My daughter Ashley who is still out serving her mission shared a story from a talk she attended on her mission that has such a simple, yet powerful message, that I had to share it with all of you. She was attending a meeting where a leader was speaking and in the letter Ashley is explaining the story that was told as part of his talk and her feelings about it:

“He shared an experience of a man who had 3 near death experiences within 3 days while receiving heart transplants. (And to save you the details it was more than an absolute miracle that he had survived!) Well his last day in recovery Elder Renlund came in to congratulate him on his health and he saw the man gripping his food tray, shaking. Elder Renlund asked him what was wrong and the man replied, “The oatmeal isn’t hot and the milk isn’t cold.” …..How quick are we to forget the tender mercies of God? How is it that all too often we oversee the miracles and look at the “cold oatmeal and warm milk”? My goal this week and invitation to y’all is to REMEMBER Gods hand in our lives from the past and not be so quick to forget in the present. When we do so I know we will be more happy, understanding, patient, and willing to accept Gods will.”

The story really struck me because it is so easy to picture any one of us complaining about the oatmeal not being hot and the milk not being cold enough rather than focusing our thoughts on being grateful to be alive!!! And we so often do it without even stepping back and realizing how ungrateful we are being. I am sure I have been guilty of than I would even care to admit! Yikes! That is why I am so grateful to Ashley for sharing that story with me because I am sure it will stick in my head and hopefully it will cause me think twice when I feel like complaining.

We can’t be so quick to forget all the blessings in our lives. We need to remember that the fact we are alive is in and of itself a major blessing. We need to see the good around us so much more than we do today. And when things are difficult it’s important to remember all the times you have been blessed in the past and remember that God does love you and He is still there watching out for you even when you can’t see it.

Have a great day and recognize all the blessings in it!

~Amy