Movie Theaters

I really enjoyed going to a movie theater with some friends to see Guardians of the Galaxy. Sometimes I tell myself it doesn't matter all that much whether I see a great movie at home or in a full theater. In many ways, it doesn't matter a lot to me. But, I definitely appreciate the fun environment of a movie theater. I am grateful for movie theaters because they've been making movies look their best for over a century.

Four-Part Hymns

Today, I am grateful that LDS hymn books have four-part harmony for each song. That way, I (and many other people) can sing different voice parts as we sing the hymns in church. I'm glad the writers of the hymnbook decided to do that.

Nickelodeon

I have some nice childhood memories associated with Nickelodeon:

1. Seeing my name on TV (If I had a nickel for each time someone sang "Ni-Ni Ni Ni Ni-Nick Nick Nick, Nickelodeon" to me as a kid...)

2. Nick Jr. Characters from the 90s (especially Blue and Steve from Blue's Clues, as well as Face)

3. Nickelodeon Land in the Mall of America (Well, I was actually disappointed when the Camp Snoopy amusement park was transformed into a Nickelodeon park, but they still kept almost all the old rides that I enjoyed when I was younger.)

4. Avatar (This isn't from my childhood because a friend convinced me to watch this, but I'm impressed with the writing, concept, humor, and music of Avatar. Nickelodeon did a good job with this series.)

An Aunt and Uncle in Town for the Day

I would say the highlight of my day was dinner. I am grateful my aunt and uncle took the time to see my brother and I, and take us out to dinner. I have an awesome family. :)

The Alarm Will Go Off

Today, I am grateful that my phone works in such a way that the alarms i set will go off whether the phone is on or off.

Anxiety Replaced by Confidence

For some reason, I was really anxious about something I had planned this evening. I had the "butterflies in the stomach" feeling, and I had a hard time shaking that off. So, I prayed. I prayed for assurance that everything would work out. In the end I still felt nervous, but I wasn't anxious anymore. I felt that everything would work out, and it did. The plans I had came through and I felt at peace with myself the entire time.

I asked God for assurance and confidence, and I got it. Perhaps God granted it to me when I needed it. Perhaps my deep breathing did the trick. It was probably both. Either way, I had confidence in God. I am grateful that my anxiety was replaced with confidence and faith when I needed it.

Happy Pioneer Day!

This day (July 24th) is actually a holiday here in Utah. As far as I know there aren't many other places in the country where libraries and campus buildings and some businesses close on July 24th. But, it happens in Utah. It has was a really nice break, and I'm grateful for that. I got some cleaning and organizing today. Plus, a good friend came to visit. That was nice. :)

Also, I'm grateful for my pioneer ancestors. I'm aware of a few ancestors from my mother's side that were among the Mormon pioneers who crossed the Great Plains to the Salt Lake Valley back in the mid-1800s. Some came all the way from Switzerland or Germany, as far as I know. I am grateful for their sacrifices and their examples of faith and trust in the Lord through every trial they had.

Happy Pioneer Day!

Just A Little Better

I made a goal to be a little better today at exercising patience and self-control. Instead of hamburger and fries for lunch, I had a yummy meal that was full of vegetables. Later in the day, I waited to start reading a fantasy novel I had just checked out from the library in favor of studying God's word first. I noticed today that I felt better physically and spiritually after making those choices. I felt renewed and able to work hard for a little bit longer until the day's end.

I set this goal about patience and self-control because I've found myself struggling with them at times. Today I'm grateful for the satisfaction and sense of renewal I received from making such choices today.

Help Is All Around

I'm working full-time at the campus library this summer, so the library is on my mind a lot. Today I am grateful for the large number of friendly faculty and staff in the library who are willing and happy to help. Be it a student, a member of the community, an intern, another faculty/staff member, or anyone else that comes to the library, the people I am fortunate to work with in this library are here to help. I am grateful for that. I know it is a blessing to have a large campus library with great resources. The people here are part of that pool of great resources.

Simple Things, Simple Gifts

My mom and I were messaging each other earlier today. She told me she was glad it had just rained back home because then some of tomorrow's yard work will be easier. She followed this comment with "#simplethings." Simple gifts are a blessing, and it brings a smile to my face when someone else tells me about a simple thing they are grateful for. :)

So Many Index/Catalog Cards!

Today I am grateful that I have so many spare index cards and old library catalog cards that I can use them to write notes to others.

Watching It For The First Time, Again

Today, I am grateful for the times I get to watch a favorite show on TV or on a stage with a friend who had never seen it before. Tonight, I attended a production of Les Miserables with a few friends, and none of them had seen the full show live on a stage. I had seen a few live productions of this show before, but this time felt like the first time because I was sharing the experience with other first-timers. The little comments they made and their other reactions helped me to see several things in the show I had not fully appreciated as much in a long time.

Neckties

I really enjoy dressing up. I've dressed up every Wednesday for several years now for the fun of it. But, I dressed up today as well to attend the temple this afternoon. (I can hardly pass up an opportunity to dress up on other days of the week.) By extending my gratitude for dressing up, I can say I am grateful for neckties; the good, the bad, and the ugly, there is a time and a place for all of them. I think ties are my favorite part of a formal outfit. :)

Air Conditioning

For hot summer months like this, my gratitude for air conditioners goes without saying.

