Month: June 2019

Another Side Of The Story

As one of several speakers during a congregational meeting, I did not anticipate my message would extend right up to the close of the hour and be the concluding talk leaving no time for the final speaker. I walked away embarrassed and in dismay. After some time had passed, even though I didn’t know what or how I could have changed anything, I recovered and accepted what had happened and focused on what I had gained from the experience.  

A week later it was a tender mercy when I learned from a member of our congregation their story leading up to that meeting. With information from this individual and others that had been in attendance, the reason for how it went the way it did came together and made sense. I could see clearly that all worked out the way it was supposed to work out. Their was no coincidence. What was an awkward and uncomfortable moment for me I recognized was part of something bigger. As the member shared their experience with me, it provided a clarity I had not fully seen or comprehended and I felt an increased comfort that my talk was intended to go the way that it did.  

When have you experienced a time when the outcome of something you were participating in didn’t go so well and when you later learned from one or more attending the event their personal story, everything made sense and fell into place why things happened the way they did? 

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.*

Free Limited-Time Opportunity

On a Saturday evening as our family arrived at a trampoline park for our children to enjoy a discounted youth night, it was a tender mercy that as we entered the facility I happened to notice information posted about 1 free hour of jumping for students who had straight A’s on their recent report cards. The reward was expiring close to the end of the month, less than a week later. 

Being that this was not a place we frequent often due to the relatively expensive, regular admission pricing, our kids, whom each had received straight A’s, were excited and looking forward to returning again within a few days to enjoy the free hour of jumping, especially since one of our children had been working really hard on being able to do a backflip from the ground. The opportunity and timing for them to practice in this location was ideal and extremely helpful for them to improve upon a skill they’ve desired to attain and achieve, transitioning from a trampoline to a padded firm surface and then to the ground. 

The day we went back, we arrived 1 hour and 15 minutes before close. In addition to our children getting 1 free hour to jump and receiving the required socks at no cost, they were also given the extra 15 minutes for free as well. Had we not been at this gym the weekend prior, we would not have known about the trampoline parks amazing free limited-time reward for good grades. 

When have you experienced a free limited-time opportunity that was amazing as a result of coming across it while attending an activity, running an errand, or just out and about? 

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.*

Seeing Myself As Heavenly Father Sees Me

Earlier in the week I was asked by a member of our ward Bishopric if I would be willing to speak during our upcoming Sunday sacrament meeting services. Although I was nervous and apprehensive of my ability to give an adequate talk, I accepted the invitation. 

On that Sunday, following the passing of the sacrament and 30 minutes remaining till the close of the meeting, there were 5 members of our congregation, including myself, who had been asked to speak, three of whom were youth speakers each preceding my turn. Upon the conclusion of their brief and wonderful messages, I failed to look at the clock to check the time as I began my talk. When I closed my remarks, sat down and looked over at the clock, I was mortified when I saw I had finished exactly when the sacrament meeting was to officially end and there was no time at all remaining for the intermediate hymn or the last speaker.  

Immediately, I felt so embarrassed. I wanted to tuck my head, not make eye contact with anyone and run and hide, however, throughout the remaining hour of church, I kept my head held high. I smiled and graciously received the compliments of gratitude for my message and the uplifting, thought provoking words I shared. 

For hours after church, I struggled wondering if I had made a fool of myself. I gave the talk I felt inspired to give and yet I questioned what I could have left out. I felt an insecurity of not knowing how I could have articulated my message in a more condensed way. In fact, that morning I felt prompted to share an additional personal and vulnerable experience to my already prepared talk which only added to length of time I spoke. 

Feelings of embarrassment overtook my thoughts and emotions for a time until I reached out and asked Heavenly Father what He thought of me. It was a tender mercy that as I did so, I saw myself as He sees me, one of His daughters
*who had overcome the fear of speaking after praying constantly for days
*who was prepared and delivered 
*who had the courage to share my talent and let my personality shine
*who genuinely loves and cares about others
*who has a testimony of ministering and the blessings that come when acting on promptings 
*who strives daily to always have the companionship of the Holy Ghost to be with me
*who is a positive example and an inspiration to others 
and the biggest take away I received from Heavenly Father that comforted me the most were these words that came into my mind, “time is measured by man, not God”. 

When have you had an embarrassing moment when you wondered if you had made a fool of yourself and you were able to move past it as you saw a glimpse into how Heavenly Father truly sees you and what He would have you know upon your asking?

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.*

Oh Where, Oh Where Could It Be

As the summer days are becoming hotter and hotter, being outdoors where I’d like to spend some time can be unpleasant and intolerable. In helping to make sitting on our patio during these months more bearable and enjoyable, my husband installed a misting drip line. As he was up on a ladder nailing in the tiny mounting clips while I was assisting holding up and straightening out the line, the clips were not going in very easily into the wooden veneer siding and several times they slipped out during hammering and fell to the ground.

Being that it was near dusk at the time and we didn’t know how many of the total clips provided we would need until the installation was complete, it was a tender mercy that as tiny as they were, I was able to spot where they had landed among the dirt and leaf debris on the concrete flooring.  

When have you found something tiny and valuable you had dropped at a time conditions of visibility and where it had fallen were not the greatest?

