Tender Mercies

Crazy how things have been piling up on us lately. Rhett has had to prepare for his meritorious promotion board, prepare for a field op, our budget's been stretched to its limit by mistakes made by billers, and our only car broke down. Thank to the tender mercies of the Lord, however, we've managed to make it through with a smile once we opened our hearts to him. Let me explain...

So, like I said, Rhett has been preparing for his board (for promotion!) and his field op. I've been pretty stressed about being alone for so long in a place I'm unfamiliar with and dealing with everything Rhett has been so good at taking care of. We were doing pretty good until we decided we were going to go to the Shrimp Festival last Saturday (Aug. 10). The Shrimp Festival our here is like Peach Days, only a little bigger. There were famous people from TV shows like the Gator Boys coming, all kinds of booths, parades, games, contests, etc. The whole shebang, and I was pretty dang excited to go. So we go hop in the car and as soon as the key is turned... "GRRRdddrddddGRRRRgggggga;ghkaeryzsjgiuarh;gkguah." That's not good.

After awhile of looking, turns out some bolts holding the compressor in place had completely broken. Jammed up into their place, broken in half, and not to mention in a very, VERY tight space. It seemed at first like a simple repair, just replacing the bolts, right? But the space is so tight and the bolts so hard to get to, a lot of things may need to be removed and replaced to get to the main problem. Awesome. So that was our only car down for the count.

This posed a problem because, being a Marine, Rhett can't call in and say "My car broke, I'll be there when I can." So we went about trying to arrange rides and get our Sunday lesson covered by the only person in the ward we know.

Next came the stress of needing a car, needing two cars, and trying to decide what to do. We had no way to get our first problem car to a shop, and desperately needed something. So, even amongst all the stress and upset feelings, the Lord was kind enough to soften my heart to hear the Holy Ghost.

Not knowing why, I picked up the phone and looked through my relief society papers. After calling the RS president, 1st and 2nd counselors, and the Secretary, no one had answered. Then I remembered the Primary Book we'd been given for our new calling. I called the Primary President, 1st counselor, and still no answers. I was ready to give up, but that little something said, "try one more time." The next phone call was answered.

I had seen Sister Henry in primary, so I felt a little more comfortable asking her for the bishop's phone number than I would have any one else's. She gave me the number, asked what was wrong, and we said our goodbyes. After an unanswered phone call to the bishop and still mounting stress, Sister Henry called back.

She informed me she had talked to her husband and they had access to a towing car dolly and knew a good mechanic that could look at our car. They also had a car we could borrow for a few days to get groceries and use until we figured out our situation. What a huge,  huge blessing that was!

In the midst, however, of this blessing, and looking back I can see that Satan was working very hard to keep me from seeing blessings and pushing past the hardship, I realized we could not afford any kind of repair at all, and Rhett wanted to buy a new car. We just couldn't afford anything. The bill mistakes were enough. And in the realization of being pinched for pennies to the point of debt, I broke.




I cried and was just so ready to give up. And then, another blessing. The smallest thing that could have happened changed my whole day. As I sat and bawled, standing in the kitchen, our little cat Tony jumped up onto the chair next to me, brushed my hand, and began to purr. It amazes me still that this small thing made me smile and stop crying so fast. He followed me the rest of they day, staying by my side and simply purring. He sat with me, he layed next to me on the couch, and just never left. Tony has never done that before. This little kitty  had opened my eyes to the Lord's 2nd tender mercy of the day.

Today, as I write this blog, our car is at a mechanics, we have found a good car that we can afford and the payments will help us build credit, Rhett drove the car to work today, and things are looking so much better. The stress is virtually gone. And now I realize the Lord never stopped his blessings. He never left my side. And, its funny but looking back I lay in bed one night thinking "He is a 4th watch God. He'll come. He'll help us." And literally, as I was about to give up, stretched to my last, that help came in the simplest form of a sweet little purr.