When Heavenly Father placed Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden, He told them “of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat,” but then excluded the tree of knowledge of good and evil form the non-consequential pickings (Genesis 2:16-17). Later, Lucifer slithered onto the scene and directed Eve’s attention away from all the many trees available to her and made what she didn’t have seem the most appealing. I believe God would have us glory in the things that we have, then we will be fulfilled. I have found that when I focus on the things I do not have in my life, then I become dissatisfied and unhappy. However, when I direct my attention to what is currently available to me, I see how full my life is and I am humbled to have the privilege to live it.

Hopefully, some of my gratitudes will help you recognize what in your own life  brings you fulfillment.

My Gratitudes List:

1. faith-filled parents

2. my siblings and their spouses who are my friends

3. my space heater

4. the Holy Ghost, which teaches me about God

5. athletics and exercise

6. the restoration of priesthood ordinances

7. nieces and nephews

8. the American Founding generation

9. the World War II generation

10. a college education

11. the opportunity for more education

12. laughing and smiling

13. being diligent

14. letting loose

15. coming home

16. living in the Washington, D.C. area in a great affordable space

17. loving without conditions or strings attached

18. prioritizing the Lord first

19. reception of a greater portion of grace from Jesus Christ when I offer my sins to Him

20. finding Jolly Rancher chews, they are so hard to find!

21. romantic disappointments and false alarms

22. the Internet

23. my crush on Mr. Darcy, not because he’s fabulously rich, but because he falls head-over-heels for a woman with a voracious appetite for knowledge who delights in the success of others, has limited inhibitions and offers her opinion freely.

24. my acceptance that Mr. Darcy is a fictional character

25. keeping the grass greenest around my own feet

26. playing in the rain

27. playing in the snow

28. spiritual progression

29. tender mercies of the Lord

30. people who live a life of faith that I can admire and mirror

31. eradicating my pride through repentance

32. mentors

33. nourishment by the good word of God

34. sincere petitioning through prayer

35. dear friends

36. dancing like no one is watching

37. singing to the music in my car, though I know people are watching

38. the beach

39. canyons

40. my dear friends finding (or being found by) their eternal companions

41. the Constitution

42. constitutional scholars, well some of them

43. runs through Old Town Alexandria to the Potomac River

44. learning not to stress/mellowing out

45. owning my choices and their consequences

46. my crush on George Washington because he loved his God, his country and his woman and influenced our nation and its people by the strength of his character.

47. my acceptance that George Washington is dead and already taken

48. the chance to grow into who I want to be

49. relishing in my daily reconversion to offer my heart again to the Lord

50. liberation from sin and death through my Savior, Jesus Christ

51. the realization that my list could go much longer than 50 things