Thanksgiving

The past couple years, I have written daily Thanksgiving posts during the month of November. At other times in my life, I have kept gratitude journals--sometimes in November, sometimes (shockingly!) at various times of the year. I love doing these things. I wanted to do daily Thanksgiving posts again this year. It's incredibly beneficial to me and my state of mind going into the holiday season. However, it didn't get done. Lots isn't getting done in my life. Today, I sat with the kids and made Grateful Lists. My idea was that Beth would come up with six things, since she is 6-years-old; Nathan would have a list of eight things, since he is 8; etc. I think you get the idea. That worked for Nathan and Beth. Sarah and Ammon saw what I was doing--an ABC list--and chose to do it that way. Here are our lists:

Beth:
1. Mommy
2. Daddy
3. Family
4. Sky
5. God
6. Jesus

Nathan:
1. Mom
2. Dad
3. Me
4. T.V.
5. Beth
6. Sarah
7. Ammon
8. My home

Sarah:
Ammon
Beth
Christ
Dad
Eden
Family
God
Hopping
Ice Cream
Jam
Kelani
Love
Mom
Nathan
Orange
Phones
Quimbys (She's enjoying Beverly Cleary right now.)
Rain
Sarah
Time
Umbrellas
Vacations
Woods
X-rays
Yo-yos
Zoos

Ammon:
America
Beauty
Cats
Dad
Elisabeth
Forest
Good food
Health
Ice cream
Jell-o
Kit Kats
Love
Mom
Nathan
October
Priesthood
Quillows
Rocky Road
Sarah
Trees
Umbrellas
Vacations
Water
X-ray
Yummy food
Zoology

Me, Megan:
Ammon (who has a quiet desire to be the best he can possibly be.)

Bible (and other revealed scripture, a peaceful guide to living.)

Chris (I'm grateful for him more and more every day.)

Democracy (Even after a bitter and emotionally painful year when I became exhausted with the election cycle, I am deeply grateful for democracy.)

Elisabeth (who has a gentle nature.)

Family (both immediate and extended. I love every single one.)

God (Who is aware of me and loves me.)

Home (We were without a home for a while this year and the Lord blessed us with a home that is better than we could have imagined. I walk around in it filled with gratitude to be here.)

Illustrations (I love art in general, but I have a special love for children's picture books filled with beautiful illustrations.)

Jesus Christ (my Lord and Savior. I depend on His mercy daily.)

Knowledge (I'm very grateful for my own education and the process of educating my children.)

Love (I am in awe at the love we have been shown the last several months.)

Mountains (I love the beauty of the earth!)

Nathan (who makes me laugh and always looks out for others.)

Oceans (Again--I love the beauty of the earth!)

Parents (I have the very best ones. I'm also grateful for my in-laws.)

Quiet time (Awww . . . . )

Reading (a favorite past time both alone and with the children.)

Sarah (who is creative, giving, and always has a party up her sleeve.)

Trees (Our new home--New York--is breathtaking.)

United States (I believe in America. I believe in the goodness of America.)

Volcanoes (I love the various exciting things found on the earth!)

Water (Oh, I love clean drinking water. I'm so grateful to live where we have easy access to it.)

Xylophone (a bit lame, but you think of something that starts with X! I am grateful for music, in its many forms.)

Yesterday (My yesterdays have shaped who I am. I treasure my memories.)

Zoos (I love animals. I love to see animals. But I don't like to touch animals. Therefore, I love zoos.)

Giving thanks...

It is my prayer that in addition to all else for which we are grateful,

we may ever reflect our gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

--Thomas S. Monson

A few days ago, following my sister-in-law's wedding, I posted that I was grateful for my in-laws. I'm expanding on that a little. That night, I was specifically referring to Chris' family. Because Chris' parents have both remarried, that family is big and quite varied. The dynamics are different than they were when Chris was growing up. But still, I love each one of them and am grateful to have them in our family. I love their spouses and their children. It's a good family and I'm so glad to be a part of it.

