Tender Mercies

I was reading 1 Nephi this morning and Nephi talks about Lehi's struggles as he tried to warn the people to leave Jerusalem. Then he says, "But behold, I, Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." Sometimes when we are going through struggles, or even every day life, it is difficult to see the tender mercies of the Lord, but as we look back, as Nephi did, it is often much easier to see the ways we have been blessed - sometimes even unto the power of deliverance (though our case is usually not as extreme as Lehi's!!)

So as I look back on the year 2011, I reflect upon some of the tender mercies of the Lord. I realize our family has been blessed in some obvious and not so obvious ways.

• Beautiful World - We've had a chance to see some of this incredible world that was created for us. Phil had the opportunity to go to El Salvador and to Costa Rica twice. It's amazing what a small world it is when you get out in it. He saw some beautiful places as well as meeting some beautiful people. We consider it a real blessing that he was able to do that. We got to see some of Utah that we haven't before when we went down to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. We live in such a great place! Phil and I were also able to go back to Seattle and relive our first 2 years of marriage in a quick 3 days. We have been blessed to live where we have lived.
  
• Opportunities - I have the opportunity to work with many kids each day, besides my own. I have a very cute 3 year old preschool class that has grown this fall and I consider it a privilege to teach these sweet little kids twice a week. I also continue to enjoy teaching piano to many kids in our area. They are great kids and I need to remember it as a blessing to be able to share music with them to improve their lives and those around them. I also love working with the young women, though I'm still trying to get the hang of that. Phil has had many opportunities to speak and teach in our area and around the country again this year. It is is something he loves and does very well. I think the directions his career has taken over the years have been a tender mercy of the Lord.
  
• Developing Talents - I can't really get over how good sports have been for our boys. Jacob's baseball has been a blessing this year. There were times this fall when Phil and I wondered why in the world we had encouraged him to be on a comp team...then it finally clicked. It has given him such confidence and enjoyment to be a part of his team, and to have another adult (Coach Corey) be such a big fan of his. I can definitely see the Lord's hand in this turn of events, as we had different plans for the boy! Benjamin had a great soccer season, finally breaking through and Micah loved being coached by his dad this fall. The boys are all wonderful artists and have done very well in school. As a parent, it has been so fun to see these boys develop and grow over this year.
• Daily Life - I think I realized in December just how much I depend on the Lord for daily "deliverance." It was a very busy month and I'm not sure how many times I thought, "If I can just make it through _____________..." Then I'd pray for help and that all would go well, then repeat when the next big event or task was at hand. I'm thankful for a Heavenly Father that loves me. I know that I can pray for help and calmness when the plate is piled way too high!! I'm grateful for the tender mercies the Lord has shown us this year and know we will continue to see His hand in our lives.