Tender Mercies

This week I have been pondering the term so often used in our society - "tender mercies". To be completely honest, I have never truly understood the phrase. It was something I heard that sounded nice and made other people happy, and that was good enough for me. Until the end of January rolled into February, and life kind of became a mess.

I have realized that my Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with little tender mercies that have been saving graces for me and have prepared me for a lot of the things I have had to go through in this life. I thought maybe I would share a few.

1. I was placed at American Preparatory Academy to meet Melissa Stone and Demya Murdock, my incredible coworkers and now friends.

2. I was blessed to know many amazing people in my life that have passed on - to name a few - Blake Eggett, Donna Jones, Chris Bernardo, Heather Christensen, Don Jones, and more.

3. I was placed at American Preparatory Academy to be there for my students as they went through the tragedy of Melissa's accident because I have been in their shoes many times before.

4. I was placed at American Preparatory Academy to help Melissa through this trial, to be her friend and buoy her up and give her long, heart felt hugs when she needed them.

5. I was blessed to spend the last 22 years living with my brother JJ - getting to know him and love him, and learn how to deal with different kinds of people.

6. I have been blessed with incredible grandparents who face challenges head on and are filled with so much faith and strength that it absolutely floors me.

7. I was not scheduled to work the morning of Ethne's funeral - I didn't have to try and find a way to be there, because my day was already open.

8. I have been blessed with incredibly patient and loving friends who are helping me get through several of my trials right now.

9. I have been blessed with strong family ties that run very deep - that when I come in crying after a hard day my dad will just hold me and let me sob until I can't anymore, or that I can call my mom and throw a raving tantrum about something stupid that happened in my day.

10. I was blessed with an inspired bishop who knew the exact right time to release me from a calling that was becoming too much to handle.

11. I have been given musical talent that I can use as a healing agent. The night I found out about Melissa's accident I had rehearsal for Salt Lake Symphonic Winds, and I was tempted not to go, but Demya off-handedly mentioned that maybe I needed it...and she was right. Playing music is one of the healthiest ways I know of to handle stress and depression, and I am glad that I have that in my life.

I could go on, but I have other things I need to be working on. I needed to outwardly express some of the thoughts I have been having, and remind myself that even though I am going through some hard times that I will be ok and that everything will work out.

Amen.