Spreading {Almond} Joy and Loaves and Fishes

               Last night I got to take my kids trick-or-treating. It was very interesting. Max was an eager beaver running up to houses long before I could get the tiny legs of the twins to catch up. I constantly had to remind him to wait up. Amelia and Cooper were more interested in just being out for a walk. Cooper often had no inclination to walk up to a door. He was more content to see if he could pick up the fire hydrant or push back the curb. Amelia loved seeing everyone else out and dressed up. She got excited over seeing the dogs and people she knew. And Turner discovered Almond Joys. After we had gone down a street the kids asked if they could have a piece of candy. I told them they could and Turner picked out an Almond Joy. He got so excited. He told me that they were the best thing he had ever eaten and got so excited at every door that had Almond Joys.

               What surprised me was that he loved them so much that he started giving them out to people. We had to make a bathroom stop at my in-laws and he wanted GG and Crapa to try them. He wanted me to try one. He wanted his brothers and sister to try one. He wanted his dad to try one.  Today for school we sorted, counted and grafted the candy he got last night.  9 Almond Joys survived. It was by far the most of any one kind of candy he got. I just loved that he found something that brought him joy and he wanted to share it with the world!

               I hope people don’t get offended by how much I share my faith and religion on my blog.  I feel much the same way about my Savior. I am happy and feel joy when I am following His teachings. I just want to share my feelings with all of you!!

            

         This month is such a special one—it is THANKSGIVING! Last year I tried and tried and tried to post something I was thankful for every day in November. I have to admit that I struggled with it.  I had a hard time actually feeling grateful. I knew how important gratitude was; I just couldn’t make myself really feel it. I had 1,000 things that I was thankful for, it was just the actual FEELING that was missing. Does this make sense to anyone? Well, this year my heart has been brimming with gratitude lately. I am excited to try again this year to post something I am thankful for everyday this month. I have learned a lot about gratitude and I would love to share some of what I have learned with those who care to keep reading.

               So today in school we were reading in Matthew when Christ feeds the 4,000+ women and children. In Matt. 15:36 Christ asks the disciples to gather the food and they find there are 7 loaves and a few little fishes. Christ then gathers the food and he thanks God for it. He passes out the food and 7 large baskets of leftovers are gathered up. 7 loaves and a few fishes probably didn’t seem like it would be enough food. Yet he thanks God for it.

               How many things in my life feel like it isn’t enough? My time, talents, money—yes, yes, yes. I have spent my life feeling like the talents that I had been given were not enough. They weren’t real talents because they didn’t compare to people who really had those talents like musical instruments, singing, acting, art etc . . . yet in reality it doesn’t matter how big my portion is, it just matters how I use it. I guess that takes us to another parable for another day.

               So today I am thankful for my talents. If I compare them to others, I won’t feel all that great about myself. But if I use them for good, to bless others’ lives, and to do the work of God then, it will always be enough!