Tender Mercies

About two weeks ago, our family experienced an unexpected tender mercy from the Lord. My dear friend works for the opera in Germany, and therefore got the month of August off (it's a European thing - government officials get a month off). We have kept in close contact in the years that she's been there and I've been here, but we hadn't seen each other in about 2 years. We had a wonderful time together - singing, laughing, visiting tall trees, making the baby giggle, and talking for hours. She's always been one of those friends that brings out the best in me and makes me want to be better. I love her view of the world and the people in it.

On the last day of her visit, we decided to visit the beach. The baby hadn't seen the ocean yet, and I had been craving the salty fresh air. We'd hit the beach and from there take her to the airport before we headed home. It was the perfect plan.

We loaded the car with all we would need for our adventure, and hit the road. It was a beautiful day and we were reveling in the good weather and the good company. As our car began to climb the stretch of Highway 99 - more fondly referred to round these parts as "the Grapevine," - our car began to drag. Startled, I looked at my husband and then down at the temperature gauge. Sure enough, the needle was climbing with each mile we went, and it showed no sign of stopping.

Tender mercy #1: the first place we could pull off had a water spigot. I had packed extra water in the car several months ago as a result of a prompting, but it was nice to be able to use the water there and keep all our resevoirs intact.

Tender mercy #2: we were on the city side of the mountain, and thus we still had phone signal. I could call my Dad and have him walk us through the steps we needed to cool our car down.

Tender mercy #3: The car eventually cooled down and we could head back down the hill without seeing the temperature rise.

Tender mercy #4: There was a shop right off the highway as we headed back into town where we could pull off and have them look at the car.

Tender mercy #5: They had a car that we could rent so we could still get my friend to the airport on time.

Tender mercy #6: She made her flight with minutes to spare.

While I was dropping her off at the airport 100 miles from our house, Brent talked to the mechanics and they informed us that our car required $900 worth of repairs. We didn't have $900 to spare.

Tender mercy #7: The shop informed us that our car would be able to handle the "around town" errands that are part of daily life without requiring to have all the repairs made.

Tender mercy #8: Brent's mother's husband works on cars as a hobby and he agreed to look at the car for us. (Yay for a second opinion!)

Tender mercy #9: He told us that the repairs the shop suggested would cost us a mere $100 at the most to do ourselves and he'd help us fix it.

That whole experience reinforced my knowledge that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and is very aware of my needs. I am humbled by the fact that "the tender mercies of the Lord are overall those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance (1 Nephi 1:20). I'm so grateful that we are not left to our own devices to make it through this life.