Tender Mercies . . .

“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” (David A. Bednar, April 2005 general conference).

Have you ever been in  receipt of tender mercies?  I am sure you have.  We all have been.  I do not believe that they are random occurances but come to us just at the right time.  God's timing is perfection.  He knows what we need and just when we need it, and He oftimes uses the hands of His children to deliver them by prompting them to do a kindness to others . . . never suppress a generous thought for its just possible you have been given the chance to deliver a tender mercy . . .

 

Earlier this week I received a package from Tatiana in Greece.  I was very excited to open it and inside I found this darling journal, handmade by her of course along with a package of bits and bobs of paper scraps/tags/cards/etc.    Tatiana's work is always so beautiful . . .  she called it a "junk" journal, but it is anything but junk . . . . 

It is gorgeous inside and out . . .  with lots of little pockets to fill and do-dads, and a lovely date charm which hangs from it, ribbon markers, etc.

And her beautiful calligraphy.  I have not had time to practice mine in weeks and weeks now.  I am so bad.   But most of all the letter . . .  I loved it.  I love to get snail mail.   That someone takes the time.  It means so much  . . .  

~♥~

I also was in receipt the other night of a lovely e-mail from my favourite artist SB.  I had sent her a small gift early in January.  I wasn't sure if she would get it because I didn't actually know her mailing address, but then I figured that she must be so well known on MV island that everyone would know her and so I threw caution to the wind and sent it off.   I wanted to thank her for all the joy she has been bringing to me (and many others) throughout the years.   I fell in love with her work way back in the 1980's when she used to have an illustrated recipe in Country Living Magazine every month.  I would save them religiously and then one day I bought her book  Heart of the Home, and I have been buying her books ever since.  I just wanted to send her a small token, and so I mailed her a small thing along with a note.  That she would take the time out of her busy, busy day to e-mail me back was so very kind of her.  It was a lovely note and I have put it in my journal.  I know it was cheeky of me to send her something, but I wanted to.   I did not expect anything from it, but was well pleased with the response.  

 ~♥~

Yesterday my friend Tina came over and we went to Costco.  I love Costco, but don't have a membership.  Over here you have to work for the Government, or the NHS, or a company in order to have a membership.  Ordinary people cannot buy one, so we don't have one . . .  a membership that is, so it is a real treat for me when I get to go.

Tina is my lovely South African friend.  (This is her with her husband Tony)   They moved into the Chester Ward/LDS Church about a year after we moved back to Chester.   We have become very close friends and share all of our secrets and feelings with each other.   I love her to bits.  She is such a kind, kind person and a great example to me.  She and Tony are always the first to reach out to and help others.  Like me she loves to cook.  I think she is just amazing.  She often will bring me a jar of Skippy from Costco because she had been in and thought of me and she knows I love Skippy peanut butter.   Yesterday she took me with her and we had a great time.  We sat and lunched and went through the shop and I got my Skippy and a nice big jar of set honey and my all beef hotdogs that I like, a HUGE jar of Bon Maman Strawberry Jam (love the jar) and a few other bits and I got these things for Todd called Aussie Bites, which are filled with protein and fibre and which he can snack on and that he might find useful when he is going through the radiation.  It was so kind of Tina to take me and I so thoroughly enjoyed our lunch together and just spending the time together without husbands and kids about, a time we could just talk and be  . . .  lovely, just lovely.

We also went to try to visit out friend Audrey in hospital.  It was about 3 in the afternoon by then and I thought we were never going to get a parking space.  We drove around and around the hospital parking lots and finally Tina said a prayer and lo and behold, two women were leaving and we got their spot.  Hooray for answered prayers and the faith of a friend to ask.  She is such a fine example to me.   It turned out we were a bit late to visit Audrey as they were just taking her off for some tests that were going to take a while, but at least we tried and she saw us briefly and I learned an example in faith from my good friend.  So all was not lost. 

~♥~

Then when I got home the postman had been and look at what I got in the post from our dear Monique in Canada.  Thank you, thank you, thank you Monique for being so kind and so generous in your thoughts.  Such a pretty card and your handwriting on the envelope so beautiful . . . all those special details . . .

and inside  . . . 

Even more beauty  . . .  such a treasure.   Monique is such a dear sweet friend and so talented.  I hope that she doesn't mind me showing this to you.  It is just gorgeous . . .  her watercolour . . .  such a simple thing and yet such a thing of beauty, the pen, the berry, the paint pan . . . and her sweet note and Paris tag . . . . but that is not all . . .

Even the back of the envelope was a treat for the eyes with a wax seal, etc.   Monique, thank you so very much for your kindness.  It could not have come at a better time.  It cheered my heart immensely.  You are so very thoughtful.  ♥♥♥

Tender Mercies.

They are all around us.  

A thought to carry with you through today  . . . 

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° ˛°. . 
˛*There is no greater test of a man's integrity

       than his behavior when he is wrong.

              ~marvin williams  •。★★ 。* 。 

Spiritual Enlightenment

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Chicken with Tomatoes and Capers.  Quick, easy and delicious!  One of my favourites!

Have a wonderful Wednesday  . . . . may it be blessed and filled with tender mercies. Don't forget!


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And I do too!