Month: May 2019

Cake Carrier

Once the 8×8 cake one of my children had baked late at night for a school project, due the following day, cooled and prior to flipping it out of the glass pan onto another surface to then decorate it with the required details, the question became what to transfer it onto to be able to transport it without messing up the design. 

As I was contemplating the use of a cardboard box with sides used to hold water bottles and lining it with aluminum foil and then crumbling up additional foil to fill in any gaps to eliminate sliding, it dawned on me we had an 8×8 plastic container, with a lid, full of brownie bites. 

It was a tender mercy that I had recalled the package of brownie bites I had purchased days earlier for an event. I transferred the mini brownies to a gallon sized ziploc freezer bag and voila we now had a great way to secure and best support the cake, keeping the decorations from shifting outside of their designated and specific locations, as well as cover it and the cake fit perfectly in the container.

When have you wanted to deliver an item(s) from one place to another snugly and you recalled having a bin, container, envelope, etc. on hand that was a perfect fit?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Teeter Totter

For days, I was experiencing an unpleasant nudging pain inside my body that I knew was associated with stress. On one hand I was super excited and looking forward to amazing occasions upcoming and on the other hand I was feeling a disconcerted apprehension for the nerve-racking occurrences that lie ahead, outside of my control, and directly coincided with each event. I felt like I was on a teeter totter, seesawing from feeling joy and enthusiasm to floundering with concern, worry, and anxiety. 

During the frequent moments of uneasiness, I felt stuck, discombobulated, and overwhelmed. It was all too much and very cumbersome to have the constant fluctuation of feeling elated anticipation and angst toggling back and forth, over and over again. I was struggling to relax and feel at peace. 

Similar to when you plant your feet firmly on the ground while on a teeter totter and the up and down motion discontinues, utilizing breathing techniques, speaking to my emotions out loud, and reciting a scripture phrase that entered my mind, “doubt not, fear not” helped to ground me momentarily as I sought to try to overcome the distress that kept creeping in, however, the undergone tightness in my body was still apparent and persistent. 

It was a tender mercy when I was impressed to get off the “teeter totter” altogether for the time being and literally step outside to run an errand unrelated to the occasions and events sourcing the contrasting emotions. It was then that I obtained reprieve and the physical pain eased up. 

When have you been caught between bittersweet emotions causing you distress and as you felt impressed to break away from the source temporarily, your stress ailments subsided? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Having A Backup Option In Case

I was really happy when getting dressed for the day that I came across a blouse I especially liked and had forgotten about until I saw it when sorting through my clothes. When I got oil-free makeup remover on the shirt shortly before leaving the house for church, I was concerned, though not for long. It was a tender mercy I had another dressy top and cardigan I could quickly swap out that went well with my skirt without needing to change my entire outfit. 

Before exchanging my blouse, I wanted to try and get what looked like the “grease stain” out while it was still wet. I dabbed the spot with water and even though I had a limited amount of time, I let it air dry. I was worried that if I blow-dried it, the supposed stain would set in. It was another tender mercy the blouse dried very quickly. Once it air dried completely, the spot was still slightly visible so I dabbed it with water again and after it dried the second time around, I did not notice it. If it was still present, my hair was long enough to cover it up. 

Not only was it a tender mercy I had a backup top and cardigan to wear if necessary, in addition, the spot on the blouse cleaned up nicely and particularly fast. 

When have you been concerned when an article of clothing became what appeared stained just minutes before needing to be someplace on time and not only did you have a replacement you could quickly change into if necessary, even better, after dabbing the area with water, the “grease spot” cleared up?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

I Need Help

It has been a joy to be a teacher to a class of junior primary children at church. On one particular Sunday, the portion of the lesson I felt strongly I should focus on most was that “Jesus wants little children to come to Him so He can bless them”. Each child matters to the Savior. As I imagined the love and gentleness He showed each child individually when He was here as He interacted with them, sat with them, and “took them up in His arms”, I wanted so badly for the kids in my class to feel that same love from Him for them as if He were in our classroom Himself.  

