Category: Awareness

Is It Worth The Risk?

With limited time squeezing quickly to a close for to take action on a warranty opportunity, circumstances were such that I was reluctant and questioned, “is it worth the risk?”

With limited time squeezing quickly to a close for to take action on a warranty opportunity, circumstances were such that I was reluctant and questioned, “is it worth the risk?”  

Not long after I got a new pair of glasses before our family moved to a new area, while a helper loaded up our storage unit into a U-Haul, the metal spout end of a water hose they picked up, inadvertently whipped in front of me and left behind a scratch on one of my prescription transition eyeglass lenses.  

Once we were in our new home, it was a tender mercy that one of my children requested to go to an optometrist, as through reestablishing with this eye care professional in our new location, it came to my attention that within a few weeks the replacement lenses/frame warranty for my glasses would be up. 

After many of phone calls with a receptionist at our former optometry eye clinic and a couple conversations with our now current optometry vision center, it was almost a possibility that the replacement of the lenses could have been taken care of locally, as each optometry office used the same lab company, unfortunately, the designated lab for each office was located in different states and patient information was not interconnected between offices and the lab, therefore, my glasses had to go back to my former optometry office, then on to their lab, and back to their office before being returned back to me. 

With the local option unavailable, I debated, is it worth the risk to send my current prescription glasses back to my prior optometry office, no longer a feasible thirty minute drive away, rather, more than a day away, which meant, not only would I be without my glasses for weeks, but also, by some “what if” chance they become lost in transit and I never received them back entered my thoughts. Time was running out. Would I keep my lenses “as is” which also included where some of the coating on the lenses had bubbled or get them replaced before the warranty expired? 

I decided to exercise my faith and trust that my glasses with the new replacement lenses would make it back to me, fully acknowledging there was no guarantee, an accepted risk. It was a tender mercy that though I primarily wore my glasses on a daily basis, I had contact lenses I could wear in the interim and prescription glasses from three years prior that, surprisingly, I could see with just as well if not better than my current glasses.

What transpired over the course of the next several weeks was quite the rigmarole. As I no longer resided a half hour down the road from our former optometrist, the round trip shipment cost of $14.98 for the mailers and postage was on me, a small amount relative to the cost of the glasses, yet, a cost I considered, is it worth the risk to take action before the warranty expired if I were to never get my glasses back or do I not worry about sending them and settle with the scratch and bubbled coating until I get a new pair of glasses? I decided to take the risk. 

With the help of a kind mail carrier at our post office, I mailed my glasses that were in their case and included in the mailer a labeled return mailer for my glasses to be placed in and mailed back to me once the new lenses had been set inside my same frame. I paid for tracking for both mailers.

Within a few days, though one day beyond the estimated delivery date, it was a tender mercy my glasses arrived to the optometrist’s office mailbox. They arrived on a Friday and were picked up from the mailbox the following Monday, one week after I had mailed them. One leg down, three more to go. So far, so good. 

After the given timeframe for my glasses to be sent to the lab from the optometrist’s office and returned back to the optometrist’s office, just over a week and a half later, I followed up and learned that my glasses were being mailed back to me that day. Hooray! As I awaited and awaited for the arrival of my glasses with the new replacement lenses, for some unknown reason, when I checked the tracking (a tender mercy I had paid for the tracking), my glasses had traveled in a completely opposite direction of the country than where I live and showed no updated tracking information for ten days. As I contacted USPS seven days after the day the glasses were mailed to me to learn if they had a more updated status and reason for the standstill, I was told, “it was in transit to the next facility” and so I continued to wait. 

Then one day as I checked the tracking, day ten, it showed the mailer had arrived at its destination. Excited, I was ready to go to our mailbox and pick up my glasses, only to realize upon further review that my glasses arrived back at the optometrist’s office, even though the address I had penned on the return mailer was to my home, confirmed by a receptionist at the optometrist’s office. 

Confused as to why it was returned back to them, when I contacted their office, the receptionist read off numerous labels that had been attached to the mailer, such as, not safe to fly, lack of an appropriate customs slip attached, lack of proper postage per the weight and dimensions of the package, and could not travel with postage stamps. 

The receptionist also shared that the courier who had originally taken it to the post office noted that a postal worker, rather than scan the mailer in, they just dropped it in a bin. It made no sense to the courier, but they did not question the postal worker and shrugged off what they thought was too simple and walked away without a receipt with the tracking number and estimated delivery date. 

Hearing this, I was reminded of my sending a package from a neighboring city over a year prior that routed strangely and unfortunately did not arrive to the recipient before they left their temporary stay. To get it rerouted to their home address was quite the saga. 

