattered. I said a prayer for all those suffering such a loss, and thanked my Heavenly Father that mine is beginning to be put back together.

My Niece

This is my niece Eva. Today I'm thankful for my adorable little niece and her health. She has a few issues with her heart. Recently she had her 1st open heart surgery. We were very concerned for her and the out come of the surgery. The whole extended family fasted & prayed for her and had her name added to prayer rolls in the temples. Her little life has been filled with health difficulties most of which are finally resolving themselves. This was one of the major obstacles left.

The surgery was performed and everything went wonderfully! She is recovering still, but everything seems to be a success!!! I'm so thankful for her special life and her wonderful smile. She is one of the happiest people I have EVER known! I'm so thankful for the gospel and the knowledge we have that we can turn to the Lord in times of worry and with our needs for His help. I'm thankful for a successful surgery and a sweet little girl. LIFE is WONDERFUL!

Grocery Store

So lately, I've had a bunch of things that I wanted to blog about on here; but haven't had the time! Ahhhh.... But I want to get them down before I forget them. However, time is still an issue so these might be condensed versions on the next few!

Sometime last week I was boiling a chicken. Once it was done and I was "cleaning" it... aka pulling all the good meet off. I was reminded of going on the Pioneer Trek as a youth. On this Trek, our "Family" had to kill, pluck and cook our own chicken for dinner that night. In my youth I had an EXTREME gag reflex! And still have a pretty strong gag reflex. This was NOT my favorite part of the Trek. (As I have often said of the whole experience; I disliked almost every minute of the whole thing, but after, wouldn't trade it for the world). So I was assigned to the team PLUCKING the chicken. For those of you who've done this before, you know that at this point the chicken is still warm and still flails around as you go even though it is dead.

So as I stood in my kitchen "Cleaning" the chicken and not liking that either, I was VERY grateful that I did not also kill or pluck the chicken. And I am so grateful that I get my chicken at the grocery store!

I have a testimony of 2 Nephi 2:11 where it reads:

" For it must needs be, that there is an ^aopposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad..."

If I had not plucked a chicken, I would not know how much I love the grocery store!

Tepoe

Today I'm grateful for my friend Tepoe and her reminding me that I have this blog! We were without internet for a while and now it's back, so I'm thankful to have it again and I'm thankful to be able to write here.

Also, Tepoe left me a VERY sweet message on my FB page today that brought tears to my eyes.

("Today I am grateful for my friend Pam. She has an "Attitude of Gratitude" blog that has love sewn all through it. She is very kind, positive, generous, loving, and tactful, not to mention- fun, smart, considerate, spiritual, lively, and beautiful.")

Also, for our 10 year Anniversary Anthony gave me fortune cookies; one of them said: "Show me your friends, and I will show you you." That has stuck with me for the past week and I'm happy to say that in my case I'd like what I see when shown my friends. I'm glad to have good people to be friends with! Thanks Tepoe!