The Tender Mercies of the Lord

Here is the story of all stories! I still don't believe  how it happened to this day! This year for the prizes at our annual work Holiday Party they did a raffle. Now keep in mind there are approximately 75 employees where I work. The party started at 6 and all raffle tickets had to be entered by 7pm. Well I was held up on the freeway at 6:45pm and literally walked in the door of the restaurant at 6:58. I threw my tickets into a few of the different baskets. One being a mystery prize. There were two mystery prize baskets also to keep in mind. The first mystery prize winner was pulled and they got a cooking apron. Then the second mystery box winner was pulled and it was me! I went up in front of everyone to see what it was and I opened it up to find the little reindeer jar below full of pistachios. So I thought that was my prize. Then they told me to open it and inside was the wad of cash you see below. I was blown away. The money couldn't have come at a better time!!! Oh, so you think the story ends here do you? Well the final raffle of the night was $15,000 for a charity and whoever's name was selected they got to choose what charity the money would go to. Out of no where I hear my name selected again. I couldn't stop the tears, since I had been thinking since I heard about that prize that of all the prizes I wanted, that was the one I had my heart set on. The charity I had chosen was the National MS Society. The irony of the whole night was that my Mom was supposed to be my plus 1 because Henry was in Las Vegas, but because she was not feeling well, my Dad had accompanied me. I think he was just as shocked as I was to win both prizes. It was a night I will never forget! 

If you are still wondering why I titled this post "Tender Mercies of the Lord", I will tell you. First I had torn my ACL back in October at a Young Women's activity which had caused alot of pain at the time and then I kept reinjuring it causing just as much pain. Then our upstairs toilet had flooded the upstairs bathroom, and wall beneath it into the bathroom downstairs which caused a whole slew of problems including having to use the downstairs bathroom for everything with a bum knee. Then my husband got a job in Las Vegas, and while that was a blessing, it meant I would get to see him only once a month. So on this night to have won these prizes really meant the world to me and I know that is was not by accident or coincidence that it happened.