Tender Mercies

For Elder Bednar's full talk, click on my blog title and it'll take you to it :)

There have been so many times in my life, and especially in these last few months that I have been the recipient of God's tender mercies. I was wanting to get a better feel for a way to describe what, to me, tender mercies are and I remember David A. Bednar giving a talk on such a thing. Here is a small excerpt.

"Since last October I have reflected repeatedly upon the phrase “the tender mercies of the Lord.” Through personal study, observation, pondering, and prayer, I believe I have come to better understand that the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Truly, the Lord suits “his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men” (D&C 46:15)."

As a lot of you know, I have been struggling for about a month with my health. I think that for me, this would be tough at anytime but with Cody being gone, it is extraordinarily difficult for me to stay positive. Yes I have my family supporting me and helping me out as well as the love from Cody's family and from my good friend Erin, who takes care of me everyday, but not having my husband here has really been taking its toll on me. I just keep telling myself, I have had it much worse than this before, and other people have it way worse than me right now, so to just keep my chin up and get through things one day at a time.

Well yesterday, I was having a really hard time. I had had a frustrating Friday and then yesterday didn't seem to be going any better. I was sitting on my bed just reading when my phone rings and I glance at the number and lo and behold its a 210 area code!! I answered with a, "Hey baby!!" It was funny because I caught him off guard by knowing it was him. I asked him how he was and he said, "The real question is how are you?" He had gotten my letter explaining about my hospital visit but hadn't received any of my follow up letters. He was worried sick, which I knew he would be but I had HOPED, he would realize if he hadn't heard from the Red Cross, then it couldn't have been too terribly serious. I just kept reassuring him I was fine and I was doing what I could to take care of myself. He is still pretty sick from that yucky cold but holdin up just fine. We both just needed to hear each other's voices so badly. It was exactly what I needed. It was a God-send. It was a tender mercy.

After the phone call, I went down to find some kleenex and found another tender mercy awaiting me on the kitchen counter. A letter!!

I'll just go ahead and throw a quick update in here as well. I went to my new OB on Friday and after my exam he said he didn't think I have any more cysts or endometriosis. He said my symptoms are not congruent with that at all and he believes it could be blood floating around my abdomen and bladder. He also said, he could guess at a million different things that it COULD be but he just doesn't know. My pain has gotten even worse and even more uncomfortable. I am exhausted all the time, my nose-bleeds have worsened, and I am so nauseous. He said that if my symptoms and pain worsened over the weekend, to call him on Monday and he would set up a consult with a general surgeon. So that is the plan for now. I'll be calling first thing tomorrow morning and we will see what happens.

On a lighter note, 33 DAYS UNTIL I GET TO SEE CODY!!