Mixed Nuts

I read a lot of people's blogs. There is a lady whose blog I read who is an amazing scrapbooker, she's LDS and her husband is over in Iraq. So I love to look at her stuff. Anyway, the other day she was sharing a story that she had heard at stake conference. So I am going to give a short version...There was a little boy who loved cashews. His Mom bought him a can of mixed nuts but told him that he couldn't eat just the cashews ( Darla!) that he had to eat the whole can, not just the ones he liked. He ate the can and a few days later his Mom bought him a can of just cashews. He started eating them and after a short time he stopped. When his Mom questioned why he didn't eat them he responded, " well without the bad ones, the cashews don't taste as sweet." The speaker compared this to our lives...how all we want is the sweet stuff in life but without the bad stuff....maybe the sweet isn't that great. I was thinking about my life and I know I complain- alot. I just thought this was a good reminder. Here are a few of my cashews...

~Ben...I love him more than I can say.
~my kids...they are completely nuts somedays but my life would not be as sweet without them
~the rest of my family...I feel grateful that I get along with my siblings and with Ben's side of the family
~a dvd player in the van...ooh yeah that makes life much easier
~security...while Ben's job may not be the most ideal it gives us a lot of security
~IM and email
~good friends...moving out here I have learned who my friends are and I am so blessed,,, I mean without my friends how could I have gone on a vacation by myself to see my sister while Ben was deployed? I am lucky
~microwave...wouldn't want to live life without it
~cell phone although I use it to much to just gab I am grateful that I have it if there was an emergency...I also love that I can connect with the majority of the people that I love with just a touch of a button
~chicken nuggets, fruit snacks, Easy Mac and juice boxes
~ I am grateful for the Gospel. I may not be the most perfect of members but it gives me direction in my life. I know the church is true.

With that...I am sure it is just a partial list. I would love to hear about other peoples cashews! :)