Tender Mercy - 'Mom Remembers' Cassette Appears

A few days ago I received a tender mercy from the Lord.  It is absolutely amazing to me!!!  Nearly two decades ago I had decided to get contributions of memories about Dad so that I could put together a memory book for him.  I received letters from quite a few people and completed scrap book pages from all of my brothers and the grandkids that were married.  Mom recorded some of her memories on a cassette tape.  I don't remember how she got it to me...mail?  When she came to visit? But I do remember having it in El Centro...in fact...I can remember sitting at the desk, when the desk was in the front of the family room (by the front door), trying to transcribe it and being frustrated at my lack of skill in such an endeavor, wondering if Wanda could do it better.  And then, it disappeared!  I searched every nook and cranny.  I tore the desk apart, the family room, my sewing room, my room, every place I could think of...to no avail.  I found plenty of cassettes but none of them were Mom's.  I hadn't given up ever finding it, but I seriously wondered if it had been tossed in the trash among papers and debris.  

I thought I might find it when we packed out for Kentucky...but I didn't.  I thought I might find it when I unpacked in Kentucky...but I didn't.  I hoped it might surface in Denver...it didn't.  By the time I got here in Tennessee, I was pretty certain it was lost forever and would never be found.

Well, a few days ago I was in the office and looked down on the floor, where one of the three boom boxes we own, sits.  As I glanced at the boom box I noticed that there was a tape in it.  I wasn't surprised because I have used these boom boxes when I have taught seminary, R.S., institute, Sunday School or just wanted to listen to something.  However, when I ejected the tape I was absolutely overwhelmed to discover it was Mom's!!!  I don't know what to make of it!!!  I have taken tapes in and out of this particular boom box many times and never seen Mom's tape.  Ditto with the other boom box.  In nearly 20 years I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS TAPE!!!! And yet, it was in the boom box Saturday.

Ironically, none of the boom boxes tape players are working.  Rich played around with them to no avail.  We had no way to see if the tape was in tact.  We wondered if your can even buy a cassette player anymore.  However, a friend here, Charlene Jameson (and it is particularly interesting to me that she is a distant cousin - her GGgrandfather Rigby and our Samuel Roskelley families are connected) had a player that she loaned me...and the tape is, indeed, in tact!  It is Mom!  It's the tape of her memories she'd made for me!  It was lost and now it is found!!!!  What a miracle!!!!  I can't explain it but I know it is one of those sweet, tender mercies sent just to me.  I feel so humbled!!!

Rich was able to digitally copy it last night and I will be sending it out to family.  Actually, I'm pretty sure that Rich will be doing that!  Lol!  If everyone agrees, I'll post it to family search so that it can be preserved forever!  And, that's a second or third tender mercy!  I don't have to transcribe it!!!  And we get to hear it in Mom's own voice!!!!  Gotta' love it!!!!