A-bun-dance

Our Wordful Wednesday assignment this week: "What does abundance mean to you? How do you create abundance in your life? What causes a lack?"

What does abundance mean to you? Well. Let's look at the definition of it, and I'll tell you what it means to me. As found in the dictionary:

Abundance:
–noun

1.an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply: an abundance of grain.

I know that we have enough, and even more than enough to meet our needs. Hopefully, we have enough to meet the needs of others as well. We finally have our storage room done and as we slowly fill it up with buckets of beans and #10 cans of dried onion, I am thankful we are trying to have an abundance in the face of an uncertain future, as futures never are certain.

2.overflowing fullness: abundance of the heart.

Pondering this, I have cried my little heart out this week. I can not express the joy I felt each and every time I held my brand new babies in my arms. I felt that I would literally burst with the love that flowed through me. I have felt it at other times too. Last week when my kids sang in the primary program I was so proud of them. It was just a joyful experience. I also feel an abundance of the heart (isn't that such a beautiful phrase?) when I'm surrounded by people who love me and support me. I think this above all, is the most important place to have abundance. Everything else in life can be endured if you feel this. It's not always easy to depend on it from others. We have to depend on it from within, and reflect on the love our Father in Heaven has for us.

3.affluence; wealth: the enjoyment of abundance.

We have enough for our needs and a most of our wants (if we keep our wants list to a minimum). Most importantly, we have a roof over our head, food to eat, and clothing to wear. If you don't think you have an enjoyment of abundance, then read The Glass Castle, or The Breadwinner and Parvana's Journey. By those standards, I don't know anyone who isn't wealthy.

4.Physics, Chemistry. the number of atoms of one isotope of an element divided by the total number of atoms in a mixture of the isotopes.

This actually means nothing to me, except to know that nature enjoyes an abundant life as well! (see picture above for proof!)



How do you create abundance in your life? I create abundance in my life by being grateful. I love this scripture in Mosiah from the Book of Mormon:
"O how you ought to thank your heavenly King! I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another -- I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another -- I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. O how you ought to thank your heavenly King! And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments: and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore; if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you."
Creating abundance is a feeling in the heart.

What causes a lack? selfishness. Is that enough said? No, because it's so stinkin' hard to always feel it. But, gratitude plays a big part, and selfishness is the opposite of being grateful so hopefully, we can all just do our best!

So...what does abundance mean to you? When have you felt an abundance of the heart?