But I have more in-laws. Two of my brothers are married and their wives are so amazing. I could rave about them all day long. They are talented and kind. They are caring and compassionate. They are not the same person. I love them. I am grateful my brothers were both lucky and wise enough to marry well.

And also, there are my sisters' husbands. As mentioned previously, I am extremely close to my sisters. So, I spend a lot of time with their husbands. What cool guys. Every one of them is funny (an essential quality) and goes out of his way to take care of my sister (the one that goes together with him). They also take care of the rest of us. These are good men and I'm grateful to have them in my family.

We had a pleasant Thanksgiving. I took pictures of the place settings, but forgot to take pictures of any people. What a weirdo. Everything came together just right. I only made pies. Three kinds: pumpkin, apple, and chocolate haupia. Chris, Kathryn, and Brynn made the rest of the meal. It was delicious. I set the tables. I may have gotten a little carried away with the table-setting adventure, but I don't care because it looked spectacular!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Giving thanks...

Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful

if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.

--Thomas S. Monson

Instead of mentioning just one thing, I'm going to list 10 little things that I am grateful for today.

1. I made some pies for Thanksgiving. I enjoy making pies. I like making pie crust from scratch. And I usually make pretty pies. They're so tasty, too. I am grateful my mom taught me to bake.
2. I am soooo grateful Chris came up and helped me clean up my pie-making mess. It was about 11:15 p.m. I was tired and stiff. Note to self: don't wait until after the kids go to bed to start making pies. Note to Christopher: Thanks for your help!!
3. During school today, Nathan was in a terrible mood. He complained about everything. I physically carried him back to the school room and handed him a math worksheet. He took it into the other room, where it's quiet. He returned it about 5 minutes later--all 50 problems completed correctly. He was excited and cheerful and diligently completed the rest of his assignments. I was grateful for his change of attitude.
4. Chris has an opportunity to perform next week (it's a job). So, he's been practicing. I enjoy hearing him sing and play his guitar. I am grateful for his talents.
5. I am grateful the kids have a really good friend. I am grateful this good friend's mother lets him invite three of my kids over to play quite often. 
6. Sarah spent considerable time today humming and making Thanksgiving cards for each of our expected guests tomorrow. I am grateful for her creativity.
7. Ammon comes up with scientific theories several times a day. Today they were about static electricity. He experimented his theories with a balloon and the hair on his head. Sometimes his theories are a little more complicated. I am grateful for his curiosity and love of discovery.
8. Beth got new toy dishes for her birthday. She makes me elaborate meals consisting of her favorite foods: mashed potatoes, chicken noodle soup, and more. I can't think of what else. I'm really tired from all that pie making. Anyway, I'm grateful for her imagination.
9. You're probably thinking to yourself that I already spent an entire day being thankful for each kid so I shouldn't have done it again today. But guess what? I'm thankful for them everyday. Guess who else I'm thankful for? My parents. I have great parents. I love them and appreciate them.
10. I am thankful for my Savior. I know I need Him and I know I can trust Him. This is not a little thing, by the way.

 

Giving thanks...

To truly reverence the Creator, we must appreciate his creations.

We need to plan to take time to observe the marvels of nature. . . .

All the marvels of nature are glimpses of his divine power and expressions of his love.

--M. Russell Ballard

I think that the quote I used here from Elder Ballard sums up my gratitude tonight. I am grateful for the beauty of the earth around us. In the past few months, we have hiked to Timpanogos Cave, taken a road trip through Yellowstone, driven through southern Utah's amazing canyons, and we also went to Las Vegas. I like the Joshua trees in Nevada. And there are sometimes nice sunsets. Anyway, even though these places are close together geographically, the views are so diverse. God has given us variety and beauty sometimes for no other reason than to "please the eye and to gladden the heart" (Doctrine and Covenants 59:18). The beauty of God's creations make me very happy and grateful. I know that God lives and that He loves me. One of the primary ways I feel His love is by enjoying His creations.

