30 Days of Gratitude - Day 25

I am thankful for music.  I love music and have absolutely no talent whatsoever.  I'm thankful for the songs on the radio that I listen to on the way to work.  The music that I listen to on iTunes while I am at work to help make my day a little smoother-- sometimes it's inspirational and uplifting music and sometimes its my favorite Country Music.  I'm thankful for those talented band, orchestra and choir students that work so hard.  I'm thankful for those that share their talents with others.  I'm thankful for the hymns that we sing on Sunday.

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." 

-Plato

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 24

I am thankful for this beautiful earth that we live on.  It reminds me of one of my favorite hymns.  How grateful I am for the beauty that is all around us.

1. For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies,

2. For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flow'r,

Sun and moon, and stars of light,

(Chorus)

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

3. For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild,

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 23

I am so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am thankful for His atoning sacrifice.  I know that every trial that I've ever gone through, He has endured it before me.  How amazing and humbling.

"The Savior's Atonement lifts from us not only the burden of our sins but also the burden of our disappointments and sorrows, and heartaches and our despair.  I promise you He is not going to turn His back on us now.  When He says to the poor in spirit,  "Come unto me,"  He means He knows the way out and He knows the way up.  He knows it because He has walked it.  He knows the way because He is the way."

- Jeffrey R. Holland

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 22

Today (and everyday) we remember our sweet Aunt Judy and we are so very grateful for the years that we had with her.  More than anyone that I've ever known, she taught me how to have Christlike love for others.  Every single person was better for having known her.  And, she didn't even know it.  She didn't even realize that she changed lives for the better. 

I want to be more like my Aunt Judy.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 21

I am thankful to have a warm house with all of the necessities like food, clothes, car and jobs.  When I get discouraged by how small our house is, I try to remember how fortunate that we truly are.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 20

I am thankful for the missionaries that serve our church.  If it weren't for the missionaries,  I would never have been baptized in December of 1999.  Elder Suter and Elder Maxwell were my missionaries and they changed my life.   (Fun Fact:  Elder Maxwell is Neal A. Maxwell's grandson)

I am thankful for the sweet missionaries from our ward that are out there serving right now and I'm thankful for those missionaries that serve in our ward.  I am thankful for the sacrifices that they are making. I am also thankful for the sacrifices that their families are making during this time.  The work that these missionaries are doing is so very important-- not only is it changing lives now, but also the lives of generations to come.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 19

On this day in 2008, I started a little blog called The Fortenberry Four.  I have used it as an online journal and really need to convert it into a book.  I tried to do that once, but it took a ton of time and I ended up losing all of my work.  Maybe I'll work on that over the holidays.

I am so thankful for my blog.  I am not a writer, but I do love to record my thoughts in this way.  I am thankful to those who drop by and read from time to time.  Jonathan is almost 16 and Jessie is 19.  I'm not sure how much longer I'll keep this up.  For right now, I love it!