I didn’t know exactly how to go about teaching the lesson nor precisely what I could share so they could feel the Savior’s love for them. I needed help so I prayed and asked Heavenly Father for inspiration. Although I approached class with a general plan and had put different items in my church bag prepared for any which way the lesson may go, I had no idea ahead of time specifically what I was going to do. 

Through prayer and seeking help, it was a tender mercy I received divine guidance and direction over and over again throughout the class time. I was able to adapt quickly and shift gears frequently to adjust to the children’s shortened attention spans and in the moment, one by one inspiration came to my mind and miraculously the lesson came together smoothly and the Savior’s love for each child was felt.

When have you desired to be an “instrument” in Heavenly Father’s hands to help others feel of His love and the Savior’s love for them and your prayer was answered?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Phew—No Parking Ticket!

Late Saturday morning as I was looking out our front window, I noticed our car was still out in the street from the night previous. I began to panic and my heart started racing rapidly. I was concerned that we had a ticket either on our driver’s side door window or windshield. 

In our neighborhood, parking on the street overnight is not allowed. And, if you do so, you can expect to come out the next morning and see a ticket on your vehicle. As I stepped outside to move our car back into the driveway, I was nervous. Then I realized it was Saturday and that on the weekends if you’re parked in the street overnight, you won’t get a ticket.

It was a tender mercy that on any night to not remember to bring the car back into the driveway, it was on a Friday night that I had forgotten and we did not have a ticket on our car. 

When have you expected to get a ticket for a traffic ordinance oversight and you were relieved when you were not, after all, in violation of a restriction and issued a ticket?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Circling Back To Pay A Compliment

Within moments of saying goodbye to friends I had spent over an hour or so with and before making it all the way to the door to leave entirely, I felt impressed to return and express my gratitude for the goodness one of them has rendered to so many in our community. And then again, shortly thereafter, when departing a one-on-one conversation with another friend in the parking lot, I was impressed to turn back around to share a positive attribute and strength I saw as one of their gifts, verbalizing my admiration of their thoughtfulness and acts of charity they give so willingly and generously to others. 

Initially, these tender sentiments of appreciation I felt for both of my friend’s kind actions had remained only in my mind and heart until I received a prompting to go back and share my thoughts with them. At first, I hesitated and upon a re-occurring prompting, I circled back and complimented each of them in person. 

When I am with my friends, I often feel a gratitude well up inside of me as I hear and observe the ways they serve others, but I don’t always speak up and share my feelings with them. I think, surely they already know the impact and difference their gifts, talents, and good deeds are having in the life of someone else, right? However, much of the time, I don’t know for myself whether what I do is making a positive impact or not in the lives of others and when I hear that it is, it just feels so good and enhances and brightens my day. 

It was a tender mercy that as I circled back to compliment my friends, I was able to witness a spark in their eyes as they lit up and smiled. I saw a happiness come over them as I conveyed to them my genuine, sincere thankfulness for the ways they are blessing others’ lives. Although it felt awkward to have returned after leaving, I was grateful I did not ignore the prompting.  

When have you felt prompted to circle back and return to a conversation you just ended with someone to pay them a compliment? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Remained Intact

After a fairly recent hailstorm, many homes in our neighborhood received sufficient enough damage to their roofs to warrant a total replacement of shingles. As contractors were scraping off and removing the old shingles from our neighbor’s home, I was concerned when the debris fell into our yard and on top of our grapevines. Since planting the grapevines a few years ago, this would be our first year harvesting them and we’ve been looking forward to enjoying our homegrown grapes. It was a tender mercy when a single shingle landed directly on top of the grapevine canopy and the clusters of grapes weren’t impacted and remained intact.

When has your home, vehicle, garden, fruit vines, trees, or other possessions on your property survived a very near casualty?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

My Dress Criteria Was Met

On Mother’s Day, it took me 45 minutes to figure out and settle on what dress I was going to wear to church. As I was glancing over several different options and trying to decide between a variety of blouse/skirt combinations and dresses in my wardrobe, I was having a hard time coordinating an outfit that felt right and one that would hopefully fulfill all three of my desired criteria. 

