Shadows, Cracks, Dog Faces and Dead Cell Phones

I've recently had a few interesting run-ins with tender mercies.

On the way to work a few weeks ago, on a day that was expected to be particularly deplorable, I was sitting at a red light next to a car with a large dog sitting in the passenger seat.  As the light turned green, the driver of the car made a sharp left turn, causing the dog's face to suddenly crash into the window.  I laughed out loud at the sight and went on my way.  Multiple times that day during stressful situations, that ridiculous image of the dog's smashed face flashed through my mind, temporarily returning me to sanity.  I'm convinced I was meant to see it.

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"Remember, the shadows are just as important as the light." -Jane Eyre

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More recently, I've struggled (not seriously) with a mild disappointment/discouragement in my current life situation.  I mentioned in an evening prayer that I needed help recognizing the people in my life who care about me.

The next day was brutal. Work was awful, tornadoes were sweeping through Oklahoma (my home), I was moderately ill... and to top off the day, my cell phone was found underneath a bag of melting ice... nonoperational.

There's a line in the movie Tommy Boy toward the end after all the mishaps of their journeying when David Spade and Chris Farley sit down on a bench... and it breaks.  The character looks up and says, "Could've done without that."  That thought had gone through my mind several times that day.

Word of my misfortune must have gotten around, because the next few days were full of notes of concern, treats and other thoughtful/helpful surprises... from people who cared.  The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Maybe it's true. Maybe I 'could've done without' being yelled at by crazy patients or the inconvenience of a broken cell phone... but that's just what I needed to appreciate the kindness of the amazing people around me.  Maybe it's the shadowy times that make the rest seem brighter.  It's the cracks of disappointment that let a little hopeful light through.  Perhaps, then, I need to learn to recognize the tender mercies hidden in the discouragement. After all:

"When it's dark enough, you can see the stars."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Why My Mom is Cooler Than Your Mom

Mothers. They birth us, feed us, bathe us, clothe us, nurse us, teach us... and basically ensure we eventually make it to adulthood.
It wasn't until adulthood, though, that I realized that blue eyes and a petite frame are not all I inherited from her.  Here are a few of the extra little things I will always have from my mother:
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-My mother is the reason I still sing a little song to myself each time I look at the moon.

-My mother is the reason I will always love Bonanza, The Big Valley, The Rifleman and nearly every John Wayne movie ever made.

-My mother is the reason I enjoy drinking Postum.

-My mother is the person that got me into the habit of looking for (and usually finding) a deeper meaning in every movie I see or book I read.

-My mother is the reason I know almost every George Strait song by heart.

-My mother is the one I think of every time I see the mountains. (No one appreciates them more than she does.)

-I think of my mother when I count the rings on a tree stump.

-I'm not positive, but I'm fairly certain my mom is the reason I'm always doing dumb little dances while I'm doing things around the house.

-My mom is the person who taught me the cool, efficient way to dice a tomato that I've since been made fun of for. Who needs a cutting board?

-My mother is the reason I love crime shows and courtroom dramas. It all started with Matlock and Perry Mason...

-My mother is the reason I know that pansies are tough, and the reason daffodils are my favorite.
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These are only a few of the innumerable qualities, habits, skills and appreciations I have because of her.  Her lessons on prayer and treating others with love and kindness no matter what have been invaluable to me.
I've thought to myself of several occasions, "I'm turning into my mother!"  But then, I can't think of anyone I'd rather be like than MY mother.

Love you, mom. Happy Mother's Day!