Count your many blessings

This week has continued the eye-opening experiences. I complain too much :p I am so blessed. I wanted to share some of the things that happened this week. I was lamenting to a friend that it is expensive to live here. Complaining that I have to share a room with my daughter because I can't afford my own place. As I was leaving her house to go back to mine, the street that I usually turn onto to go home had a red light and I didn't feel like waiting. I went down a different road instead. As I was travelling down that road I passed by the St Vincent de Paul building. I looked over at the doorway, and huddled in sleeping bags I saw about half a dozen people. The only thing between them and the hard ground, between them and the night air, was a single sleeping bag. I was going home, to a soft bed, warm blankets, a working heater. I was complaining about having to share a room, these six people were sharing a doorway. On my continuing way to humble gratitude-ville, I passed by "complaining about being single" land. I was lamenting (again) to my friend that I have been single for 4 and 1/2 years. I was complaining that I have been doing all in my power, following every prompting and I wasn't having any luck. I knew it was up to God but sheesh, wasn't I doing enough, where was God and why wasn't his part being done? Well I came across this blog, (Gay) Mormon Guy . Ok, here is a man who has same gender attraction and is LDS. Wow!! Working towards eternal marriage, doing all that he can do, but with a completely different attitude than mine. Needless to say, I had to take another step off my "woe is me" ladder. As I thought about the reasons that I want to marry I realized that one was a moot point. I want my daughter to have a good strong priesthood holder in her life. Last Sunday a dear friend of ours, Will, came to town for a baptism. He sat beside my daughter, he had his arm around her as we were singing a song titled, "Count your many blessings". Part of the song says, "Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings every doubt will fly, and you will be singing as the days go by. Count your blessings name them one by one, count your blessings see what God hath done." I looked at my daughter, seated by Will, and realized that she is very blessed. She has her grandfather and her uncle who live here in town that are good men. She has other uncles that live out of town but that love her and look after her. I have many male friends who are wonderful examples to her. Sure she doesn't have a dad at this point, but she has many fine father figures in her life. Taking a little time to count the blessings in my life, the things I complain about seem trivial. I saw a man walking down the street, dressed in layers. He is a homeless man and all the clothes he has, he wears. I have clothes in buckets because my dresser is filled to bursting with clothes I don't even wear. I have enough shoes to wear a different pair each day for three weeks without repeating a pair. I have two boxes of blankets in my garage for when I feel like changing up my room a bit. In this crazy economy I have a job that pays me enough to get my hair and nails done every once in a while. The Lord has blessed me greatly, sure there are things I still want, that He has promised me, but that will be in His time, not mine.
So, count (my) many blessings:
1 My Parents - who taught me and continue to support me
2 My siblings - we laugh, we fight, we love
3 My daughter - my sunshine, my reminder of who I am as I try to teach her who she is
4 My in-laws - grateful that my siblings married wonderful people, who I love beyond words
5 My Nieces and Nephews - being an aunt is almost a great as being mom - especially grateful for the safe arrival of little baby TF 3/14/11 at 9 AM
6 My little family - who blessed me as a young woman by adopting my precious angel Reagan
7 My friends - always supporting me, even when I am being silly
8 My boss - Best boss ever!!!
9 My co-workers -  who technically are listed twice because they are my friends as well
10 My roommate - who is also my friend :)
11 My missionaries - those that invite me to go with them to teach lessons, those that chat with me online, those that I love that are serving in other places
12 My job - in this economy I would be crazy not to be grateful for a job that is full time with benefits
13 My car - sure gas is expensive, but it gets me where I need to be
14 My house - warm, roomy, no upstairs neighbors :)
15 My fridge - full of food, what else do you need?
16 My clothes - keep me covered, warm when it's cold, cool when it's hot
17 My shoes - :D love LOVE love shoes
18 My city - close to everything, but not too close
19 My technology -  really, I love being able to connect with people via text, my ipod keeps me sane doing data entry, and all the other electronic things that not everyone can afford
20 My talents - cooking, music, photography, crafts
21 My health - saves a lot of $ and time being healthy
22 Music - music to dance to, music to sing along with, music to make me laugh, music to make me cry, music to make me feel loved, music to soothe my soul
23 Sunshine - vitamin D
24 Rain - perfect for twirling
25 Flowers - beauty for the eye and the nose
26 Chocolate - :D
27 My allegies - I know it sounds a little silly to be grateful for those, but considering I have friends and family that are allergic to foods and animals, I will take a plant that only blooms for a few weeks a year
28 The Gospel
29 Temples
30 The Holy Ghost - guidance, comfort and protection
31 Jesus Christ - my brother, my friend, my Savior
32 My Heavenly Father - who gives me all these things and more