Blessings come in numerous ways. Many are recognized immediately, while others seem to unfold slowly over time. Anything that contributes to our true happiness, well-being, or prosperity is a blessing, and these blessings come from God.[1]
Some of God’s blessings feel extraordinary, leaving little doubt that we are the recipient of divine favor. Yet others seem, well, ordinary. But gratitude for the ordinary blessings of life can give us extraordinary power to transform our lives!
Melody Beattie shared: “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. . . . It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”[2] In a way, gratitude can grow our blessings. It’s not that the blessing itself changes, but gratitude expressed for the root blessing causes our perspective to grow and expand, leading to an increased appreciation for our blessings.
Jennifer Sabin and her dad, Gary, are good examples of this. The night before Jennifer would have a double-lung transplant at age 16, she leaned over to her dad and said, “Don’t worry! Tomorrow I will wake up with new lungs, or I will wake up in a better place. Either way will be great.” After the surgery and upon taking her first breath unaided by a breathing tube and ventilator, Jennifer began to cry. Seeing the concern on her family’s face, Jennifer quickly exclaimed, “It’s just so good to breathe.”
Witnessing this, Gary himself found new appreciation for the ordinary blessing of breath. He said: “Ever since that day, I have thanked [God] morning and night for my ability to breathe. We are surrounded by innumerable blessings that we can easily take for granted if we are not mindful. Conversely, when nothing is expected and everything is appreciated, life becomes magical.”[3] He continued, “[I have determined that we] will never be happier than [we] are grateful.”
For Jennifer and Gary, the ordinary blessing of breath became extraordinary! May we all develop what some call an attitude of gratitude, not only for the extraordinary but also the seemingly ordinary blessings of our lives.
[1] See Guide to the Scriptures, “Bless, Blessed, Blessing,” Gospel Library.
[2] Melody Beattie, “The Language of Letting Go: A Meditation Book and Journal for Daily Reflections” (2003), August 1 entry.
[3] Gary B. Sabin, “Hallmarks of Happiness,” Liahona, Nov. 2023, 58.
November 24, 2024
Broadcast Number 4,967
The Tabernacle Choir
Orchestra at Temple Square
Conductor
Mack Wilberg
Organist
Richard Elliott
Host
Derrick Porter
O Clap Your Hands
John Rutter
Hallelujah Chorus, from Christ on the Mount of Olives
Ludwig van Beethoven
Guide Us, O Thou Great Jehovah (Cwm Rhondda)
John Hughes; Arr. Paul Manz
Alleluia, Amen
Johann Sebastian Bach; adapted by Mack Wilberg
Now Thank We All Our God
Johann Crüger; Arr. Mack Wilberg
Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep, from White Christmas
Irving Berlin; Arr. Michael Davis
On Great Lone Hills
Jean Sibelius; Arr. H. Alexander Matthews