I really love it when one of my little children runs to get me so I can come see a sunset. I love it when they search for shapes in the clouds--and identify the cloud types. Today, Beth (who is 5) gasped as she looked out our front window. "Mom, look at the mountains! They're so pretty." I am grateful for God's creations and grateful that my children are aware of the beauty.

This is the view from our front porch: (It's not from today. There are fewer leaves today.)

Giving thanks...

Gratitude is our sweet acknowledgment of the Lord’s hand in our lives;

it is an expression of our faith.

--Bonnie D. Parkin

I love this quote because I remember realizing for the first time that gratitude is part of faith in God. But that has nothing to do with what I'm thankful for tonight.

You'll probably think this is crazy unless you know me. Even then, it's a little weird. Tonight we went to see the local high school production of Seussical the Musical. One of the young women in my ward had the lead, you see. They did a fine job. Excellent, really. But that's beside the point. I was sitting between Ammon and Nathan and watched them as they recognized even tiny tidbits of Seuss from all the different stories. Ammon was a little annoyed by the way they changed some stories so that they could mesh them all together. He reminded me of me watching Harry Potter. Again, I'm getting off subject. I watched the high school musical and thought about Dr. Seuss.

So, as the story goes, Dr. Seuss thought that Dick and Jane primers were boring. He decided that children would enjoy the process of learning to read if their books weren't so dull. So, he wrote "The Cat in the Hat." Some book critic (Ellen Goodman) described it as "a little volume of absurdity that worked like a karate chop on the weary little world of Dick, Jane and Spot." I've always loved that description.

Today I raise my kids on Dr. Seuss and those who followed after him: Sandra Boynton, Mem Fox, Mo Willems, Don and Audrey Wood, Kevin Henkes, Marcia Vaughan, Eric Carle, Judy Schachner, and Judith Viorst. I could probably think of more of my favorite authors if I stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. But those are the ones that came immediately to mind without effort. I love picture books. I think that some of the best artists alive today make their living by illustrating picture books. I am amazed at the complexity that goes into the simplest children's book--when it's well-written, that is. We have a remarkable selection of really, really good picture books available to us. It makes learning to read more fun. It makes reading aloud more fun. Which, for me, makes parenting more fun. And to think it all started with a cat in a hat.

Seriously, one of my little sorrows about having children grow up is when they grow out of these read aloud books. We almost never read Sandra Boynton around here anymore (but I'm keeping all her books just in case I babysit a small child who cares).

Anywho (ha, ha. Who. That's a Seuss-reference right there. Did you get it?), I am absolutely grateful (no matter how silly it sounds to say it out loud) for Dr. Seuss and all of the good authors and illustrators of children's books. I love to read aloud! 

Giving thanks...

My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable,

to enact gratitude is generous and noble,

but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.

--Thomas S. Monson

Today I am grateful that there is a true and living God and that He hears and answers prayers in many different ways.

Giving thanks...

The Lord has said, "The meek shall inherit the earth." (See Matt. 5:5.)

I cannot escape the interpretation that meekness implies a spirit of gratitude

as opposed to an attitude of self-sufficiency,

an acknowledgment of a greater power beyond oneself,

a recognition of God and an acceptance of his commandments.

This is the beginning of wisdom.

--Gordon B. Hinckley

You might detect a pattern in these last few posts. Tonight, and every day and night, I am grateful for my little Nathan.

Nathan lives life with enthusiasm and gusto. Anything he does, he does it with incredible energy. Maybe it's because it's late, or maybe it's because my vocabulary is limited, but I'm going to stick with the word "gusto." Actually, I changed my mind. I'm going with "enthusiasm." Nathan plays with wild enthusiasm. Nathan cleans (when he cleans) with enthusiasm. Nathan eats and drinks with enthusiasm. Nathan completes his schoolwork with enthusiasm. He is determined to learn to read very well, and he reads with incredible enthusiasm. In retrospect, maybe "gusto" was the better word. It certainly would have been easier to type over and over.