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.*

Troubleshooting Technology

When I could not access, for whatever reason, my friend list on my Facebook blog page, I did a google search seeking to know how I could get the “see all” feature to function again. Unfortunately, the information provided was not as helpful as I had hoped. 

As I tried to troubleshoot on my own, it was a tender mercy when I discovered a different multistep path I could take to get to my list of friends. I was able to see all of my friends by coming in through a back way rather than from the conventional front page of simply clicking “see all”. I went to my Facebook page and tapped on the 3 stacked lines in the upper right hand corner, selected new likes, and voila there were all of my friends to whom I could see and reach out to individually. Being one who is not technology savvy, I was excited when I cluelessly navigated my way to finding this alternative route and that I still had a means in which I could see and correspond with my friends.    

When have you experienced a technological drawback that you had no idea how to fix and while trying to troubleshoot the non-functioning feature, you were able to figure out and discover another way and solution to do what you were wanting to do?

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.*

Remembering The Kleenex

On the designated day of the week I had set aside to go bulk shopping mainly for one essential purpose and reason, I could not remember when I arrived what that specific item was that I had planned to get. Other household/food items came to my mind, but the #1 product I needed the most was elusive. I could not rack my brain or recall what it was so I prayed that if I saw the item, it would jog my memory.

It was a tender mercy when shortly after my internal prayer I saw a large pile of tissue boxes in a middle aisle and I was elated. That is what I needed more than anything else. I had been going through facial tissues very quickly over several days and I needed to replenish my stock as my seasonal allergies were acting up nonstop. Ironically, it wasn’t my sniffles that reminded me of what I needed above all else, it was seeing the stack of tissue boxes after saying a prayer. 

When have you gone to a store and forgotten what you most intended to get and while struggling to remember, you were pleased as you were reminded of what it was when you saw the product while shopping for other needed items on your list? 

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.*

Surprise Package Delivery

Normally when I come home, I pull into our garage and enter the house through the garage door, however, today I parked in the driveway to briefly run inside, take care of a few things, and quickly head back out again. In coming through the front door I noticed a package on our porch that I was not expecting or anticipating. Considering that all other family members were away for the day and being unaware a package would be arriving, it was a tender mercy that I had walked in through the front door on this particular day and noticed the package as I was rushing inside the house.  

When have you returned home and walked inside through a door you don’t usually enter from and saw by chance, on that particular day, a package you never knew was coming had been dropped off in front of your door?

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.*

Solo Week

For the first time in almost 23 years of marriage and 21 years of being a mom, I recently had an entire week to myself. Initially, I had no idea at all what I would do with my time alone for this was a new experience for me. I was concerned that I would be twiddling my thumbs, but the blankness of not knowing what I would do did not last long. 

It was a tender mercy that one idea after another began flooding my mind from people I could reach out to, projects I could work on, and places I could visit. My week filled up before it began. The ideas did not remain ideas, they became what I went for and accomplished. It was incredible the flow and line up of when the activities occurred from one day to the next. 

My schedule was well-balanced and organized and I felt productive. I attended an out-of-town festival, prepared for an upcoming baby shower, went to church, enjoyed walks, reached out and visited friends, participated in a personal development group, stepped out of my comfort zone to attend a social gathering with multiple families, took a mini day trip to a tourist destination, attended a parenting class, ran family errands, performed ordinance work in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint temple, prepared a lesson for my primary class at church, and worked on my blog. It was a marvelous week of doing what I love and enjoy and having the courage to go out and explore new things on my own.  

When have you had time all to yourself and just when you had no idea what you would do with your alone time, ideas flooded your mind and as you acted on those ideas you felt accomplished and a greater sense of self?

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.*

Maintain The Course

Halfway into my travels to go explore and visit an out-of-town festival, I received a notification that it was scheduled to end before I arrived. Prior to leaving my house late afternoon, I found no information with an end time listed. I assumed the festival would run until early evening being that it was a weekend and we were on summer daylight hours. Regardless of the untimely and surprising message, I stayed the path leading to the event believing I may still be able to observe a tail end portion of it. I arrived 20 minutes after the supposed end time and the festival was still going strong. 

I could have turned around and returned home when I got the news, instead I maintained my course and continued forward. It was a tender mercy the festival was still in full swing. It was a wonderful experience being in attendance and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the beauty of another place within our state. Even if I had missed the festival, the drive there and back was very calming, relaxing, and nice.   

When have you maintained your course and continued forward towards an event a short distance or miles from home even after learning it would be over before you got there and upon your arrival, it was still going strong?

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.*

Impromptu Lesson

On this night as our family began our “Family Home Evening”, I didn’t realize it was my turn in our weekly rotation to give the lesson. I was definitely unprepared. I almost didn’t do a lesson and was ready to skip past it, however, the opportunity to share a lesson during this special time together is a privilege, I feel, particularly as a mom. So I prayed asking Heavenly Father what I could teach that was pertinent and could bless our family right then. It was a tender mercy that I was immediately inspired with ideas and thoughts for a simply amazing impromptu lesson.

When have you experienced a time when it was your accountability to perform an action and you realized in the moment that it was to be done you were not prepared and ready to do it and after a quick prayer, an inspired impromptu means of accomplishing it immediately came to your mind and you were able to follow-through and fulfill your responsibility?

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.*