As I think...

I might as well point out that this is Craig. I wanted just to point out the significance of the title "God's Tender Mercy to Me." Awhile back in 2005 General Conference Elder Bednar spoke and referred to the term tender mercies from the scriptures. My dad kind of took hold of that statement and used it to teach us about God. Since then I have often returned that those words and in some ways they have become something of a motto to me.
The scriptures use several times that phrase. It teaches us that God is not a God of penance but of happiness and mercy. He is not solely engaged in this universe-sized effort for our learning as much as for our love. He loves us and that is the hope to which I have consistently returned. That He has mercy and He has tenderness. Like any other principle our awareness of it grows over time and determined effort. I have grown to see His tender mercies the moreso as I live each day.
I do not mean this as some joke although it makes me laugh but I never once concieved, not even once have I imagined such a tender mercy as the one which God has given to me since my return home. Cayla Janay is God's Tender Mercy to Me- and I daresay His greatest.
I don't put this out as certain doctrine so much as my way of thinking about things but there are things, people, or mayhaps events in our lives which God gives us to renew and sustain us and to form a bulwark upon which we will become the more holy and whole possible. You could almost think of it as a glorified 'sword in the stone' from King Arthur or First Vision from Joseph Smith. Needless to say the the mercies change us in significant ways sometimes even to become wholely opposite. Alma the Younger saw an angel and heard his pronouncements. That changed him quite a bit =) There are other examples that are out there but what I have written suffices me.
Cayla- and I say this in a very simple way- is the greatest example, tool, person, event or otherwise that I could ever have hoped for from God. That does not mean that great and special things do not await. We aren't even married yet! I can't wait and I'm shouting it! What I mean is that I have looked over what God had given me, and what He has promised me in coming days and there is nothing that is more important to me, nor that will affect such a fount of goodness like Cayla Janay. I mean it! I love her... When I look at her everytime I see a priceless pearl, a gem that is pure light. Each time I hear God say to me, "Son, I've given you the greatest treasure that you can expect from me. I want you to treat her well. She is not around just to be admired." And I add that on other occasions I have been told that my greatest successes in life and indeed the successful completion in life itself will come from her.
She is not around just to help either. I am here to help her. My happiness in life will come from that priceless gem reaching becoming all that she is. I have had time and time again, vision after dream and what she is amazes me. I'd be a fool not to hop on the two seat band-wagon with her and I ain't gettin' off lol. My satisfaction will come from her realizing what she already is. Most of life's lessons are just realizations and their application.
She is not around just to teach or be helped either. God does not give us companions just to teach us patience =) In my fortunate case Cayla is my friend, my deep friend. She is a person that I want to be around, and one to whom (strangely enough) I have felt a bond from day one. The very first time I heard her name (and I remember the moment clearly) it came with a unique feeling, one which I have come to share with kinship, former and present, and the inklings of the Spirit telling me that something is coming. She is actually the best friend I have ever had, the one to whom I have related most in my entire life, and I haven't seen a fault in her yet. I don't expect I will =)
In essence, she created this blog and gave it the name which I had told her about on several occasions as being words of special significance to me. I want to add my piece for now (and more certainly later) but just to explain the name. Yeah, it obviously is cute and has some specialness but I want to add my bit- Those words are the faith that I live by. They mean everything to me. I've called Cayla those words because she is. Beyond God and my brother Jesus I have no other tender mercy that is so great, so true, so faithful, and so precious to me (speaking very personally) like Cayla.
I mean the words I said. They are the truth. I love her. I love her. I love her.