Nathan is my little friend. I often talk about how he makes me laugh and how he keeps me on my toes. But the endearing thing about Nathan is that he is sweet and loving. He's seven now, but I still get more hugs from him than anyone else. Right now, we live with my parents, and every time Grandma walks through the room, he--I was going to say he greets her with a hug, but I think that's not quite accurate. He attacks her with a running hug. Nathan hugs with enthusiasm. Or is it gusto? Nathan is learning to be a peacemaker and he is very aware of others' feelings. He's a tender-hearted little monkey.

I am so, so grateful for Nathan.



Giving thanks...

A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude

to our Heavenly Father for His blessings

and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives.

This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned

and cultivated an attitude of gratitude.

--Thomas S. Monson

Sarah. I am grateful for Sarah. Sarah is passionate, creative, and original. She loves to perform. She is so beautiful. I love to hear her sing. I think she is so talented and amazing.

For some reason, Blogger won't let me load a picture tonight. This is the second computer I've used as I've tried and tried and tried, so it's definitely not my fault. I'll add a photo tomorrow. Just trust me for now when I say she's beautiful.

Anyway, Sarah adds color to our lives. She is our child who has never had a favorite color. The others have had the same favorite colors since they could recognize color: Ammon=green; Nathan=blue; Bethie=pink. But Sarah's changes constantly. Right now, it's orange. And brown. And blue. I think her changing favorite color is reflective of her personality. Not that she's fickle--it's that she loves life too much to pick just one part of it as her only focus.

Sarah entertains. She is nurturing and kind. This week, she asked to host Beth's birthday party. I just sat back and watched as she and Beth led the little children in the games they had planned. That's my Sarah. I am grateful for her in my life.

Giving thanks...

There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.

--Ralph H. Blum

I am grateful for my oldest son, Ammon. I love him so much. He is clever and witty. He is obedient and almost always kind. He is a deep thinker and expresses himself so well.

He's very sincere, compassionate, and just an all around good kid. Because I've raised him on a strict Dr. Seuss diet, he rhymes like crazy. Sometimes he'll just stand up and throw out a spontaneous rap. It amazes us because he's never even heard a rap song except for the ones on the Sing-Off. Anyway, I think I'll share some poetry with you. First, a song to be sung to the tune of the chorus of "God Bless the U.S.A." (You know, the part that starts with, "I'm proud to be an American."):

I’m proud to be a librarian where people sit and read.

And I won’t forget the man alive, who gave this job to me.

And I gladly walk around to every wall hanging "Please Be Quiet" signs.

But what I love most of all is collecting people’s fines.

And then there's this one. I think it's an ode to a sidewalk, or something:

O long sidewalk, so strong, so stiff

If people fall down on you, they sob and sniff.

Do you get discouraged when people walk all over you?

But you can't talk, so I don't have a clue.

I'm pretty grateful for Ammon for more reasons than I can list.

Giving thanks...

The spirit of gratitude is always pleasant and satisfying

because it carries with it a sense of helpfulness to others;

it begets love and friendship, and engenders divine influence.

Gratitude is said to be the memory of the heart.

--Joseph F. Smith

I am grateful for my bright little ray of sunshine. Here she is:

Beautiful Elisabeth was born 5 years ago today. She has always been sweet and peaceful. She radiates qualities that draw people to her. Almost immediately after learning to walk, she learned to jump. And she would make me jump everywhere. "Jump, Mom!" I had to start jumping up and down every stair with her. It's amazing how jumping can lighten your mood. Beth makes me happy. And I see by the way others respond to her that she makes them happy, too. She is positive and loves everything and everyone. I am deeply grateful to have her in my life. My little light.



Giving thanks...

Our realization of what is most important in life

goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings.

