Thanksgiving

We attended Hymns of Thanksgiving this evening, it was a nice program. I was thinking how certain music can really lift our spirits and enable us to feel closer to our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for inspired composers that are able to create such powerful music. It is interesting for me, it doesn't necessarily need to be hymns even though I believe some hymns are also very powerful. When facing challenges or uncertainties, I can listen to certain music and I will then experience this feeling that everything is as it should be, everything will be alright and God is in control and aware of our unique circumstances.

I am grateful the Lord assists us and helps us even in the little day to day things. I really don’t know what it is about being a consultant but the people that I work for often just assume that I have all the answers, when I really don’t. But the fact that they expect me to have the answers, sometimes puts added pressure on me to come up with a response that makes me look like I know what I am talking about. Several weeks ago while on this consulting engagement in Portland, the person that has responsibility for the company 401K plan came to me and asked how she should respond to a unique situation related to filing some required documents with the federal government. Often when those forms are not completed correctly, fines can be applied. Other places where I have worked, I had responsibility for the benefit programs including the 401K plan, but I had employees that worked for me that completed those forms and they knew what they were doing. So I really never got into the details. My first thought was to admit that I really had no clue, but I didn’t think she would be too impressed with that answer. So as she was asking the question, I was saying a silent prayer asking Heavenly Father to help me come up with an answer. Just as she completed asking the question, I was able to buy some time by requesting that she explain the issue in more detail, and then the answer came to me. I told her exactly how she should deal with the issue. She came back to me later and mentioned that she found some guidelines on how to complete the forms and they were consistent with the instructions I gave her. I am grateful that sometimes when we humbly ask the Lord for help, he provides us with answers and assistance that are beyond our own capabilities.