I know my Heavenly Father Loves me.

Friday morning, was quite dramatic. Kathryn woke up to find her goldfish swimming funny. She came up very concerned, and honestly it didn't sound good. So I went to take a look at Gills, the fish, and sure enough he was swimming funny. We was floating on his side using only one fin and barely breathing. If it had just been up to me I would have flushed the little guy and put him out of his misery, but I had a very sad little girl that I had to think about. I tried to explain how sometimes this just happens to goldfish and yes, it is sad, but that's just how it is. We went up for breakfast, she was devastated and bawling that her poor goldfish was dying. At breakfast it was Tansley's turn and I suggested that she pray for Kathryn and that she won't feel so sad, which she did, but she also prayed that Gills would feel better. I thought "well, that's nice, but he'll be dead by lunch." When Kathryn came home from school at lunch, we went to check on Gills, I took the fish net so that I could scoop him out and send him off to the little fishy heaven. But to my surprise he was still breathing...and still floating on his side. A little thought came to my mind that I should scoop him out and put him in some fresh water, I told myself that this would show Kathryn that I was doing everything that I could to help this poor dying fish. I got a quart jar and put some fresh water and some water conditioner in it and then scooped out Gills and put him in the jar. He swam around funny for a moment and then just laid there floating at the top. It was time for lunch, and Kathryn's turn to say the blessing, at which point she also prayed that Gills would get better. "My poor children", I thought "this fish is not gong to make it, they will be so sad". After lunch Kathryn headed out for a drive to Lethbridge with dad.

Gills, feeling a little better

A few hours after they left, I noticed that Gills was no longer floating at the top, but was sitting upright at the bottom of the jar, and he seemed to be breathing easier. So I dropped in a little bit of food he ate a few bites and then resumed just sitting there. By the time that Kathryn and Daniel returned from Lethbridge at supper time, Gills was kinda swimming around. Kathryn was so excited, after all she believe that Gills was going to be OK. I, however remained skeptical that he would actually survive. But I decided that maybe it was time to clean out his fish tank and put fresh water in it just in case he really was going to live. I promised Kathryn that if he survived the night that we would put him back in his fish tank in the morning. That night, the only thing I prayed for, was that Gills would live.

Gills, happy to be alive in his home

It would be so cruel to give these girls hope, only to take it away in the end.
But honestly, I just wasn't sure. Well, I should have listened to my children. In the morning, Gills was alive and well, and when we put him in his fish tank he swam all around and looked as though nothing had ever happened.
I don't have a picture of him floating at the top, to show just how bad he looked....because what would be the point of taking a picture of a nearly dead fish?
Saturday morning, after we had returned Gills to his fish tank we were all off to Lethbridge for the day. I'm not sure what exactly happened weather Daniel just didn't pay attention to the gas gauge or that he just figured that there would be enough gas to get to Lethbridge, but by the time we were approaching Sterling(which is about 20 minutes outside of Lethbridge), we were not so sure we would have enough gas to get to Lethbridge. Daniel made the turn off the highway and we headed to Sterling to the gas station. But when we pulled up to the gas station, all the lights were off and it did not look open in spite of the store hours sign that said they should be open. Daniel got out to inspect, and as he approached the door, Foster Garrett, a member of the church who lives in Sterling and who we know quite well, opened the door for him. Turns out all of Sterling is without power because of the weather...no power, no gas. However, he said that he had a jerrycan that had some gas in it that we could use, so we followed him to his house. He apologized that it wasn't as much as he thought and offered us some blankets. I told him we had blankets and that we would be fine. After all, I knew that it was not a coincidence that he was at the right place at the right time to help us out, so whatever gas he had to offer would be enough to get us to Lethbridge. And it was.
This month in primary the theme has been "We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ" and we have been talking about ways that Heavenly father shows his love for his children on earth. As we were driving to Lethbridge Saturday morning, I had been thinking about what I was going to do for sharing time in primaryon Sunday to help the children really feel that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love them. I recognized right away the answer to my children's  prayer that Gills would get better. I know my Heavenly Father loves me, because he cares enough about my girls to answer their prayer over a silly goldfish...a goldfish that really should have died(you should have seen this fish!). I know my Heavenly Father loves me because He is still teaching me and showing me that all things are possible with faith...the simple faith of a child can heal a goldfish, and although I didn't believe that the fish would make it, He still directed me to know what to do to help save this fish.
As my husband poured the gas from the jerrycan into the van, I recognized, that My Heavenly Father loves me because He placed the right person in the right place at the right time to help us out. I honestly don't know if I would have recognized as such if I hadn't already been in that mind set, thinking about my primary sharing time. I am afraid that I may have just thought, "well that we lucky" or some similar thought. It got me thinking about how many times little things like that happen in our lives, and how frequently we simply say "well that was lucky" and don't acknowledge that it was our Heavenly Father who was looking out for us, showing us just how much he loves us and wants us to succeed.