--Thomas S. Monson

I adore my brothers. I have a proper little-sister way of idolizing my big brother. I think he is remarkable. I love to ask his opinion on things because, even if I disagree with his conclusions, I enjoy watching the way his mind works. I find his opinion shaping my own, or at very least, making me think mine through a little better.

My younger brother has been one of the closest friends that I've ever had. He is also remarkable. In my opinion, he is excellent at whatever he does. I enjoy being where he is. Everyone likes to be where he is. He's pretty likeable. Although, if I remember right, his middle school computer teacher disagreed with me on that one.

My youngest brother is a great kid. He is smart. He is kind. He goes out of his way to interact with my kids even when he doesn't feel like it. It probably bugs him that I just called him a kid, but he doesn't read this blog so I'll call him what I want.

I adore my brothers. I'd tell you all about them and the amazing things that they do with their lives, but chances are, if you're reading this, you're probably married to one of them. I am grateful God has blessed me with brothers. And even more grateful that He gave me these particular brothers.

Giving thanks...

As we express our appreciation for our many blessings,

we become more conscious of what the Lord has done for us,

and thereby we become more appreciative.

--N. Eldon Tanner

Last summer, my sister was diagnosed with cancer. According to people who know things, it was the "best" kind of cancer to get because it is so treatable. We knew she was waiting for results of her medical tests, but somehow I was still very surprised when it really was cancer. I immediately found myself getting angry at my children for no reason. I guess that was how I expressed my emotions. But my older sister had a better idea. She decided that we needed to spend time together. Those of my sisters who live in the area went out to lunch. We even let Mom come. I have proof:

While at lunch, we laughed and laughed until our sides ached. The waitress asked what we were celebrating and we pointed at Rachel and said, "She has cancer!" And then we laughed some more. I know it's not really funny at all, but laughing, like crying, is an emotional release. And, you will be shocked to discover that Applebee's does not--I repeat: DOES NOT--give you a free dessert on the day you were diagnosed with cancer. If you work at a restaurant, I suggest you talk to management about this. Honestly, birthdays come every year to every single person. But cancer, that's something interesting.

After lunch, we had some extra time. One of us (maybe me) suggested we go shopping. That's just silly because we're not really shoppers. But we remembered that there is an Office Max close by! And a Barnes and Noble! I love the fact that I was with people who understood (and agreed) that shopping for office supplies or books is a lot more fun than shopping for clothes. I love paper!

Anyway, Rachel's diagnosis and treatment has been difficult for me. I've been mostly helpless and useless. I've spent time in private crying and praying and time in public laughing and making inappropriate cancer jokes. We call it tumor humor. I don't like it. I'm not referring to the humor. Laughing is good. I'm referring to the cancer. I don't like it. And I really don't like it attacking my little sister.

You're probably wondering what I'm grateful for today. It's my sisters. My sisters are something that I openly admit taking for granted. I was pretty old before I realized what an incredible thing it is to have sisters and have close relationships with each one. My sisters are my best friends. They are a huge support to me. I am glad we live so close to each other. (My youngest sister lives two hours away. I wish she was closer, but if wishes were horses we'd all take a ride.) The cancer isn't the only thing that has made me wake up and be grateful to have sisters, but it brought it back to the front of my mind.

In July, when I was really emotional about all this, I wrote a blog entry about my sisters in my head. I was too lazy to write it on the computer. I think it was a better entry than this one. But I think most things are better in my head and then they fall out of my head all sloppy. I'll just end it by saying that I am deeply grateful to God that He blessed me with sisters. I'm grateful that we remain close and that we all get along so well. They are absolutely a blessing to me.

Giving thanks...

I hope you walk with gratitude in your hearts, really.

Grateful people are respectful people.

Grateful people are courteous people.

Grateful people are kindly people.

Be grateful.

