Tender Mercies on a not-too-bad/not-too-good day

Today we had a showing appt. scheduled.  The second one we've had.  Oh yeah. And also the 2nd one that's cancelled.  It bummed me out.  Keeping house (even a nearly empty one) clean is hard work but add pregnancy on top of that. Ugh.  (Really.  Keeping house is not my thing.  I try to keep it up, but just enough.)  Anyway.  I've been feeling discouraged and the day has been kind of a downer.

It's not to say good things haven't happened because they have.  I would be naive and ungrateful not to recognize them as they are fairly obvious good things.  First, I'm in charge of gathering any volunteers needed for the PTA. 

TOMORROW is our fun run.  I was able to get at least 13 volunteers with barely any effort. Most of those came in response to a mass email and the few people I called and talked to were almost all willing to help out for the time I needed them.  If you don't think this is a tender mercy, you've never tried to get so many volunteers on such short notice. (Originally my goal was 8, and I ended up with 13!)

Next, smoothies are great.

My Dr. has suggested I eat more of them to help gain weight.  (Don't hate me.  It sucks to not have much of an appetite.)  Our good neighbor, Mr. Terry, who often calls in the afternoon to have the kids come get some sort of treat called today.  He said, "good! you're home.  I'm bringing you a smoothie."  It tasted fabulous.  And in reality up that point the most nutritious thing I'd eaten all day.  And it did make me feel better.

Lastly, I was begrudgingly reading a story to Sophie tonight.  She's been a stinker today and it was past her bedtime.  Of course she picks one of the longest books in her collection.  Funny enough it was one I'd never read before, despite the fact that we've had it since Lyndsi was in Kindergarten.  So, I started in on Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse.

Ok-so I softened when I was immediately drawn to the fun characters and a promising story line.  I watched as Lily got angry with her teacher and drew a mean-teacher picture when her new purse and accessories were taken away. And felt warm-hearted when she discovered her teacher left her a note in her purse when she received it at the end of the day.  Then I read the note.  And cried.  He told her

"Today was difficult.  Tomorrow will be better."

Suddenly I was out of the story receiving my own personal comfort.  I felt Heavenly Father reaching out to me through my daughter and her bedtime story.  And I felt love.

I'm so glad to have seen my little tender mercies. Some days they make all the difference.