The Blessing Jar

I've begun a blessings jar. Seeing as it's made of a pickle jar, you can appreciate why one of the first blessings I put into it was "pickles."

And even though I've already lined the bottom of it with the motley assortment of blessings ranging from the standard gospel answers to the littlest things that mean so much to me personally, I'm looking forward to all of the repeats I'm surely going to have. Suffice it to say, I'm beginning to see that I can never be too thankful for all of the glorious privileges I've been given as a daughter of my Heavenly Father's covenant.

Just to share a few:

• Naps on the couch
• Bishops
• Sleeping in
• Three piece suits (on good looking men)
• hot showers
• the Priesthood
• I Love Lucy
• my roommates
• Indoor plumbing
• back massages
• Jesus Christ
• Debussy music
• Lillies
• Mercy
• Trees
• Poetry
• Isaiah
• Bubble wrap

Blessings are an interesting aspect of the gospel of Jesus Christ because the manner in which they're given is something that many of us do not understand. They are not always given to the righteous, nor are they always withheld from the unrighteous. They are not products of what we do. They are not only given to members of a certain church.

Blessings are given to us because of who we are. We are children of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and desires for us to be happy. He gives us blessings as our parent, desiring for our greatest good by helping us and guiding us to paths and people that will bring love and joy into our lives. Just as a loving parent desires to do nice things for their children, so does our Father in Heaven desire to bless us with peace, comfort, and wholeness despite our many trials and struggles.

However, a willing and obedient heart makes these blessings easier to see. We are then able to see that the red light that made us late for work is not nearly as important as the car that didn't hit us because of it. Blessings help us to change our perspective to one of humility and gratitude, a realization of the great need we will always have in the flesh for our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

I testify that blessings enrich our lives when we are willing to receive them as they are given, and that our fullest happiness as sons and daughters of God is attached to receiving the blessings of the Kingdom in the name of Jesus Christ.

AMEN