This was my Christmas:
7 ½ hours in the ER with a very sick baby. Lots of tears, tests, poking, proding, screaming, X-rays, puking, bleeding, etc. Humming and singing, “I am a Child of God” in English and in French to Annick hundreds of times. Nurses and doctors needing to do way more work on not showing their emotions/worries for the state of their patients! Disappointment at realizing we’d be in the hospital a few days and needed to cancel our trip scheduled for the states. Pneumonia. RSV. A month’s worth of weight lost. Sad, lonely Momma worried about her baby and missing her boys at home having a less-than-exciting Christmas dinner with half the family missing. And amidst all the drama…peace, calm, gratitude, and answered prayers.
For Christmas this year my dad wanted to give us all a gift of gratitude. He wanted us all to do the “Gratitude Challenge” mentioned in the 1st Presidency message of the December Ensign. They suggest writing down 100 things you’re grateful for, breaking them down like this:
10 physical abilities you are grateful for
10 material possessions you are grateful for
10 living people you are grateful for
10 deceased people you are grateful for
10 things about nature you are grateful for
10 things about today you are grateful for
10 places on earth you are grateful for
10 modern inventions you are grateful for
10 foods you are grateful for
10 things about the gospel you are grateful for
As I held my sweet little sick girl and cried, this challenge came to my mind. I forgot about my breaking back & trip cancellation and had faith that things would improve quickly. So as I swayed from side to side with a worn-out baby in my arms I started my mental list of 10’s. The time went more quickly. I felt recognized and loved by the Lord. I knew He was aware of a sad mommy and baby feeling alone and worried in the hospital. And after two more days in the hospital I can easily say that despite the trauma of the whole experience, what I felt most was peace. I felt grateful to have some quiet alone time with Annick and felt needed and loved by her. That’s a feeling I’d been waiting for for a long time, and since then I’ve felt much more connected to her—something I’d been praying for. It’s neat how the Lord answers our prayers in the most unexpected ways.
So for my dad, who thinks I never listen…I do. Thanks for the gift of gratitude.
