gratitude

When You Smile, You See More

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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My Daily Musings-April 22nd, 2026

Sometimes the simplest invitations can stay with us.

On our family call this week, my dad asked us to finish the phrase, “When you smile…”
I found myself thinking—when you smile, you become more aware of your blessings. You begin to notice the quiet beauties all around you.

I try to live with gratitude in my heart. But if I’m honest, some days are harder than others. When my health isn’t good, it’s easy to feel weighed down. And yet, even on those days, I still pray and thank my Heavenly Father for what I do have.

Because maybe gratitude matters most on the days it feels hardest to find.

Even on something as simple as a walk with my dog, Coco—I’m reminded of this. She stops constantly to sniff, to look, to explore. Sometimes I get frustrated because I just want to keep moving. But maybe she’s seeing something I’m missing.

Maybe I need to slow down too.

What if the beauty we’re searching for is already right in front of us?
What if gratitude isn’t found in having more, but in noticing more?

Even on the hard days… especially on the hard days… there is still something to be thankful for.

The Greatest Gift of All

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My Daily Musings-April 8th, 2026

Sometimes the sweetest gifts come on the most ordinary days.

A simple box of jewelry, a few pieces once worn and loved, passed from one set of hands to another. Not because of a holiday or a celebration—but simply because someone thought of you. Because they knew what you would love.

And somehow, that makes it mean even more.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve started to realize that the most meaningful gifts aren’t the ones with a price tag—they’re the ones filled with thought, memory, and love. A grandmother’s jewelry box. A mother’s quiet kindness. Small things that carry deep significance.

It makes me think of the greatest gift ever given.

Our Heavenly Father didn’t give us something small or simple—He gave us His Beloved Son. A gift given not because we earned it, but because He knew we would need it. Because He loves us.

How often do we pause to truly consider that gift?

Do we recognize His hand not only in the grand, sacred moments, but also in the quiet, everyday reminders of love around us?

Maybe the gifts we give and receive here are just small reflections of the greatest gift of all—meant to remind us that we are known, remembered, and deeply loved.

Rejoicing in the Light Through the Darkness

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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My Daily Musings-March 31st, 2026

Isaiah 61:10 says, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God.”

I’ve been thinking about how powerful that choice is—to rejoice, even when life feels heavy.

Life doesn’t suddenly become easy when we believe in God. We still face trials, heartaches, and days where the weight feels like too much. But even in those moments, we are not alone. We have a loving Heavenly Father who hears every prayer, who stays near even when we feel far from Him.

I’ve come to feel that gratitude is one of the ways we step out of the darkness. It doesn’t erase the hard things, but it gently shifts our focus. When we begin to notice our blessings—no matter how small—it becomes easier to feel light again. And once we feel that light, even just a little, we start to recognize it more often.

Maybe that’s part of what it means to rejoice—choosing to see light, even when darkness tries to settle in.

What are some small blessings you can notice today, even in the middle of something hard?
How has gratitude helped you feel closer to God during difficult times?

We may walk through darkness, but we were never meant to stay there. Through gratitude, faith, and turning to Him, we can find our way back to the light.

Trusting the Love That Guides Us

/ Christine Maynor / 2 Comments

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My Daily Musings-March 20th, 2026

Being sick these past few weeks has brought back something I didn’t expect—the sound of my mom’s voice in my mind, gently reminding me to drink fluids, rest, and take care of myself.

When I was younger, I don’t think I fully appreciated how much she did for me when I was sick. The little things, the home remedies, the constant care—I just assumed they would always be there. But now, I find myself doing those same things for myself, and realizing just how much love was behind them all along.

Isn’t it interesting how appreciation often grows with time and experience?
How often do we overlook the quiet sacrifices made for us until we have to stand on our own?

Even though I’m not a parent, I feel a deeper gratitude now for all that my parents gave me. And it makes me think about my relationship with my Heavenly Father.

How often do I move through life without recognizing His hand in it?
Do I trust that He is caring for me, guiding me, and looking out for my best interests—even when I don’t fully understand?

Just as loving parents care for their children in ways they may not always see, our Heavenly Father is mindful of us in ways we may not always recognize.

Maybe part of growing is learning to see that care more clearly—and to trust it more deeply.

More Than Four Walls

/ Christine Maynor / 2 Comments

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My Daily Musings-March 10th, 2026

Today I’ve been thinking about the word home.