--Gordon B. Hinckley

After getting home late last night from our trip to Las Vegas (for Chris' step-sister's wedding), we were tired today. But that didn't stop us from a full-on, busy day. We went to church in our own ward. It was the primary program. The kids did wonderfully. They sang the songs so well. I like having singers in my family. Ammon gave a beautiful, heartfelt talk on the Atonement. Sarah sang with a small "sign language choir." Nathan read a statement about the power of scripture. And Beth. Beth was a little stubborn. She refused to go up for most of the meeting. Finally Chris convinced her to do what she had prepared to do. So she sang her little heart out. Then she stood up to deliver her memorized line about having faith in Christ. She knew she had the little paper somewhere in her scriptures, so she began to search for it. She stood there at the podium turning the pages of the Book of Mormon one by one--very slowly and deliberately. She is a child who cannot be rushed. Anyway, eventually she said what she already had memorized and all was well.

I think I'm falling off subject a bit. From our sacrament meeting, we went straight over to my aunt and uncle's house. They recently returned from a mission to Tonga. We missed hearing them speak in church (because of said primary program) but we got to visit with family. We spent an enjoyable hour or two visiting with cousins--some who were in town from North Carolina and Arizona. I had a great time and when we left, Chris talked about how much he likes my cousins. (And aunt and uncle.) By the way, this is my dad's side of the family.

From there, we came home for lunch. So did three of my sisters. They came to Mom and Dad's where we ate and let the kids play. My kids have 27 cousins on this side of the family and they love each other.

And then we went to hear my cousin speak in his sacrament meeting. He just returned from a mission in Guatemala. He talked about the joy found in following Jesus Christ. It was nice. From there, we went to my aunt's house. By the other way, this is my mom's side of the family. All of my aunt's children were there. One of my cousins was in from Georgia. I haven't seen him for years. I saw other cousins I haven't seen for a long time, probably since Mitch left on his mission. We visited and laughed and ended up staying a very long time. Time flies when you're with your cousins.

Yesterday, we were in Las Vegas. (Now I'm going backwards.) We went to my sister-in-law's house just for the purpose of letting our kids play together. They got to play with 8 of their 11 cousins on the Woods side. They all get along great. Nathan could barely remember one of his cousins, Justin, because we haven't seen him for several years. But he told me, "We're already great friends, even though we barely remember each other." Isn't that the way it is with cousins?

So, this was my long, round-about, slightly boring way of saying that I am grateful for cousins. I love my cousins. I love that we still have friendships and I like to be with them. I'm also grateful for my kids' cousins. Cousins! I love them.

Giving thanks...

One of the most esteemed spiritual attributes we can acquire in life is sincere gratitude.

It enriches our lives as we, through this attribute, enrich the lives of others.

If we have a thankful heart we will have the blessings that come from

constant appreciation for the things done for us and the Lord’s goodness.

--Howard W. Hunter

Tonight I am thankful that we came home to a (mostly) clean house. I'm thankful we have a place to live and that it is warm and inviting. And, at least for tonight, clean.

Giving thanks...

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not,

but rejoices for those which he has.

--Epictetus

I'm here at my sister-in-law's wedding, so I will go ahead and be thankful for my in-laws tonight. Even more than being thankful for them, I'm thankful that I like them and they like me. What a blessing it is to our marriage that we both have healthy relationships with the whole families.

Giving thanks...

Gracias, danke, merci—whatever language is spoken,
“thank you” frequently expressed will cheer your spirit,

broaden your friendships, and lift your lives to a higher pathway

as you journey toward perfection.

There is a simplicity—even a sincerity—when “thank you” is spoken.

--President Thomas S. Monson

I am thankful for my husband. When we got married, the officiator at our ceremony gave us some advice. He told us that when we prayed together, we should thank Heavenly Father for each other. He told us that if we did this, especially aloud, it would bring us closer. There is something truly unifying about expressing gratitude to each other and gratitude for each other. I am very grateful for Chris. And I know he is grateful for me because he tells me so. In all the time we've been married, I don't think I've ever done a load of laundry when he hasn't thanked me. He's taught this to our kids. Almost every meal (depending on what I'm serving), the kids call out, "Thanks for making lunch, Mom." They say this because they hear Chris say it. There are many reasons I'm glad to be married to Chris, and his gratitude for me is certainly one of those reasons.

