Tender Mercies of the Lord

I have decided to dedicate this blog to all the amazing experiences I have had in my life.  I've used many of these experiences in talks I've given over the years, but I would like to share them with the world; because they are My world, and they are what have shaped me.  Forgive me for my indulgence, but I love these stories.  I hope you do, too.

PLEASE BLESS MY CAR

While living in Boston, I had a job downtown that required me to drive to Lechmere Square, take the Greenline to Harvard Square and switch to the Redline to get to my office.  This was not a problem for me.  I always enjoyed the colorful characters I would meet each day on my way to work via the train and subway.

During the blizzard of '78, my office finally opened after many days closed.  The snowdrifts were piled high along the sides of the tiny Boston streets, crowding the usual two lanes into one.  When I finally arrived at Lechmere, I was 10 minutes later than I usually am, and dismayed to find no parking spaces.  I drove around for several minutes, hoping someone would pull out, but there was nothing.  And then I saw it.  One space in between 2 cars.  It was tiny, but I knew I could maneuver my 1967 mustang into it.  Quickly and carefully, I pulled in.  I sighed a sigh of relief, but then noticed a sign directly in front of me.  It read, "NO PARKING.  All violators will be towed."  Oh man.  I debated.  Should I just drive home, or should I stay parked?  In the distance, I saw the Greenline coming.  Impulsively I jumped out of the car and  ran to catch the train.  Settling in my seat, I looked back at my little mustang and said a prayer under my breath:  "Dear Heavenly Father, please bless my car."

I didn't think much of my car after that.  After work, it was dark.  Many of the cars in the parking lot were gone now, but mine remained.  As I crossed the street to get into my car, a man from the gas station across the street came running out. 

 "Is that your car?"  He yelled.  

"Yes", I said.  

"Well, you are never going to believe what happened this afternoon.  A tow truck came and tried to tow your car.  They couldn't get it to budge.  They must have tried 20 minutes before giving up.  So they towed the car next to you.  Then they came back and tried yours again.  It still wouldn't move, so they towed the car on the other side of you.  They came back and tried to tow your car AGAIN, but it wouldn't move, so they left."

I sat in my car amazed at what I heard.  I'm not advocating that people should just park their car wherever they want and pray over it; but I do know that the Lord judged my heart and answered a heart felt prayer.  He knew that my husband and I were poor college students trying to work our way through school.  He also knew that if our car was impounded, we would not have the money to set it free, so to speak.  And so He judged in my favor.

When I think of this tender mercy from the Lord, I am reminded of the prophet Elisha and his servant in the Old Testament, when they found themselves surrounded by the enemy one morning.  The servant was dismayed (to say the least)  and said to Elijah, "Oh master, how shall we do?"  Elisha's words resonate with me: " Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them."  The servant's eyes were then opened and he saw a multitude of horses and chariots ready in their behalf. (2 Kings 6:17)

Going back to my mustang in the Lechmere parking lot, I can just see a few of the heavenly hosts holding tightly onto my car, keeping it from being towed.  It was a tender mercy of the Lord I will never forget.

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

Another Page, Another Chapter

I ran into a friend of mine last night who reminded me that I haven't posted in my blog for a long time.  (Hi Jan!)  Sufficiently scolded, I took a look at my long lost and neglected blog.  My last post was in June.  That's so sad.  So here we go:

I've been thinking about this for a few days, so I guess maybe the blog is the best place to write it down.  Changes are hard.  Transitions in life mean growth, but growth usually hurts.  Ask any missionary in a foreign country speaking a new language and eating strange foods.  It's hard and it hurts for awhile.  But then something wonderful happens.  You wake up one morning and you realize how much you love being where you are, doing what you are doing.  In fact, you find life to be an incredible experience as you wander down cobblestone streets and eat the world's best chocolate.

Many years ago, our family moved to Redwood City, California.  Oh how we loved it there!  Even though we lived in a tiny little house--I could vacuum the entire house by changing the plug only once--we felt like we had truly made our home in beautiful Northern California.  But with time comes the inevitable change, and we were asked by our company to move to Houston, Texas.  I cried for days.  How could I possibly leave my life in Redwood City?  I had season tickets with my good friend Nancy to the dress rehearsals of the San Francisco Philharmonic.  I loved shopping with Nancy in San Francisco.  We went to Hawaii with Doug and Nancy twice in 2 years.  How could I leave Nancy behind?  I thought I was going to die.