First, knowing that after sacrament meeting there would be a special luncheon provided for all the women and girls over 12 years old and assuming we would be sitting on chairs set up in a large circle facing each other with our food plates on our laps, I wanted to wear a dress or skirt that fell below my knees. My second criteria was that I wanted to wear a seasonal spring dress. My third criteria was that I wanted to wear a dress or shirt with long sleeves as the days prior had been cool outside and I tend to feel cold in an air-conditioned building.

It was a tender mercy that after some time searching, I found a dress, initially unseen and hidden among my clothes, that fit all three criteria. The dress went below my knees, had accented roses along the midsection sash, hem and along either side of the v-neck, and, although it was short sleeved, I had a 3/4 sleeved cardigan that went nicely with the dress. 

When have you found in your wardrobe an outfit that met all of your desired criteria as you were getting ready for a specific occasion? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Staying Inside The Lines

As I was taking my kids to school several miles away, it was tempting to doze off as I was feeling a residual tiredness from the insufficient rest I had the night prior, but I kept myself from doing so because I was driving. I knew I could’ve immediately fallen asleep if I closed my eyes. With cognizance, I managed to keep my droopy eyes fixated on the road during the morning commute. Feeling sleepy, it was a tender mercy the couple of times I almost hit a curbside, I didn’t and when I was at a stop light and sensed my foot about to easily slip off the pedal, it didn’t. Each moment that was a close call, I expressed gratitude to Heavenly Father for my safety, the safety of others, my car, and the property of others. 

When have you felt a residual tiredness while commuting and in fighting to keep your eyes open, you managed to stay awake and safely reach your, not far off, destination? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Before and After

Every so often I go to a chiropractor to receive an electrical stimulation therapy treatment for when my legs are either moderately or severely restless. When I became aware, through happenstance, that my chiropractor’s office would be closed for a couple of weeks later in the month, I was worried that a heightened discomfort in my legs would likely kick in when the chiropractor was out of the office so I proactively scheduled the next soonest available appointment, which, fortunately, was less than 24 hours later.

Although for several days I had been enduring a subtle restlessness in my legs, I was trying hard to ignore it was happening. Being in denial and not wanting to accept that my legs were on the verge of needing another treatment so soon after my last one and very much desiring they would not worsen, I did not anticipate that very evening the restlessness in my legs would reach an intense level beyond the mildness I had been pushing through and tolerating. They were now driving me nuts to the point I flat out could not focus, process information, or concentrate on hardly anything. I had reached my threshold. Coincidentally, it was a tender mercy I had set up a few hours before the appointment for the following day.

All the next morning and into the early afternoon preceding my visit, I felt out of it, off, and drab. I was especially self-conscious of my faltered clarity of thought when stopping at a couple stores prior to my appointment and interacting with someone who looked familiar to me and with another individual who knew me personally, but I couldn’t place anywhere we had previously met. As my conversation with the latter continued for about 10 minutes, it was as if I had amnesia. I could not rack my brain to recollect or remember any dialogue we have ever had before that day. And, I was concerned that my side of the dialogue was coming through distorted. As I smiled and made an effort to retain all that was being shared with me in hopes of figuring out where we had met and how she recalled specific details about me, I felt like a mess and was too embarrassed at the time to ask those questions. 

At my chiropractor visit, I learned that the probable reason and source of the irritated nerves and muscle soreness in my legs was that my hips were out of alignment. After an adjustment to balance my hips and a treatment for the restless legs and muscle tightness, I was immediately able to think more clearly and my conversations with others were definitively better and improved. 

It was a tender mercy that simply balancing my alignment along with a therapy treatment made all the difference in my cognitive wellness from a state of being in a haze to regaining the ability to focus, concentrate, and process information as well as carry on a coherent dialogue with others. 

When have you had a simple and timely adjustment and/or treatment from a practitioner that changed your overall health dramatically?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*