This past weekend my husband and I moved from our apartment into a larger townhouse. Moving always brings a little stress, a lot of boxes, and plenty of change. But along with that change, I’ve also felt excitement as we begin settling into this new space.

As I looked around today, I realized something simple but meaningful: even though the address changed, the feeling of home didn’t.

I have moved many times throughout my life—both growing up and during my 19 years of marriage. Each place has looked different. Some were bigger, some smaller, some temporary, and some longer-lasting. But the thing that always turned those places into a home was never the walls or the size of the rooms.

Home is where love lives.

Home is the place where you can be yourself without fear of judgment. It’s where laughter, quiet moments, and even the occasional chaos are shared with the people—and pets—who mean the most to you.

Today I’m grateful that wherever I go, if I’m with my husband and our sweet Coco, it will always feel like home.

What does the word home mean to you?
Is it a place, or is it the people who fill it with love?

The Joy of a Thankful Heart

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

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Image by Hannah Nelson on pexels.com

Backstory:
I saw a quote that I really liked recently. It said, “You will never be happier than you are grateful.” So I have been thinking lately about how gratitude correlates with my happiness. I don’t think that anyone can really be happy all the time. We all have our trials and struggles. We all have days when it is just harder to be happy. I had one of those days a couple days ago. After being grumpy for a while, I thought that I just needed to focus on my blessings. Once I did that, I was definitely happier. We all have blessings and reasons to be grateful in our lives, even on our hardest days.

The Joy of a Thankful Heart

We all have our hard days,
When we have a hard time singing God’s praise,
We might feel grumpy,
And that might make our spirit feel kinda dumpy.

On those days we just need to remember that we are very blessed,
We should remember that we are here on the earth to pass our test,
Just think of those who are less fortunate than you,
Then maybe we can change our point of view.

Just remember that we have a Loving Father in Heaven,
Who is always there for us without question,
He created this earth for us,
He knew that we would have days when we feel like making a big fuss.

He loves us no matter what and will always by our side,
He knows that we have hard days when all we can do is cry,
We also have angels by our side to help us on our way,
Even on those days when our load is too heavy to say.

So just remember when you are having a hard time,
When you feel like all you have is another huge mountain to climb,
Just think about your blessings from your Father above,
And remember that from Him you can always feel unconditional love.

The Takeaway: We all have our hard days when it is hard to be happy. It’s just part of our existence on this earth. When we have those days, we need to think of our many blessings and be grateful for what we have. Never forget that we have a Loving Heavenly Father who is always there for us and has given us many blessings.

Nothing Stays the Same, But He Remains

/ Christine Maynor / Leave a comment

Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Image taken by me

Backstory:
I was on a walk with my dog Coco a few days ago. While she was sniffing around, I noticed that the sky in front of me was so beautiful. It was almost the sunrise and there were a few clouds that had turned pink and orange colors. I tried to pull Coco along because I wanted to take a picture of the sunrise, but by the time I got to a good place to take the picture, the sky had changed again and the moment had passed. The colors were gone. I was kind of upset that I had missed my chance. Later that day, I realized that I shouldn’t have been upset because most things in this life are temporary and fleeting. Nothing stays the same for very long. That’s part of the beauty of this life. I should just be grateful for my many blessings while I have them and not get upset when things change.

Nothing Stays the Same, But He Remains

Most things we have in life are temporary,
But maybe change is necessary.
Change helps us appreciate how blessed we are,
Instead of feeling the weight of it on our heart like a big scar.

When we see a beautiful sunrise,
We should be grateful for the many beauties we recognize.
Instead of being upset that the colors change so fast,
And that the sunrise has passed.

When a loved one's life is changed in an instant,
We should be grateful that they have the chance to be resilient.
Instead of griping that our lives will never be the same,
And trying to find someone to blame.

When we are sick or afflicted with illness,
We should be grateful for the stillness.
Instead of feeling sorry for ourselves in our infirmity
And feeling the weight of this in our soul in its severity.

All things we have on this earth
Were given to us by our Loving Father to help us see our Divine Worth.
We should be grateful to Him for the chance to learn and grow,
And for all the chances we have to let our love for Him show.

The Takeaway: Most things in this life don’t last very long. Change is a part of our journey in mortality. We can choose to either embrace the changes and be grateful for the blessings we have. Or we can complain that our circumstances never stay the same. Our Loving Heavenly Father gave us all of these blessings so that we can learn and grow, then hopefully we can become more like Him.