Small Mercies

So many events in our lives require preparation. And for a girl in her late teens, that usually means lots of assistance from her mom. That all changed for me when my mom passed away the first week of my senior year of high school. I prepared for a lot of things without her: Sterling Scholar, a few dances, senior pictures, graduation, my first semester of college, etc. At each of these events several wonderful women, often my sisters, stepped up to take care of me.
But since I got my mission call, her absence in my life seems to have been amplified. First it was in preparing to go through the temple. Then in actually going through. Recently, I've missed her care as I've recovered from oral surgery. But most frequently my mind has turned to the fact that she won't be able to help me shop for clothes. To alter the clothes that I find. To remind me that it really doesn't matter what I wear, because I'll be serving the Lord. I so miss her logic and love at this time in my life.
One day I was feeling particularly sad about this. I was thinking about it as I dressed for the adult session of stake conference. That night I picked out a dress that she bought me. In fact, it was from one of our last shopping trips together. At the time she was convinced that I needed more church clothes. I was pretty sure I had enough, but I wasn't one to argue when she offered to take me shopping.
As I pulled the dress over my head, I was wishing for just one more shopping trip like that. You can imagine my delight when I looked in the mirror and saw that this dress is 100% appropriate for mission service! It is long enough, has very modest sleeves, and is a light material that will be wonderful in the humid Houston climate. The thought came, "Mom helped me shop for mission clothes!" My eyes filled with tears of gratitude.
Shortly after, I put the skirt we bought that same day. Amazingly, it is long enough as well! I rarely purchase skirts and dresses longer than knee length, so the fact that I picked out two in one day is truly remarkable. I am grateful for the small mercies that the Lord provides for us. He knows the path we will take and prepares us perfectly for it. He truly is mindful of each of us!