Giving thanks...

Thanksgiving is possible only for those who take time to remember;

no one can give thanks who has a short memory.

~Author Unknown

I am grateful for family traditions. When I was growing up, we had lots of important traditions associated with holidays. But we also had little traditions for more common day things. Like this: every time one of us lost a tooth, my dad would not just give us Tooth Fairy money, he would write us a little silly poem about our tooth. I found this entertaining and decided to carry it on with my children. Unfortunately, I do not have my father's quick wit. My little boy is sleeping with a tooth under his pillow and I can't get past this line: There once was a boy with a smile... I thought "smile" would be easier than "Nathan" for the rhyming. I've got pile, while, mile, ugh. I tried to chat on FB with my brother or sister-in-law because they can come up with rhymes like nothing. In fact, had any of my siblings been online, I could have used their help. Maybe I'll check again.

In the meantime, even though it's stressing me out right now, typically I'm thankful for these fun little family traditions.

Giving thanks...

Not what we say about our blessings,

but how we use them,

is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

~W.T. Purkiser

Today I express my gratitude for my citizenship in the United States of America. It's a great country. I think I have made how I feel about America perfectly clear on this blog previously, so this post will be short. The more I study history and current events, the more overwhelmed I am with how much I have. I hope I use my blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in ways that show my thankfulness.

Giving thanks...

Gratitude is the music of the heart,

when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness.

~Author Unknown

So, as perhaps I've mentioned before, when Chris was at BYU, he sang with Vocal Point. Although I had attended BYU for four years and continued to live in Provo, I had never heard of this fun a capella group prior to meeting Chris. I guess I ran with the wrong crowd--you know, spending all my time working at the MTC and all. Anyway, through the years we have continued to support Vocal Point anyway we can. Earlier this year, we attended a 20-year VP reunion. This fall, we've been watching The Sing-Off on NBC. It's one of those singing contest shows, but with all a capella groups. It's pretty fun entertainment. The judges are much, much nicer than they are on American Idol (the only other "reality" show I've ever seen), and the judges have obvious musical knowledge. They're pretty bright. It is a real musical competition more than a popularity competition or something else.

So, we watch regularly. And the kids are getting emotionally vested in the outcome. Tonight, we went to a movie theater (Jordan Commons) to attend a Vocal Point Sing-Off-watching party. (I'm not sure what they called it.) A few of the current members of VP were there. The kids went crazy getting autographs and photos. They're so cute. (My kids are cute. The VP boys are, too, I guess.) If I knew how to upload a photo from Chris' phone, I would insert one here.

I am grateful for music. When done right, it is one of the best forms of entertainment. It can be used to express emotion that can be expressed in no other way. It can be used to glorify God. I'm glad to be married to a musician. And I'm glad my parents raised us in a music-loving home.

Giving thanks...

And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious;

and the things of this earth shall be added unto him,

even an hundred fold, yea, more.

--Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

Today in Sunday School, we studied from 1st and 2nd Timothy and also Titus. In 2 Timothy 3, Paul describes some horrible sins that will be in the last days: "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy" (2 Timothy 3:2).

Paul goes on (and on) listing some truly horrible sins that will (and do) plague mankind. We were discussing how to avoid falling into the traps of some of these sins when one of the class members pointed something out. In the middle of this list of really bad stuff comes the sin "unthankful." Gratitude seems to be such a simple thing, it is easy to forget that it is a commandment to be grateful and that to be ungrateful is a sin.

I just thought it was interesting and that you might think it was interesting, too. Anyway, today I am grateful for church. I love to go to church. I love to listen to speakers and teachers and learn from them. I love to gather with others, united in faith. I love to fellowship with the saints and to feel the Holy Ghost in abundance. Church is good and I am thankful for it.