Gratitude Helps

End of October, 2013 - Update from Jodie - Kollin is preparing to leave the hospital.



This week my heart has been overflowing with Gratefulness!!!!!  One night while driving home alone from the hospital, I began praying as soon as I pulled out of the parking garage at the hospital, and I didn't stop until I was pulling into my garage at home.  My prayer was full of Thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father-- the whole entire prayer!!!  Not once did I ask for anything, just thanked Him over and over for all of the blessings that He has given to me during the past 8 weeks. There have been that MANY blessings. Most of the blessings involve the people who have reached out to our family in our time of need.  Some of those people we already knew, some we did not.  They include, Family, immediate and extended, Friends that we are close to and some that we haven’t heard from for years, Ward Members and Neighbors, Hospital and Staff—Doctors, Nurses, Aids, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, Music Therapists, Social Workers, Child Life Specialists, Residents, Fellows, Medical Students, Radiologists, Rehab Specialists, Respiratory Therapists, the List goes on and on and on, but you get the point.

Now begins the next phase of Kollin’s recovery---- figuring out how to do things at home.  Dad and I had our routine down at the hospital.  Home will be a bit of an adjustment at first, I’m sure, but we are up for the challenge.  It’s all EXCITING!!!!!  Life is full of changes and challenges, joys and sorrows.  Lately I just seem to CRAVE “Normal Moments” if that makes any sense.  I found this little saying tucked away in my scriptures recently it says:  “What is life’s heaviest burden??? Asked the child.  “To have Nothing to Carry” answered the Old Man.”

Even though sometimes it feels like our family has had more than our share of burdens to carry in this life, it's kind of what life is all about, isn't it???  We are here to grow and to progress and to learn to TRUST GOD. How would we do that if life were just peachy all the time???  Trust God-- Trust in HIS purposes for you-- He will make ALL things work together for your good. Search diligently, pray always, and be believing.  God is always there for us and He is the one thing in our lives that we can TRUST with our whole souls.

Amazing, isn't it, that Jodie (and Kollin) have hearts full of gratitude even though they have been given such a difficult challenge to overcome?  But they believe that they WILL overcome it, and they are grateful for the challenge and the opportunity to learn and grow from it.  Though often difficult, it helps to have gratitude for your trials.  I have learned from personal experience that I'm better able to cope and to have hope when I'm thankful AND when I ask for strength to carry a burden instead of asking for relief from it.  An attitude of gratitude always helps!