Suffice it to say, long story short, my glasses that were inside a case with nothing else in the mailer was a supposed safety concern, a liability, tagged as a threat, and returned to the optometrist’s office. As the same courier as before again returned my mailer to the post office, labels removed, they made it a point to ensure it was scanned to return to my home address with no complications and obtained a receipt with the tracking information and estimated delivery date on it. 

A couple of days later, just over a month from when I decided to accept the risk and mailed my glasses, they arrived. Though quite a humorous rigmarole, of which I was not bitter for as much as I was hopeful all would go smoothly, I was also prepared if it did not, it was a tender mercy my glasses did make it back to me. 

After all that, to the question of whether it was worth the risk or not to mail my glasses to replace the lenses before the warranty expired, not knowing if I would get them back, yes, the risk to take action, exercising faith and trust, was worth it.

When have you questioned and debated whether or not to do something and asked, “is it worth the risk?” and the risk you accepted to take was worth it? 

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Much Appreciated Heads-Up Alert

During extreme winter weather conditions, the difficulties and challenges our family could have faced were prevented or reduced as we were given a much appreciated heads-up alert on multiple occasions.

Throughout a week that included snow days, freezing temperatures, icy road and school closures, rolling blackouts, and water outages due to extreme winter weather conditions, the difficulties and challenges our family could have faced were prevented or reduced as we were given a much appreciated heads-up alert on multiple occasions. 

The first much appreciated heads-up alert came from a friend hours before our water shut off, notifying myself and other friends via a group text message of a community nearby that would soon be without running water as power outages were impacting the function of water plants. I figured it was just a matter of time before our community would likewise lose water and being one who learns from the experiences of others what to do or not to do, in the event our water shut off too, our family filled our tubs so we would have water to flush our toilets. 

It was a tender mercy that we were prepared as that afternoon and for several days after, our water flow went from an intended slow trickle for to keep our indoor pipes from freezing to no running water at all. Throughout the duration of time till our water came back on and the boil alert for our neighborhood was lifted, it was not only a tender mercy we had plenty of water bottles in our food storage to get us by for drinking, brushing our teeth, and washing our hands, but also mid-week, two days after our first snowfall, more snow fell and we were able to top off our tubs with snow. 

The second much appreciated heads-up alert came the following day. When I took our puppy out into our snow covered backyard to go potty in her designated area, it was a tender mercy I saw that our neighbor was in their backyard at the same time for as I said hello and asked how their family was doing, the news of water damage to their master bedroom due to a pipe break and mention of covering outdoor water faucets prompted my husband and I to immediately cover our outdoor faucets to which we had not thought to do before then. 

As my husband went about and first removed the garden hoses from our outdoor faucets before he covered them in hopes of preventing our pipes from freezing, unfortunately, one of our faucets was already frozen, however, it was a tender mercy I had hot water in a pot on our stove ready for my kids to make hot chocolate if and when they decided to go back out to play in the snow which was then used instead to successfully unfreeze the faucet and remove the garden hose before the water faucet was wrapped with a towel. 

A third much appreciated heads-up alert came by way of a contractor, hours after our water came back on at the latter end of the week. While he was at the home of the same neighbor whom I had spoken with days earlier, it was a tender mercy he observed that our home was flooding. When he came pounding on our door to inform us, it didn’t register to me that the water was originating from our home as the interior of our home was all dry and well inside, but rather I thought water from the neighbor’s home was rushing over and pooling up against the exterior of our home. That was not the case. A pipe overhead in our garage had separated and water was gushing down from the ceiling. As we were completely unaware of the happenings in our garage, it was a tender mercy that in addition to the contractor coming over to let us know about the flooding he observed, the damage to the ceiling wall and the objects below the downpour were minimal, and the living quarters of our home were unaffected. 

Upon our seeing the “waterfall” for ourselves, right away, my husband shut off the water main to our home and though once again we were without running water, it was a tender mercy it was short lived as our waiting on a plumber to come turned out to be unnecessary. The next day as I went into our attic above the garage to assess any water damage that may have occurred there, it was a tender mercy there was none. Also, it was a tender mercy I saw the pipe that had separated and it was in an accessible unfinished open space. Not only that, it was a tender mercy my husband had the tools and skills to repair it himself rather quickly, and in no time our water was back up and running. 

When have you received a much appreciated heads-up alert that prevented or reduced greater impact that could have occurred during circumstances you had no control over?

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Right Under My Nose All Along

A consistent and profound tender mercy was right under my nose all along to which I casually noted here and there, but overlooked and didn’t pick up on entirely until I took a look back at my past week.

