Tender mercies

Today as we started cataract surgery we realized that a wrong lens had been ordered.  Fortunately a patient that we were doing later had exactly the same lens ordered (not very likely to have two in the same day exactly the same).  We had ordered two of that lens for that patient just in case, therefore we were able to do both patients that day.  Had it been any other way we would have had to cancel someone's surgery that day, a big hassle for the patient and bad practice on my part. Tender Mercy.

This is a new years resolution  to blog the frequent occasions that I can feel or see the hand of the Lord in my life and that of my family's.  The impetus for this comes from both the stellar example of my wife (who does this daily) and a recent EQ lesson that challenged us to write down our "tender mercies."

So, the other day I was going home from work (hospital), and I forgot something in my office.  Prior to leaving I had the impression to go and visit a neighbor who was in the ICU.  I had been visiting him on a daily basis, but because of his condition, he was fairly incoherent and not able to really  wake up to visitors.  For that reason, I was planning on skipping seeing him that day.  Nevertheless I felt the impression to see him prior to leaving.  Ignoring that, I went out to the car, realized that I had forgot something, and came back in.  Again the impression came.  OK, OK, Im going...As I came  up the elevator I was joined by a lady who seemed nice and we exchanged a few words.  I thought nothing of it and went to my office to reclaim the forgotten item.  On the way out, I headed over the ICU.  Upon entering the room, I realized that the same lady from the elevator was in the room.  Turns out she was my neighbor's sister!  And upon conversing with her I came to better know her and my neighbor.   He was still incoherent, but Im convinced there was a reason I was supposed to meet her both in the elevator and in the hospital room.  Tender mercy?  yes...