Tender Mercies

  “the Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalms 145:9)

Last week I had appendicitis.  What?!?  That's what I thought too.  I could write about how much pain I was in.  Or about the day and a half I spent in the hospital.  But that's not what I want to remember about this ordeal.  This is what I want to remember...

The twelve hours between arriving at the ER and going into surgery are blurry to me but one thing sticks out.  Once we got upstairs Matt said to me, "What are the chances that our insurance would start yesterday and you are having surgery today?"  My answer, "It's a tender mercy."

When Matt left Delta Air Lines last year our benefits ended on September 30.  He was offered insurance at his new job and it was ridiculously expensive and had an enormous deductible.  We opted not to do it.  Was it scary?  Totally.  We worried every time one of our kids got on a bike or a skateboard.  I was working on getting benefits for the kids when Matt changed jobs this past summer.  They offered great, affordable coverage.  We just had to wait until October 1.  I have thought often over the last twelve months how miraculous it is that we have five children that haven't needed to see a doctor.  Tender mercy.

So our coverage began on October 1st.  I was in the ER that night about to have an appendectomy.  When I came out of surgery the doctor talked to my husband.  He told him that my appendix was gangrenous.  He was shocked that it hadn't ruptured yet and that I had only been having symptoms for one day. 

"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...  The Lord’s tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord’s timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."

 David A. Bednar

So here I am a week and a half later.  My body is healing.  The only physical evidence is three tiny incisions on my belly.  What you can't see is that my heart has changed.  I am more aware than ever of the Lord's hand in my life.  He continues to bless me and family in large and small ways every single day.  Even when I fall short.  Even when I don't give Him all I can.  He continues to reveal his love to me.  And I am so grateful. 

“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” (1 Nephi 1:20).