Side note: Don't judge! Both of these experiences took place at fast food restaraunts! I swear I cook...occassionally...
A few weeks ago Elizabeth and I were eating at a Chick-Fil-A in San Antonio. I'm a strictly drive thru person, I rarely go in and eat at fast food places but we did this day and I'm so glad we did. As we were finishing up an older lady that worked there came by and asked if we needed any refills or anything. She became enamored by Elizabeth and carried on a short little conversation with her. She asked me her name and when I told her it was Elizabeth, her eyes teared up. She told me that she had a daughter named Elizabeth but she had died many years ago. She told me to enjoy my daughter and love her, said goodbye and moved on, too emotional to speak anymore. I was pretty emotional at this point too. It's so easy to take things and people for granted. I thank God for Elizabeth every day and am so so so grateful to have her in our lives. She is everything to me and I feel so very blessed to be her mother. I really think Heavenly Father was giving me a gentle reminder of this fact through another one of his children.
Last night Elizabeth and I went to Panda Express to pick up dinner since Jake was in Alabama (GO AGGIES!!!)...It's been gorgeous here lately so I had all the windows down in the car. When we pulled up to the window, the young guy there saw Elizabeth and struck up a conversation with her through her window. He told me that she was small like his son who is about Elizabeth's age. He went on to tell me that he and his wife moved here from Guam to go to school and begin a better life here. Unfortunately, they have very little money, are trying to work and go to school, had made no friends in their neighborhood and daycare got too expensive. His son had left just the night before to go back to Guam to live with the grandparents until they could afford to have him back with them. How sad! It was a slow night, no one else was in line so we talked for a few minutes before I left. My heart broke for them. I thought I had it difficult...leaving Elizabeth for 8-10 hours each day to go to work. I now realize I really didn't have it that bad. Another gentle reminder from Heavenly Father...
I feel blessed by the Lord's tender mercies in my life. They humble me, help me not take the small things for granted and to count my many, many blessings. I will always remember these experiences and the reminders they gave me to love my life, come what may, and that the Lord loves me enough to have his hand in my daily life. I hope I'm always worthy of that...
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