Gratitude Challenge Kick Off!!!!

Can I just say how excited I am for this to start? Yay!

So, I'm grateful for:

1. Health. Saturday, my inner hypochondriach came out and I was sure I had some sort of terrible affliction going on; luckily, I don't...at least, I don't think so. I feel much recovered today. And I don't know whether it was terrible heart burn, an ulcer, gas buildup or a heart issue, because all my symptoms say that these are all the possibilities! Still. This leads to #2

2. Modern Medicine. I'm grateful to know I can schedule doctor's appointments and figure out what is wrong...or at least rule things out.

3. My Family. I know we're not supposed to duplicate, so I'm going to try to go around that by doing individuals as the month goes on, but for tonight, the first night of it all, I want to say how grateful I am for my amazing and wonderful family whom I love so much. Nothing like thinking of the possibility of biting the big one to remind you about how much you are blessed with the people in your life who you will hopefully get to spend eternity with (although, even if you think you are on death's door, you are still annoyed with them when they won't go to sleep...just fyi). I sat yesterday on my very long drive home from the Halloween party thinking, Do they know how much I love them? Adore them? Am THANKFUL for them? Because I do, I do and I am. They are the reason I keep on going, so you can only imagine how thankful I am that I did not meet my Maker last night, but instead get to be with them and enjoy them and try to figure out what happened.

Okay, this is kind of backwards, but oh well.

If you want to participate, here are the "rules," (unless you are Cryptic Jennifer, who sent them to me. Thank you, Cryptic Jennifer! ...and yes, I copied this word for word from her email...so if you want to get an email with these lovelies instead of just reading them on my blog, let me know)

It's that time of year again (can you believe that it will be November THIS WEEKEND?). Time for pumpkins and gloves and long-sleeves and the November Attitude of Gratitude Challenge. Participation is completely voluntary. For those of you who have not played before, the challenge is outlined below.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
* Each day during the month of November you will send an email to me, at least, but feel free to invite others to participate and you can send your gratitude emails to them, as well.
* Each daily email will contain three "things" for which you are grateful.
* Definition of "things"- the term "things" is used here to encompass a myriad of stuff including, but not limited to: a certain set of circumstances, an event, an inanimate object distinguished from a living being, possessions or effects, a deed or act, a product of work or activity, an idea or notion, a piece of news or information, a person, a memory, anything that makes you smile.
* The challenge is to come up with three ORIGINAL "things" each day. Try not to repeat entries.
* Your email should be sent by midnight each night. If you miss a day or two, no biggie, but you have to make it up, no skipping!

NOTE: If you want to receive these emails from me this month (even if you don't want to send them out), please let me know so I can keep you on the distribution list. I don't want to feel like I'm bogging down your email boxes with junk that you rush to delete, so I'll only send this out (in the future) to those who are participating or those who respond to this email.

WARNING OF POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS!!
Please note that challenge participation may result in any or all of the following:
- you will be surprised at all the Lord has done for you
- angels will attend
- you will feel help and comfort
- you may find yourself singing as the days go by
- your doubts will fly

In the past years I've included a gratitude quote each day. I think I've used them all up. This year (and in future years) you can expect to see some duplication of these quotes. Sorry, kids.

"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."
-Thomas S. Monson, "The Profound Power of Gratitude," Ensign, Sep 2005

"Our society is afflicted by a spirit of thoughtless arrogance unbecoming those who have been so magnificently blessed. How grateful we should be for the bounties we enjoy. Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief.
"Where there is appreciation, there is courtesy, there is concern for the rights and property of others. Without appreciation, there is arrogance and evil. Where there is gratitude, there is humility, as opposed to pride. How magnificently we are blessed! How thankful we ought to be!"
-Gordon B. Hinckley, "'With All Thy Getting Get Understanding'," Ensign, Aug 1988