Keep Looking

I think I've discoursed on this topic before, but it's worth talking about again---being conscious of the Tender Mercies of God. Every day at school, we gather as classes in rows on the playground at the conclusion of morning recess. Then, we join our principal and recite the pledge of allegiance, which is followed by a thirty-second Moment of Silence. I realize that this is the Nevada legislature arranging for a period of daily prayer or meditation for students and teachers, so I've started to thank God for something during this time.

Usually we're outdoors, so it is easy to silently express my appreciation for the beautiful world in which we're standing as we observe our thirty silent seconds. The sky is often bright blue, the mountains are in sharp relief against that azure backdrop. I can see the Las Vegas Temple from our playground---it's just a few blocks away. I love my job, and I express my thanks that I have it. I have superb co-workers in fourth grade and I'm grateful for them. My final university class is completely do-able in the middle of everything else that overwhelms me.

For several days last week and over the weekend, our daughter and her three children visited us. They were on Spring Break from their school, and so their mom took a couple of days off work for a little trip to the land of lovely weather. And it was really lovely while they were here--sunny, 70's and 80's. Winter has been long and harsh in Utah, and it ain't over yet, apparently. (Snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow...)

They visited two popular nature areas here in the desert and soaked up some sun. Then, the kids played in our sandbox, and twice we warmed up the "little pool" so that we could all play in the water. On Saturday afternoon, it was warm enough to use the big pool, too, so we all swam in it. The water was just warm enough...after today's relentless wind storm, I'm sure it's too chilly again.

These are all blessings for which I've expressed my gratitude to Heavenly Father: being a mom and grandmother; sharing meals and fun with them for several days; getting to enjoy a "grown-ups only" evening with our daughter as we experienced near gluttony at a really nice restaurant that recalled her eighteen months of living in Madrid, Spain.

Now that I'm carefully looking, I continually find blessings, large and small, that Father in Heaven is showing upon me. You should look too---I'll bet you'll find you're richly blessed, also.

 

We licked the plates clean.