I was looking back in my journal as I was putting in some cards that I have received and found the first Tender Mercy of this journey....truly Angel Mail.  I had every intention of it being one of my first posts but in the fast paced movement of this whole adventure...it got put aside and mostly forgotten until now.

     When I first found my little Troll..I had been in the midst of resettling into my home office (VoR made it beautiful for me) cleaning up old empty file folders.  As I picked up a big stack a card fell out of the middle.....I have no recollection of EVER seeing this before....so I picked it up and started to read the front. 

      I immediately had tears streaming down my face and the most incredible sense of a warm hug completely enveloping me. The poem in and of itself is moving and inspirational but it's what I found when I opened it up...that amazed me.  Inside was hand written note to me from my mom (who passed away over 20 yrs ago) saying that she had kept this and wanted to pass it on to me...WOW!! 

      What a true testimony and such a blessing and miracle to me is that the Lord truly knows us and what we need even before we know ourselves.  His gentle reassurance that I am (we all are) His child and that He is ever watchful and mindful of our every need....emotionally, physically and spiritually and is standing ever ready to bless us and be there when we call.  It is not that he is not there when we need him...it is more often the case that His hand, that is ever on the door waiting to come to our aid, is slapped away by our own pride and Independence foolishly thinking we can handle this life and all it throws at us on our own.  When in truth....the sooner we realize that without Him it is impossible the more joyous and peaceful this life becomes...and that after all is the point....to find/have true joy and to learn.