Tender Mercies

After a delightfully exhausting weekend,

Gid and I had to come back to the real world. My sweet hubby was able to sleep in, as he didn't have work on monday, but I, not only had work- I had to come early, and stay late. Our office did a special in honor of Independence Day where all patients who came in received a gift certificate for a free massage. It was like a circus from 7 am till about 7:30 PM when I, (defeated) got in my little car to make the journey home. As I turned the ignition on, I noticed my tires are low on air.

I felt equally deflated.

I pulled out of the parking lot, and proceeded to feel sorry for my poor, tired, overworked self.

About 5 miles before I got home I noticed something different about the weather. It looked like it was a little rainy. But there were no raindrops. Then I thought perhaps there was snow in the air (it's possible in Idaho). Nope- not snow.

Something was actually coming down now, like the most magical and least threatening storm in the world. I thought for a moment it was blossoms. But all the blossoms have gone to sleep till spring.

Now it was coming in huge batches, floating weightlessly through the wind and landing gently on my windshield. Piles of it gathered on the curbs of the streets.

I recognized it now. It was cotton.

I grew up in Lubbock, TX -home of one of the largest cotton plants in the world. Texas ships more cotton than any other state, and Lubbock processes 95% of the beautifully while, fluffy product.

So, growing up in the Lone Star State, when you saw white fluffies floating down softly in a warm sunny downpour, you simply knew it was harvesting season.

Most days, I don't miss Texas as much as I just miss my family. But lately, I've been missing collectively everything about Texas.

I don't miss the unbearably hot days, or the crazy drivers, or the lame drama that somehow lingers among people who seem to be forever stuck in high school.

But I do miss the sunrises and sunsets.

I miss my backyard, with the huge trees

(which I seem to remember as much bigger)

and the colorful leaves that adorn them every fall.

I miss my friends.

I so miss my family.

And sometimes, I miss the wisps of cotton in the air during the harvest season. I miss the magic of snowlike things floating during summer.

Even if they do make me sneeze.

I thought cotton only flew like snow in Texas. Apparently it does in Idaho as well.

There are two explanations of this miracle:

-On the week that I happened to be missing my home and family more than I have since being married, someone, somewhere in Boise Idaho happened to be harvesting cotton close enough to my little home that it happened to shower me in a most welcome ambush.

-My Father in Heaven loves me so much that he allowed me the most lovely tender mercy of being reminded of home, and even, transported me there for the tiniest moment as I went through memories of years and years of Texas Summers.

I think it was the latter explanation.

"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."

-David A. Bednar