52 Weeks Blessing

This week, I am grateful for priesthood blessings.

I remember priesthood blessings as a regular part of life growing up. Dad was there to bless us when we were sick, and we always had a father's blessing as the new school year started. I remember getting a blessing right before my first year at college. I had never done anything so daring before, but there I was, far away from home without any friends at all. I was doing this all by myself -- and I was pretty scared! But, then, Dad blessed me that I wouldn't be afraid, and the fear magically disappeared. From that moment on, my college experience became a fun and cherished adventure.

I also remember the blessing my dad gave me the night before my wedding. The only thing I recall from it was the promise that my marriage would be just like his and mom's. What an amazing promise! It sent me into marriage with self-fulfilling optimism. And my marriage has been a fun and cherished adventure.

Rom always gave me a blessing when I was going into labor with each of our children. When Johnette was born, I had a placental abruption, which meant the placenta had separated too soon. It was very scary, and the doctors thought we could lose Johnette, myself, or both. And yet, through all the chaos and commotion, I felt perfectly calm and at peace. Rom had blessed me that the baby and I would be all right, and we were!

Now, just the other day, I found a note on our bed from Ana. It said that she felt like she couldn't breathe while she was getting a cough drop, and she wanted a blessing from her dad. I was coming downstairs to suggest she ask him herself, when I saw him lead her by the hand into a quiet room. He then blessed her that she would be able to breather better, that she would get healthy soon, and that she'd be able to return to her normal fun activities. Afterwards, I showed him her note. "I hadn't seen that," he said. "I didn't know she was having trouble breathing. She didn't tell me." How wonderful that Heavenly Father knows just what we need, and how wonderful to have worthy priesthood holders to relay the message!