Sunday Thoughts

I read something on a blog a couple weeks ago. The thoughts it provoked in me have been tumbling around in my head ever since. Please allow me to share them with you.

Our country is in trouble. Everywhere people are losing their jobs. Businesses are closing their doors.

The question is "What can we do about it?"

We have been told countless times that the Book of Mormon was written for our day. In this book the people experience numerous cycles of prosperity and destitution. It is lovingly called "The Pride Cycle." For those of you who have been sleeping in Sunday School, let me break it down for you.

There were these people called the Nephites. They were blessed and favored of God. Because He blessed them, they flourished. They had great wealth. Life was good. They became so comfortable with their lives that they inevitable forgot where all their blessings came from. They were filled with pride because of their own success. They failed to thank God for the blessings he sent them. They systematically turned away from God. When the Nephites turned away from God, he stopped blessing them. He sent famines, wars, and all manner of unrest. It wasn't until the Nephites were at their lowest point that they finally turned their hearts to God. They pleaded with him for peace, protection, rain, food, etc. When they were sufficiently humbled God continued to bless them. That is, until the cycle repeated itself over and over and over again.

What does this have to do with us?

We have been very blessed by our Father in Heaven - blessed so much that many people have forgotten the source of these blessings. People have become very prideful as to their own strengths and abilities. Our country is turning away from God. And now, God, in His own way, is helping us remember Him.

We can not trust the leaders of our country to lead us in remembering God. Many of them don't believe in God at all. Many of them are trying to remove God from our lives even further. But there are a good number of us in this nation, of many different religions, who can stand up for what we know is right. One simple way we can make a difference is to let God know that we haven't forgotten Him. Whether it is in the privacy of our own homes or in a more public setting, we NEED TO express our gratitude to Him for our many blessings. We need to turn to Him for guidance and direction. We need to let Him know we are listening!

How deep do we need to fall before we remember to look up?

I, for one, don't need to hit "rock bottom" before I get a clue. So here is a list of things I am truly grateful for:

1. My Family. There was a time I wondered if I would ever be a mother. Now I have two absolutely wonderful boys. They are each a miracle!

2. Health. My family has been well all winter.

3. Employment. Dan has two jobs which allow him to provide for our family.

4. I get to stay home with my children! I am SO BLESSED on this one!

5. Food Storage. I don't have to worry if we will go hungry. My peace of mind is in the storage room. I feel so blessed to have been warned in advance of turbulent times. I am so thankful to our leaders who urged us to make food storage a priority.

6. A testimony of our church leaders. I can trust them! I know that if I listen to their council I will be OK. I don't need to get caught up in the insanity the world is throwing at us. They will never lead us astray.

I know I have only touched the tip of the iceburg here. We have so much to be grateful for. If you feel so inclined, take a moment and list your blessings as well.