Rembering to Say "Thank You"

The above file is a freebie for ya--I made it and you can use it how you see fit!  For those of you who don't know what it is, it's a digital stamp sentiment and you can use it with photo editing software on digital artwork or print it out and use it on a paper crafting project as well!  It's a little thank you for coming to my blog today! :)

Well, I am afraid I should've looked ahead as some of my comments from last week's Primary helps are covered in this lesson as well! Oops!  Well, let's just start off with how I'll teach the lesson and maybe something new will pop into my head! :)

Primary 2: Lesson 25: Remember to Say Thank You

*Instead of playing the "telephone" game as an attention activity, we will play hangman on the board.  This will help me to see which children know their letters in a non-threatening way and will also help me know which children can read well.  I do know my good readers, etc., but this is another way to see if they can put letters into context to create words! :)  Yes.  I work in the public school system.  How'd you know?!

*I'll use my 10 figures from last week's helps to see who remembers the story of the 10 lepers by asking each child to come forward and hand me the right amount of figures that remembered to say thank you to Christ for His service.  We did this last week, so we'll see what they remember!

*I will use the simple drawings in my helps instead of drawing on the board...I've found that the children like pictures they can see up close better and this way I can use each picture at different times.  I won't have to erase them and hope they remember, either.  If we have time at the end of the lesson, I can see if they can retell the story, too!  Always be prepared for short lessons that don't take all the time!

*We will be making thank you cards for members of the ward that help our class.  Each child will make one, and we will use them to give out to those members.  Each child will sign each card and we will take them to some of the members if we have time!

*I will send home about 3-5 small slips of paper that say "Thank You!"  with each child and encourage them to use them during the week when someone does something nice for them.

*I will be using my helps for Enrichment Activity 5 as a just in case thing.

*I will be sending thank you cards to each of my kids this week...and missing you cards to those who aren't there.  I make my own cards, but I have also included THIS DIGITAL CARD FRONT that you can use and print out!

Find the lesson helps for this week HERE--I hope they can help you out!!!

Okay, so I decided to just expand on something that I wrote last week.  The topic of this week's "words of wisdom" will be "Giving Thanks for ALL Things."  It's basically a very personal experience that has taught me to be grateful for all I have.  So, if all you came for was the helps, feel free to stop reading! ;)

My husband and I married pretty young.  He had been off of his mission for less than a year and I was barely 20.  We had all sorts of fabulous hopes, plans, and dreams for the future.  One of these was to have a large family of 6 children or maybe more.  We decided to wait a year to start our family as we were both in school and he was almost done with his associates degree.  After a year was over, I stopped taking my birth control and we started to try to get pregnant.  I wasn't too concerned when it didn't happen.  I actually wasn't concerned that we weren't pregnant until my younger sister got pregnant with their first child.  This was three years into the trying.  I had always just felt that if it was right, it would happen!  I didn't questions why we weren't getting pregnant, but when my YOUNGER sister got pregnant, I was devastated.

I guess that I had been in the denial state of grief.  I had always had issues through my teenage years and was told that having children might be a problem for me.  But I had faith that Heavenly Father would grant my desires--they were righteous after all!  So, I was in denial for the first four years of our marriage.  And then, like I said my YOUNGER sister got pregnant.  Right on schedule for them.  How very nice...NOT.

I was incredibly angry with God.  It was off and on, but I was so angry.  For two years.  I continued to go to church and do the things that I was asked to do.  I served in my callings (during this time I had my FAVORITE all time calling--nursery leader!) and did my visiting teaching.  I did NOT, however, support other women through their pregnancies, go to baby showers, talk to people who were pregnant, associate with young families (except my nursery children), or go to lessons that I knew were about children in any way.  So much anger.  And so much ingratitude!

Wow.  This is very hard for me to write!  I didn't realize that I would be crying and so emotional!  Anyway, I was angry.  And as I said above, I was angry off and on for two years.  During those two years, we decided to do foster care.  NOT for us.  We prayed about adopting.  The answer was no.  I was SO MAD.  WHY was I childless when there were women who neglected, abused, and even discarded their own children?!  It was NOT fair.

During this time, I was continually looking for solace wherever I could find it.  I sought out friends who also didn't have children/didn't want children.  I focused on my relationship with my husband (this was the BEST thing that came out of this...but I'll tell you about that in a bit).  I read many articles on the Church's website about other couples who struggled with infertility.  The worst part, though, was that most of these couples either adopted or were able to have their own children.  Both options that my husband and I were being told would not be happening in the near future.  It wasn't until I read an article by Sis. Ardeth Kapp for the second time that I finally felt I had found the person who could understand me.  For those of you struggling with infertility, this article is something you HAVE to read.

Okay, so I read and re-read the article.  And read the scriptures.  And I prayed.  A lot.  And now you're wondering why I am telling you this and what it has to do with gratitude.  Well, this is what it has to do with gratitude--EVERYTHING.

While I had been sitting in my own little pity party, I had neglected (not all the time) to be grateful for what I HAD!  I had an eternal companion sealed to me forever.  He is faithful to me!  He LOVES me!  He would do ANYTHING for me!  I had the gospel--I knew who I was, why I was here, and where I was going to go if I endured to the end!  I had health (for the most part), a will and desire to work, talents that the Lord had given me, a house, food, clothing, a family who loved me, the scriptures, prayer, the promises of staying faithful to the covenants I had made, the Atonement.  The love of God and of my Savior.  I could go on!  It was during an especially dark time when I realized all this.

I had been crying and praying, asking Father in Heaven WHY.  WHY weren't we allowed to have children?  WHY did I have to go through this?!  I had been promised that I would have not only what I needed, but what I wanted so many times!!!

You know what my answer was?  It was a simple, strong feeling.  A calming voice in my head that said, "You will have everything that you WANT when your will is aligned with My will."  Oh.  Peace came to me immediately.  I knew that I needed to change--my attitude, my prayers, my life!  I realized that there is a reason for ALL trials--and, YES, this is true of all of them--the reason is to draw us near unto God.  ALWAYS.  Each trial is designed to draw us nearer to God IF we choose it.

And so, I have!  I know focus my prayers on the things that I am grateful for.  My husband and I still work and prepare for the family that we will have one day.  We work together as Primary teachers and strive to build a loving relationship that will not tarnish as time goes by.  I have started to associate more with the children in our ward.  I've befriended many young mothers and tried to help them in their struggles.  I have an amazing Primary class full of children that I love and that love me.  I work in the public school system with children who have special needs and special spirits.  I babysit for those who need me to.  I have sweet nieces and nephews that I get to mother.  I have friends and colleagues who need mothering, and I try to fill that role. Oh, and I re-read that article each time I feel like I need a sympathetic ear.

I  am NOT childless.  They are all around me!  I am so thankful to a Father in Heaven who knows what is best for ME.  Who gives me EVERYTHING--needs and wants.  Since this decision, things have really turned around for my husband and I.  I know that it is probably a matter of perspective, but today as I write, there are so many NEW things from this past week that I am thankful for!  We ALL have so much to be thankful for!  I hope that you take the time today to pray and give thanks to God--He gives us everything!  Have a restful Sabbath, friends! :)

Linking this post to: Tell Me A Story, Titus 2sdays, Women Living Well.