The Miracles We Don't SeeNate was supposed to take Hannah to the airport last Monday so she can catch a very early flight back to Utah. He wanted to do it. It would be the last time he would see her before he leaves for his mission. He would have to get here at 5:30am so Hannah can make it to her flight.
5:35 came and no sign of Nate. We texted him. We rang his cell phone to no avail. So at 5:50, 110 minutes before her flight, we got in our car to take her. As Hannah broke down and cried in the back seat, I was trying so hard not to get disappointed at Nate. I had asked him 3 times if he was sure he could make it and every time, he reassured me he would make it. He slept through his alarm clock. And all those phone calls. I knew he would feel TERRIBLE when he wakes and realizes what just happened.
Hannah, thinking that she would have one more short moment with Nate before she leaves was crushed. And Nate, after he awoke, was beside himself. He was so flustered that he got his text messages mixed up. Oh how he must have felt.
Frustrated, disappointed and a sick feeling welling in my stomach, I was groping for words to say or something to hold on to before I called Nate and assisted in helping him feel worse about himself. Suddenly these words came to my head independent of everything that I was feeling: you will never know the miracles that were wrought upon your loved ones today. I began to calm down. Words came to me...in fact, they were not really words anymore but concepts that were flowing into my head. I do not believe in coincidences. All moments have meaning. The sweetest miracles are those that we don't see--miracles that are composed of things that didn't happen. There are miracles that are invisible because they are the direct results of things that didn't happen.
I pondered the thought and while I did so, an overwhelming feeling came upon me. It was the love of a Heavenly Father who knows us all by name and who takes control over all things--especially the things we don't see.
This realization made me tender and want to love others more. God's miracles often times are just very soft and tender whisperings that he loves us. And because he does, calm is restored and trust, love, reassurance and an overwhelming feeling of completeness takes over.
Indeed, many miracles may have been wrought this cold, blustery morning. The days when Nate and Hannah were together were beautiful days---perfect temperatures, beautiful days and nights. On this morning, as their paths separated, the day seemed to commiserate as if Nature herself knew the sadness that they felt about being separated for a time. And yet, as I drove home from the airport, a sense of peace came upon me and a growing sense of gratitude filled my longing heart. We will never know the miracles that happened this morning because the miracles were simply composed of things that did not happen. And the biggest miracle of all is that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the things that did not happen were wrought by a loving Heavenly Father whose tender mercies held us all in one whisper soft embrace.
And all I wanted to do was bow my head and with all that I have give thanks to God for allowing Nate to sleep through his alarm clock and remain where he is safe; having that perfect assurance that the beautiful young woman he loves will continue to love and support him---and allowing Hannah to safely return to BYU with many wonderful memories of her special time with the young man she loves--memories that will fill her waiting heart.
5:35 came and no sign of Nate. We texted him. We rang his cell phone to no avail. So at 5:50, 110 minutes before her flight, we got in our car to take her. As Hannah broke down and cried in the back seat, I was trying so hard not to get disappointed at Nate. I had asked him 3 times if he was sure he could make it and every time, he reassured me he would make it. He slept through his alarm clock. And all those phone calls. I knew he would feel TERRIBLE when he wakes and realizes what just happened.
Hannah, thinking that she would have one more short moment with Nate before she leaves was crushed. And Nate, after he awoke, was beside himself. He was so flustered that he got his text messages mixed up. Oh how he must have felt.
Frustrated, disappointed and a sick feeling welling in my stomach, I was groping for words to say or something to hold on to before I called Nate and assisted in helping him feel worse about himself. Suddenly these words came to my head independent of everything that I was feeling: you will never know the miracles that were wrought upon your loved ones today. I began to calm down. Words came to me...in fact, they were not really words anymore but concepts that were flowing into my head. I do not believe in coincidences. All moments have meaning. The sweetest miracles are those that we don't see--miracles that are composed of things that didn't happen. There are miracles that are invisible because they are the direct results of things that didn't happen.
I pondered the thought and while I did so, an overwhelming feeling came upon me. It was the love of a Heavenly Father who knows us all by name and who takes control over all things--especially the things we don't see.
This realization made me tender and want to love others more. God's miracles often times are just very soft and tender whisperings that he loves us. And because he does, calm is restored and trust, love, reassurance and an overwhelming feeling of completeness takes over.
Indeed, many miracles may have been wrought this cold, blustery morning. The days when Nate and Hannah were together were beautiful days---perfect temperatures, beautiful days and nights. On this morning, as their paths separated, the day seemed to commiserate as if Nature herself knew the sadness that they felt about being separated for a time. And yet, as I drove home from the airport, a sense of peace came upon me and a growing sense of gratitude filled my longing heart. We will never know the miracles that happened this morning because the miracles were simply composed of things that did not happen. And the biggest miracle of all is that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that the things that did not happen were wrought by a loving Heavenly Father whose tender mercies held us all in one whisper soft embrace.
And all I wanted to do was bow my head and with all that I have give thanks to God for allowing Nate to sleep through his alarm clock and remain where he is safe; having that perfect assurance that the beautiful young woman he loves will continue to love and support him---and allowing Hannah to safely return to BYU with many wonderful memories of her special time with the young man she loves--memories that will fill her waiting heart.
