When I first decided to venture into the world of blogging, I really didn't know exactly what I had in mind, other than trying to discover what blogging was all about, hense the original name of this blog: Random Thoughts. I decided to ocasionally post a few random thoughts just to see what transpired. Then in October of 2007 Elder Henry B Eyring gave a talk in General Conference that really hit me hard as something that I should be doing.
(You can read the talk here: http://lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/o-remember-remember?lang=eng&query=O+Remember,+Remember or watch a short video based on the talk here: http://lds.org/pages/o-remember-remember?lang=eng&query=henry+b+eyring)
The talk basically tells about how Elder Eyring decided one day when his children were small that he should be recording each day the ways he observed the Lord blessing the lives of his family. He wrote down a few lines every day, never missing a day. His gratitude for his blessings grew, as did his testimony. He made copies of the record for his children, which strengthened their gratitude and testimonies.
It has been over four years since I first heard this talk, but I am often reminded of it, and my desire and intent to do the same. My own father has been a wonderful example to me and others of keeping a daily journal or record of his life, and also of writing and sharing his experiences and thoughts with his family on a regular weekly basis, and has often encouraged us to do the same. Both he and my mother have written their own life stories and continue to add to them and to write regularly to their children.
At some point I realized that this blog would perhaps be a good venue for recording the daily blessings or tender mercies that I recognize in my life. It was at then that I changed the name of this blog from "Random Thoughts" to "Random Thoughts and Tender Mercies".
(another wonderful General Conference talk given by Elder Bednar on Tender Mercies can be read here:
http://lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-tender-mercies-of-the-lord?lang=eng&query=tender+mercies)
Anyway, even with all of the wonderful examples of friends and family members who regularly post inspiring thoughts and experiences on their blogs, I'm still not a regular blogger, and I am still procrastinating on my intent or goal of recognizing and recording the blessings of the Lord in my life. So, though it may still take some time for me to develop this habit, I can only begin if I begin.
This afternoon my daughter #1 and I drove to Logan to visit daughter #2 and attend Parent's Day in her Student/Singles Ward. (Dad had other comittments and could not come) The weather this weekend, though not terrible, has been forcast all week to be windy with rain and snow. For those of you who may not be aware, though I do enjoy driving and traveling, I do not enjoy driving in rain or snow, especially in canyons, in the dark, or in traffic where the other drivers are more confident and driving much faster than I am. This trip to Logan could have met any or all of these conditions. On the way to Logan the weather was clear except for a bit of rain through the Mantua and Sardine Canyon areas. So far, so good. In every single one of the meetings we attended, the students/single adults who offered the prayers thanked the Lord that the parents and families who had come to visit were able to do so, and asked that we would all be able to travel and return to our homes in safety. I was very grateful for their prayers. Additionally, since the meetings began at 1:30 pm, by the end of the meeting block and linger longer, at this time of year it would normally be approaching dusk. But, since Daylight Savings Time began last Sunday (I know, I know, I've been grumping about it all week . . . it's way to early to start Daylight Savings Time when I have to get up in the morning while it's still dark), even though it was raining when we left Logan there was still plenty of daylight time left. We did hit a bit of snow in the Canyon, but just before we hit Ogden it stopped raining, and we did have a safe and uneventful trip home, in the daylight. We enjoyed the meetings and music and testimonies and lunch, a nice (although short) visit with daughter #2 and her roommate, and arrived safely home in the daylight. Simple, I know, but blessings indeed.