An Old Gratitude Journal

This afternoon, I had some extra time so I looked at a small notebook in which I record spiritual impressions and thoughts from time to time. Two years ago, I wrote gratitude statements for several days in a row. Two years ago I was very uncertain about my future, but I trusted in God. Now, I can plainly see how I have been blessed by God each day as I have progressed in many ways, not the least of which is my educational and career path.

Maintenance Workers

Today, in the library, a few workers were placing new carpet in one of the areas in which I work. It gets in the way of work, but the carpet looks better and they'll be finished with their work in a few days. I also saw a couple of workers who were using a few noisy tools to fix a couple of large doors on the second floor. I realize that I see the work of these people every day. In every building on campus, things work as they should. I am grateful for those who come to the buildings and do their job so everyone in the buildings can do theirs in the long run.

An Example in Word and Deed

The talks that were given in church this morning were centered on this theme: "Let Your Faith Show." One of the speakers gave a wonderful, sincere message on the subject and said things that were very helpful and enlightening to me. I was impressed by the message, and I was just as impressed with the appearance and demeanor of the speaker. The way she dressed, carried herself, smiled, and spoke all communicated an attitude of gratitude, cheerfulness, optimism, and faith. It was very easy for me to see her as "an example of the believers" (1 Timothy 4:12). I am grateful for the message that was given by word and deed.

Really Warm Weather

It was really hot outside today, at least I thought it felt really hot outside. Maybe the fair amount of walking I did today had something to do with that. Being from Minnesota, I actually prefer the colder weather of the last few months of the year to the hot weather in the middle of the year. But, I'm grateful for really warm weather just because it allows me to appreciate cooler weather even more when it comes.

Munchkin

Munchkin is a fun card game in which you compete with other players to collect items, battle monsters, back stab your opponents, and gain levels. It is a parody of role-playing games, and it is one of my favorite games to play with friends. I have enjoyed this game for years, and I enjoyed playing it with a few friends tonight.

Apartment Prayer

Each evening at 11 my roommates and I have apartment prayer. We share highlights of the the day, we pray together, and we have a group hug afterwards. Today I am grateful that we have all made this a tradition among ourselves.

"Hi! How are you?"

This was really a very average day. However, I thought it interesting how an enthusiastic "Hi!" from a friend can remind me how blessed I am to have many wonderful people around me that I can call my friends. Such a greeting tells me the person is genuinely happy to see me, and I appreciated that today. Small and simple things do have great meaning, and a sincere, enthusiastic greeting from a friend is one of those simple things.

Full-Time Work

As a college student, I don't get the opportunity to work full-time except for the summer months. Though I often become tired from a lot of work, today I am grateful for the opportunities I have to work for a total of nearly 40 hours a week working in several areas of a library this summer. It helps me earn money for school and it helps me gain valuable experience for the time that will come too soon when I graduate.

Surprise Visits

Today I am grateful for surprise visits to my work. It has happened a few times when a friend would know I'm working and they decide to drop by to say hello. My brother did that this evening. :)

Answering Someone's Prayer or Need

I enjoyed spending a good part of the holiday with a couple of friends. I didn't realize until today that the time we spent having fun and enjoying each other's company was an answer to the needs and prayers of my friends. They were feeling very lonely and distraught, and I was blessed to be in the right place and at the right time to help. I am grateful that I was able to be an answer to someone's need.

A Year of Daily Gratefuls

This is post #365 on my daily blog of "gratefuls." Every day this past year, I have found something to be grateful for. On some days it was harder to think of something to be grateful for, but I have been able to find something anyway, big or small. My experiences in writing this blog have been helping me to notice more of the good around me. I am grateful to have at least 365 things to be grateful for, though I am convinced that there are more blessings around me than that. That's why I will continue to express my "daily gratefuls" beyond the year that is now past. Tomorrow begins a new year.

In God We Trust, and in Him I am Grateful

So many good things happened today: Balloons, a parade, a fair on Center St., an awesome game of Risk with my roommate, and Stadium of Fire with a good friend! I was also blessed to be at the right place and at the right time to help a friend in a time of crisis.

I know that God has blessed me abundantly, and I know He will continue to bless me according to my faith, my righteousness, and my trust in Him. I also know that God has blessed America abundantly, and I know He will continue to do so as we continue to follow the saying on our currency: "In God We Trust."

Salads

Five years ago, I didn't like salads at all. I didn't think they tasted good, so I avoided them. Over those years, I've warmed up to salads of many sorts and now I actually enjoy them for lunch. I like to think that this change of attitude towards salads is a sign of maturity and growth as I continue to progress into adulthood.

Interior Design

I went to a friend's birthday party this evening and she worked hard beforehand to make her apartment look very nice. I thought she did an excellent job decorating and setting up the tasty desserts in a lovely arrangement. Everything looked really nice, almost like a small reception. I was impressed by my friend's skill at interior design. I am grateful for that design gift that some people have. I think everyone has an unconscious sense of good design principles, but it takes talent and effort to put it into practice.

Candy from All Over the World

There is a candy and soda shop in town that sells candy from many different nations. They have sweets and drinks from South America, Europe, Russia, and Asia. I am grateful for this place because it enabled me to go and buy Canadian sweets on July 1st!

Happy Canada Day, everyone! :)