Guest Author - Terrie Lynn Bittner
"You could have an experience with the gift of the Holy Ghost today. You could begin a private prayer with thanks. You could start to count your blessings, and then pause for a moment. If you exercise faith, and with the gift of the Holy Ghost, you will find that memories of other blessings will flood into your mind. If you begin to express gratitude for each of them, your prayer may take a little longer than usual. Remembrance will come. And so will gratitude." (Elder Henry B. Eyring, , "Remembrance and Gratitude," Ensign, Nov. 1989, 11)
Last week my friend Patricia suggested we each spend the week thinking of ten blessings we have experienced as a result of being writers. Not only was this harder than I expected, but it was also more fascinating. I spent all week thinking about writing in the context of how it had improved my life. In this context, I found myself thinking of special moments, remembered emails, and
especially of the friendships that developed through my columns and the corresponding forums or sites. I thought about skills I had developed, the fun parts of writing...all factors I tend to forget when I'm staring at a blank document screen on my computer and struggling for words and ideas.
While we are sometimes encouraged to keep lists of our blessings, our families might find it more enlightening to outline the blessings that come from a specific area of our lives. This can make an excellent Sunday activity. Once a month for a year, choose an area of your life and have each member of the family work on the list. During Family Home Evening, make a blessings book or
scrapbook to hold the blessings lists.
There are many ways to carry out this plan. Each blessing idea, and the ones you add, can be placed in a decorated jar. Family members can draw one out of the can. You can also list the ideas for blessings on a chart and let each person choose the one he wants to do that week. Many of these can be used more than once.
Following are some ideas for blessings lists:
1. The blessings of a specific talent
2. The blessings that result from your association with a specific person
3. The blessings of living where you live
4. The blessings of church membership
5. The blessings of a church organization you belong to
6. The blessings that have resulted from your calling
7. The blessings gained from trials
8. The blessings resulting from a disability or factor that is a challenge for you
9. The blessings of having limited income
10. The blessings that come from being a member of your family
11. The blessings resulting from your education
12. The blessings of being a citizen of your country
13. The blessings resulting from your occupation or chores
14. The blessings resulting from your personality
15. Blessings gained from things you have read or from your ability to read
16. The blessings of pets
17. Blessings gained from travel
18. The blessings from an activity you participate in
19. Blessings of having an imagination
20. Blessings of your childhood