For over a week, I have been waiting day after day for a standout tender mercy moment to occur, one I could write a full blog entry relating my experience. Though minute ones of significance were happening daily, a consistent and profound tender mercy was right under my nose all along to which I casually noted here and there, but overlooked and didn’t pick up on entirely until I took a look back at my past week. It was then I saw more evidently that the standout tender mercy moment was the complete and utter stillness I felt regularly among a lot of uncertainties and chaos.  

For months, the activity level in our home has been low-key relative to what our normal comings and goings were preceding the COVID-19 outbreak. With nonessential businesses in operation once again, albeit to a differing degree, the past almost week and a half for me has been unusually packed for the first time since March of this year with either an appointment or a celebration of some kind every single day. 

Not knowing if businesses would be mandated to close again due the influx of recent coronavirus cases, I proactively scheduled various appointments for myself and my kids during a current available window. It was a tender mercy it so happened that all of the appointments including multiple celebrations consecutively lined up on my calendar for nine days straight with only one function taking place each day. I was grateful it worked out that way and that I only needed to focus on one event per day and they all occurred close together and before the possibility of any cancellation or postponement. 

Ironically, with so much to be concerned about and easily stressed over as to additional health protocols required upon entering various offices, food and other establishments as well as the current turmoil that has been taking place in our nation, it was a tender mercy that despite the ruckus going on everywhere, I felt a complete and utter stillness which I more fully recognized as I reflected back on the days past to be a standout tender mercy that was right under my nose all along. 

When have you not fully recognized a profound tender mercy in the moment or moments it was right under your nose all along, but looking back you saw it? 

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Learning Of A Developing Health Condition Early On

Days following a routine well-woman exam, I came into learning of a developing health condition early on that I had no idea was going on inside my body.

Though totally unexpected, days following a routine well-woman exam, I came into learning of a developing health condition early on that I had no idea was going on inside my body. Fortunately, it was not yet problematic and one I had the immediate ability to do things on my end to forestall it from becoming that way.  

When I went in for my annual well-woman exam, I felt comfortable and confident I was healthy and well. Though I had noted to my doctor after their apologizing for having cold hands that I too tend to lean towards feeling cold at times, which was conclusive of my 97.7 temperature that was taken as soon as I entered the office, I attributed it to my getting older. At the same time I questioned if I may be coming into the normal and natural phase of menopause as I am unsure if I have also been experiencing hot flashes or just feeling flushed due to it being summer time. The doctor expressed no concern. My weight and blood pressure were good and the examination itself went very well. 

The next day, upon fasting, I returned to have routine lab work taken as part of the annual well exam. Again, I felt very comfortable and confident in my health and that all the results would come back normal. The only concern I had was of possibly passing out as I was feeling sluggish from fasting and I do not like needles. It was a tender mercy as I have a good vein they were able to draw blood from and the phlebotomist was awesome, I did not pass out.  

A couple of days later, a day before I anticipated getting the results back, it was a tender mercy that preceding a midmorning call from a triage nurse at the doctor’s office, I had a subtle thought enter my mind when I awoke that morning. It was a nonchalant and peaceful thought that passed without my thinking anything more of it. I had the thought that it was good I was getting the results of the blood work now so that I may attend to a concern before it becomes serious. 

While listening to the nurse share with me two results just slightly out of range, it was a tender mercy the thought I received when I awoke prepared me for the call and I was calm. Right away I went into proactive mode and took the initiative to find out all I could about the readings and what they meant. It was a tender mercy I learned what I did when I did. I have actively begun to implement what I can do to bring each back into a normal reading before my health in those two areas becomes a problem.  

Originally, when scheduling the routine, annual exam, the earliest I was able to get in for an appointment that worked with my schedule and when the doctor had an opening was in the Fall. With the Covid-19 spread on the rise and not knowing months out what that will lead to as well as a desire to travel this summer, returning just prior to the appointment and potentially needing to quarantine for 2 weeks after getting back, I wanted to get the appointment out of the way. I called the office several times in hopes that I could get in earlier if there was a cancellation. At the time, I did not know that speeding up the appointment would be beneficial in a very important way. Amazingly, it was a tender mercy that when I called on a Thursday afternoon, I was able to be seen the upcoming Monday afternoon which was ideal timing and within a window that worked for me.

It turns out that feeling cold is a symptom associated with a health condition that I learned from the lab results my body may be on the verge of starting to undergo. Luckily, no other symptoms at this time are present and all other lab work tied to the condition is normal. It was a tender mercy that in learning of the developing health condition early on, I have been able to immediately do something about it to hopefully prevent the condition from progressing to a problematic state. 

