The Lord's Tender Mercies

Every now and then the stars align in our lives and we are fortunate enough to experience what I would call a "perfect day."  I had just such a day not too long ago.  I had awoke early to find myself in a pleasant little hotel room in the middle of nowhere Montana.  We had spent the day before driving towards Utah, planning to arrive a few days later, completely unannounced, and had made it to this quaint little hotel.  The kids had gone to bed nicely, instead of jumping on the beds and begging to watch TV until the wee hours of the morning, and consequently, we had gotten a restful night's sleep.  I awoke to a better than average continental breakfast, an uninterrupted hot shower, and another few hours of driving through beautiful Montana scenery.  

 As we crossed the state line and entered the northern corner of Idaho, the scenery became even more stunning.  I sat in the car and simply stared out of the window, grateful for the snowy landscape that glistened in the sun.  It felt like one of those perfect days already.

It was destined; however, to just get better.  As we rolled down the highway, the idea entered my mind that we should stop in my old college stomping ground as we passed through Idaho.  We couldn't get to Salt Lake until the next day, so we had plenty of time to kill, and I had often had dreams about going back to college.  This wouldn't be like being a full-time student, but I could pull up some of my old professors schedules and maybe make a surprise appearance.  It seemed like a great plan, inspired even, and so we went for it.

There were two professors in particular that I really wanted to see.  Fortunately for me, one of them had office hours just about the time we would be arriving.  Office hours, and then a poetry class directly after.  The teacher was none other than Dr. Scott Samuelson, American Literature and Poetry teacher extraordinaire.  He was a beloved teacher and friend while I was at Ricks, and we had kept in touch over the many years thereafter.  Our timing was perfect, and I was tickled to think I would get to see him and attend one of his classes once again.

After arriving in town, we drove around Rexburg for a bit, found a parking place, and for the first time, the kids accompanied me around the familiar, yet different, college campus.  It was somewhat surreal, and even more so as I entered the Language building and there, walking down the hall towards us, was Brother Samuelson himself.  He looked amazing!  His long coat and writer's hat made him look every bit the part of the distinguished literature professor, and his face lighted with a smile as he saw us approaching.  After hugging and spending a few moments introducing the kids, we were delighted to discover what I would term, a tender mercy of the Lord.  That day--the very day we happened to be passing through and decided to stop--was his last day of teaching.  He was retiring, and he was on his way to teach his last class ever at what was now Brigham Young University Idaho.  My dreams of going back to school were coming true, and couldn't have come true one day later.  Additionally, a long time friend and beloved student would be there to share in his last day of teaching and have the opportunity to stand before his room of students and bear solemn testimony of the goodness of the Lord, the ever presence of His tender mercies, and the way He is ever able to orchestrate the very smallest details of our lives to bless and delight.  It was amazing!  

After class, we had refreshments and snapped a few photos.

Then Scott gave me a very special gift--a small watercolor he had painted of the beautiful aspens of Northern Idaho by which I could always remember him and my days there by.

I was moved to tears, and vowed to place the picture in my library on the shelf next to my Easton Press Poetry Collection--a collection I started while in his class at Ricks College and finished the day after I finalized the drawings for the library that would go in our new home over 13 years later.

The day was followed up with dinner at one of my favorite places--Cafe Rio--and then a trip to my Grandparents house in Garland.  It was a perfect day, truly a tender mercy from the Lord.