Which Wolf?

  Today is the day that we give thanks for our many blessings. There are many who have lost all their worldly possessions as a result of natural disasters and may find it hard to see what there is to be thankful for. Today is a day about family and friends gathering together but perhaps you are alone and find it hard to watch the commercials that portray the happiness of the occasion. I was led to this scripture today which brought comfort to my spirit and would like to share it with those who may be hurting.

"Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."----Philippians 4: 11-13
"Ingratitude is one of the greatest sins of which the inhabitants of the earth are guilty of today."-- Pres. Joseph F. Smith
We are a generation who want what we want when we want it and have ceased to be thankful for that which we already have.We have ceased to be grateful and blame God for the circumstances in our lives rather than seeing how much we are already blessed with. Even if you have no material possessions whatsoever, you have life. As long as you breathe, you have opportunity to change your circumstances and to make choices that can bring happiness.
"Both abundance and lack (of abundance) exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities.It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend... when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present-- love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us happiness-- the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth."---Pres. Thomas Monson
We want the fairy tale with the handsome prince on the white charger (or the princess in the tower) to rescue us from our dreary existence and anything short of the fairy tale brings us great misery. The devil is a miserable creature and wants us to be miserable. Why can't we just be happy as Paul learned to be "in whatsoever state" that we are in? Why do we have to make others sad or mad just because we aren't  happy?  Why do we let others rob us of our happiness? We can be "full" if we have the Holy Spirit in our lives. We can learn to "hunger" for those things that are righteous and ignore the things that are meant to hurt us. We can learn that we can "do all things" through the strength that comes with a testimony of the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today is the day that we celebrate with feasting until we can feast no more ( note to self....gluttony is a sin!)
Remember there are many who will go hungry this day. Find a way during the holiday season to contribute in some way to help those who are in need. It is not enough to just say "thank you" to our Maker but we have to "give back" by serving our fellow being. Learn to be kind. There are many who are hurting. Don't add to the hurt.
"An old Cherokee told his grandson, "My son, there is a battle between two wolves inside us all." One is EVIL. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies and ego. The other is GOOD. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humility, kindness, empathy and truth.
The boy thought about it and asked, "Grandfather, which wolf wins?" The old man quietly replied, "The one you feed."

Today as you feast consider which wolf you will feed. Be sure it is the one that you can live eternally with.
Happy Thanksgiving. Rise and shine and give God the GLORY,GLORY !!!!!