Finding the Blessings

While we were enjoying our Thanksgiving dinner at my in-laws' house, somone was breaking into our new home. 

When we arrived home Thursday night and made the discovery, we experienced a very scary few minutes.   Instead of bore you with the details of the evening (which took up 5 separate posts on my family blog), I wanted to share what we have learned and why we are in such great spirits.

We are truly so blessed. Even in this horrible experience, we are being very optimistic and seeing it as a blessing.

Things could have been so much worse in so many ways.   For example, they didn't take very much.  Also, we weren't home at the time. 
We are so blessed to live in the wonderful neighborhood that we do.
We are so blessed that the police were able to respond so quickly.
We are so blessed that our landlords (my in-laws) live nearby and were able to come immediately and help us out.
The girls have been saying things like, "It's good they didn't take our pillows! It's good they didn't take our stuffed animals!" I love their attitude! The things of true value to them weren't effected at all.
The most important pieces of jewelry I own are always with me: my wedding and engagement rings.

Before sending the kids to bed on Thursday night, we did our family scripture study and prayer, as usual. On this night we focused on 1 Nephi chapter 17.

1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.
2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.
3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.
4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness.
5 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish.

Even though Nephi and his family were experiencing affliction and tribulation in the wilderness, they were still blessed in amazing ways. The Lord was mindful of them and protected them. If we keep His commandments and not murmur, then we will be blessed. And in the end, when they had proven that they would submit to the Lord and trust him, they were rewarded for their faithfulness. After the trials of the wilderness and having to subsist on raw meat, they were lead to the land Bountiful, which was full of fruit and wild honey.