Count Your Many Blessings - Part 2

I have to start by telling you what happened last night. I finished blogging, got ready for bed, said a prayer, (in which I gave gratitude for my nephew's email prompting me to put down on paper that which I have wanted to write about for months now) and then climbed into bed. I reached over my head for a book of scripture, I have several there. Some days, I read specific things, other days, I just grab a book of scripture and open it and start reading.

Last night, I grabbed a book, opened it and started reading. I thought to myself, "Wow, this pertains to what I was writing about," then, I laughed out loud as I came to my favorite scripture which is actually listed on the home page for my blog.

Without looking, I grabbed a book, flipped it open and started reading about 5 scriptures before the actual listed scripture on my homepage.

That book wasn't the normal book I read out of when my girls and I read scriptures together so that scripture isn't even marked in the one I picked up last night. It is sitting in a different part of the book and opposite page than mine so I was surprised when I read it. The photo above is the book I read last night and this picture is of my scriptures with that verse highlighted and marked.

I think it was Heavenly Fathers way of telling me that he appreciates people giving gratitude and being "thankful in all things" even the trials.

That is what I felt to write about today. Just because you are blessed, doesn't mean you aren't tested. One of my favorite sayings I have hanging in my home is, "There is no TESTimony without the "Test"." I do believe that life is a test. We gain strength with each test. Each trial makes us stronger.

In the past 10 years I have had 11 floods, biting mites for a year, my mother almost died causing me to leave my children for four months, a very difficult divorce, custody battle, regular court dates, health issues, trials with family and children, as well as financial issues and losses.

I am not writing that to gain sympathy but to let you know that life isn't all about the "Big Wins" I have had, or the frames of things to be grateful for, it is about experiences. Good and Bad. Sometimes, the trials are the best thing to give gratitude for because of the things they teach us.

I got some advice in the form of a blessing which says, "Keep a journal of your experiences and blessings." I believe that advice was sound as when I focus of writing about my blessings, it helps me keep positive, just like my nephew wrote about in yesterday's post.

A few months ago, I was visiting my sister and attended her congregation and the speaker spoke on Gratitude. Of course, I was riveted. He sited several studies and after I asked for his resources.

Those articles have been sitting on my desk for me to post on since mid December. With the wedding and things, I kept putting this post off. So, last night, I did give gratitude in my prayer for my nephews comments which prompted me to get to this when I had already picked something else to post about.

In two of these studies, they were asked to keep "gratitude lists,(Dr.Emmons) in one and Gratitude "journals" in another. Both found that they had better sleep and well being. In one, they reported exercising more and having less physical symptoms.

In one study, those with lists were more likely to have made progress toward important personal goals. (University of Manchester last year.)

Another study found that couples who are thankful for each other and show it, improve their relationships. The study found that gratitude brought happy feelings the next day and helped keep the relationship on track and acted like a booster shot for the relationship. ("It's the little things" by International Association for Relationship Research)

In September's The Social Psychological and Personality Science Journal, there was a study from three universities that considered the connection between gratitude and aggression.

Gratitude is linked to lower levels of aggression. Gratitude requires empathy - an impulse incompatible with aggression.

Every listed study found that "Thankful people tended to be happier and more satisfied with their lives."

A Kent State University study found "something as small as writing grateful letters improved the sense of well-being among college-aged students. The students had to write three letters over three weeks to someone in their lives for whom they were thankful. They had to be sincere."

The study concluded that the letter-writers saw increases in their levels of gratitude over time, but also in their levels of overall happiness.

Basically, all the studies found that giving gratitude for something or someone in your life increased something in your life. Better sleep, better relationship, less aggression, happier all around, etc. It didn't seem to matter what you gave gratitude for, it helped general happiness overall.

For me, not only giving gratitude, but sharing what I have increases my ability to give gratitude making me realize that I am grateful that I have enough to share. When I share, I always seem to get more in return through other ways.

I have a saying that is in my house along with all the others pictured on today and yesterday's posts. It say's, "The hand that gives, gathers." I believe that to be true. If you remember my post about winning the Panasonic $20,000 prize, you will recall that I sent my friend a camera that I paid $200 for including shipping and sd cards. I won 100 times that in cameras and electronic items.

You can read about that in these two posts here: Big Win Panasonic.- Big Win Panasonic Prizes.

I could go on and on but I will leave you with two bits of wisdom from someone whose life has been greatly blessed by gratitude. One is a thought I had last night. I think I came up with it but I may have heard it somewhere but when I did a search on it, I couldn't find it online so perhaps I can take credit for it. I think I will stitch it and hang it in my house along with all the other gratitude sayings.

"If you are

going to have

an

attitude,

Make it

an attitude

of

GRATITUDE!"

The last thing I will leave you with is my favorite scripture that is on the home page of my blog and the one that Heavenly Father shared with me again last night.

D & C 78 vs 19

"And he who receiveth all things with a thankful heart shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even a hundred fold, yea, more."

Thanks to all you who are reading this. I give Gratitude for you. Does that mean I will have 100 times as many readers soon? :-)