But we moved and death did not come.  We were now living in a gorgeous home (three times the size of the one in Redwood City) in a gorgeous subdivision.  I quickly learned how to play tennis and joined a league.  The kids joined a swim team and were attending some of the best schools in the country.  Our family, once settled, survived and thrived in Houston, Texas.  Where once I thought my life was over, I realized that it was merely opening a new chapter for me; and once the pain went away, I awoke to a whole new wonderful life.

Eventually we left Houston and moved to Tampa, Florida.  Another transition.  It was hard, but as the years went by- all 26 of them- we fell in love with this land of palm trees and sugar sand beaches. This is where we raised our children.  This is where my husband learned to be a good bishop and stake president.  This is where we would stay forever; but life has a funny way of twisting and turning, and we find ourselves yet again going through some changes.

And so we are leaving our beautiful balmy weather behind and moving to the land of snow and sleet and tall mountains and low valleys.  (Tall mountains and low valleys sound like a metaphor for life, but that's another blog post.)  So here we are preparing for our move to Utah.  The thought keeps coming back to me that this is something, once settled, I am going to love.  At this point, I can't even imagine that to be true; but it has always been the case in the past, so "why should I mourn, or think my lot is hard?  Tis not so, all is well."

The year 2012 will be a new chapter in my life.  I'm sad and scared; but at the same time, I'm getting ready to turn the page and see what adventures are out there for me to enjoy.  I take comfort in the fact that my ever present, ever patient, ever loving wing man will be at my side.  Growing pains are not as difficult with him.  He cushions the blows and softens the landings.  So here's to you, Marv; and here's to a beautiful new life in Utah.  Did I tell you that I'm scared?

We did go forth with all our might

"And we did take courage, and were fixed with a determination... And thus we did go forth with all our might..." Alma 58

Marv and I have a little grandson named Chase who is not quite 2, and is a determined little sort.  Nothing deters him from getting what he wants, or thinks he needs.  He just goes for it.  I love that about him.  He wakes up each morning, ready to take on the world.  Oh, he has obstacles from time to time.  He has a big brother and sister.  For a not quite 2 year old, they can be HUGE obstacles.


Here is a picture of Chase when he comes face to face with his nemesis--Big Bird.  But look at his stance.  Look at those shoulders, and the head held high.  No one, not even a giant yellow bird is going to get in his way.

We all have Big Birds in our lives.  For some of us, it's an exam that seems impossible to pass.  For others, it may be an unresolved relationship issue at home or at work.  Whatever your Big Bird is, it would be well to remember Chase and his fixed determination, meeting challenges not only head on, but with head held high. 

 This little guy is my inspiration and my joy.

 

 

You are what you feed

This is an epiphany I learned from my friend Kathy A:   It is a fact in life that what you feed, grows.  You feed your children, they grow.  You feed your husband, hopefully he won't grow as big as he eats; but that's another topic.  You feed your plants, they grow.

This phenomenon also works in the spiritual realm.  Whatever you feed your spirit, it will grow.  If you feed your bitterness, resentment, anger, hurt, or jealousy, it will grow.  Unfortunately, I have seen this over and over again in the lives of the people around me.  Feed an insecurity and it will grow.

But here is the wonderful thing:  the flip side is true, too!  Feed your joy, gratitude, and general well being, and it will grow.  Feed your love for your family, and it will grow.  Feed your confidence, your love for fellowmen, your faith in God; well, the list is endless.

There is one more thought that goes along with this.  It's ironic, but whatever you feed will eventually grow to consume you; be that bitterness or love, faithlessness or calm assurance, misery or joy.  Whatever you feed your spirit, it will grow to consume your every thought and every deed. 

 When I heard this from my dear friend (whose family picture, by the way, is in this post), I determined that I would make a conscious choice each day to feed my spirit what would make me happy.  I choose to listen to beautiful uplifting music.  I choose to call a friend and tell them that I am thinking of them.  I choose to hug my husband and tell him he is the most important person in my life.  I choose to help the guy who drops all of his canned goods in front of me on the way out of Target. So far, so good! Thank you, Kathy!

Welcome to my World

Now that we're home from our mission, it's time to get on with life.  The first order of business was to play with our grandkids and hit the beach.