Gratitude

I have come to feel that one of the most important ingredients for a happy life--a life of joy, contentment, hope, and peace--is gratitude. Surely gratitude--being thankful, being aware, and expressing appreciation--is one of the most important of all heavenly virtues. (Mary Ellen Edmunds, You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005], p. 138.)

Scripture: D&C 59:7

Quote:

I have come to feel that one of the most important ingredients for a happy life--a life of joy, contentment, hope, and peace--is gratitude. Surely gratitude--being thankful, being aware, and expressing appreciation--is one of the most important of all heavenly virtues.

(Mary Ellen Edmunds, You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005], p. 138.)

Lesson:

When we focus on blessings, expressing gratitude along the way, we will become increasingly aware of all that has been so generously shared with us. We notice what we're thinking about, don't we?

My friend Sharon told about a friend who did this exercise with her school class (Try it with your family): She would tell them, "Look around the room and find all the things you can that are purple." After they had a few minutes to do so, she had them close their eyes. Then she said, "Okay, now tell me all the things you saw that were yellow."And they couldn't do it. That's because they had focused so intently on the purple that they didn't even notice the yellow things."

You can see the application to contentment and gratitude. When we focus on what we don't have, pretty soon that's all we can see, so we become discontented, and whiny, and unsatisfied. But when we focus on our many amazing blessings, we become more and more aware of them, and thus more and more content and humble and grateful. And I might add, happier. And more peaceful.

(Mary Ellen Edmunds, You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005], p. 153.)

Activity:

Play this game, "If you were sent to an island where you'd be alone for several months, what are ten things you'd want to take with you?" Share your lists with each other and ask questions such as, "But could you get along without __________?"

(Mary Ellen Edmunds, You Can Never Get Enough of What You Don't Need, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005], p. 77.)

Refreshment

Cheese Bread

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, finely snipped

1/2 teaspoon Salad Supreme salad seasoning

1 box Melba toast rounds, thinly sliced French bread, or rolls

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. Stir in parsley and salad seasoning. Spread 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of this mixture on Melba toast rounds, French bread, or split rolls. Broil, on highest rack in oven, about 1 minute or until golden brown. Makes 15 servings Melba toast rounds or 8 servings French bread or rolls.

(Lion House Entertaining, [Salt Lake City: Eagle Gate, 2001], p. 28.)