When have you come into learning of a developing health condition early on that you were unaware your body was starting to undergo and time was on your side to do what you could to forestall its progression? 

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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Was I Truly Coming Down With Something Or Not

Following a quick trip to the grocery store during the Covid-19 outbreak, I began feeling that I may be coming down with something. Was I truly coming down with something or not?

Up to this point, my family and I have all remained healthy and well throughout the COVID-19 quarantine. However, following a quick trip to the grocery store I began feeling that I may be coming down with something. Although the physical symptoms I felt were real, head pressure and queasiness, I wondered if they were manifesting from a false sense of reality or if I was legitimately getting sick. Not wanting to get overly worked up about the possibility of the latter, I stayed levelheaded as I processed through whether I was truly coming down with something or not. 

Since the quarantine began several weeks back, I have become so used to staying home. When it was time to go to the grocery store to get milk, I was not the least bit in a hurry. In fact, I dragged my feet and delayed as long as possible. It was not until the evening of the following day after we ran out of milk that I made an effort to go buy more before the store closed. 

It was my first time out with my makeshift fabric mask covering my mouth and nose since the mandate to wear them while in public places. Upon my arrival at the grocery store, I took the available precautionary measures to stay healthy by using disinfecting wipes supplied by the store to wipe down not only the shopping cart but also my hands after opening refrigerator and freezer doors and picking up packaged meat. 

As I walked inside and was surrounded by other shoppers wearing face masks of differing variations and some also wearing protective gloves along with noting the existence of clear plastic dividers at the registers between the cashier and customers as well as decals on the floors throughout the grocery store for to adhere to the required spacing of physical distance between patrons, an icky feeling overcame me and continued even after I returned home. 

While lying in bed after settling in for the night, my head felt out of sorts and my body was on the verge of feeling achy. Though I allowed myself to feel what I was feeling, I wondered if my body was merely responding to the visible awareness I observed at the grocery store of society protecting themselves from catching the coronavirus rather than my actually coming down with something. 

I considered the experience similar to feeling like having earphones in my ear when I don’t have them in anymore or feeling like I am still wearing roller skates/ice skates after no longer having them on my feet or when hearing about others having lice and worrying if I too have lice when my head starts to itch. 

With the uncertainty of whether I was truly coming down with something or not, I consciously decided to redirect my thoughts away from the possibility that I was, as I felt that if I continued down that path I would probably very well become ill, as the saying goes along the lines of, “If you think you are, you are”. Instead I focused on my body actually being well as I thought about what I do to care for my body and the foods I eat that are healthy. To this thought process, I fell asleep. 

The next day it was a tender mercy that the symptoms I had the night prior were gone. I rested on the fact that the measures I saw in place to protect employees and shoppers was what brought on the symptoms and not that I was actually coming down with something. Phew!!

When have you wondered if you were truly coming down with something or not after being in an environment to which you felt icky and you came to realize that your physical symptoms were in response to external stimuli and not that you were actually coming down with something?

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 which includes an audio version of the post as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Matter Of Fact Plan Of Action

When plans changed unexpectedly, I did not skip a beat as a revised matter of fact plan of action transpired.

When my original plan for getting our kids to school changed unexpectedly, I did not skip a beat as a revised matter of fact plan of action transpired. 

On this winter morning, once we were all in the car ready to go, I started it up and noticed the tire pressure light was on. At first, I assumed the light was indicating a decrease in tire pressure attributed to the cold 37 degree weather, but as I recalled a prior tire incident, I immediately felt inclined to walk around the car and quickly glance at each of the tires before driving away. 

In doing so, I saw that one of the back tires appeared low. While accessing the condition of the tire, it was a tender mercy that right at that time, my husband had just stepped out of the house to leave for work and observed what I was doing. He came over immediately to assist. As I knew I would not be able to go directly to a shop to get the tire repaired before getting my kids to school on time, right away, I knew what to do. I decisively and proactively, without hesitation, went into Plan B action mode. 

While my husband was using an air compressor to add air to the tire, I shared with him my matter of fact plan of action to take our younger kids to school in the car used by our teenage drivers who were not using it at the time. It was a tender mercy the car was available as a backup and the worries I would have had about the possibility of the low tire going flat at any point during the approximate one and a half hour roundtrip commute was alleviated. And, as there was a concern on this very cold day whether the heater in the backup car worked, it was a tender mercy it did and we were warmed up fairly quickly. 

Though I had plans to take our car in to have the tire repaired preceding a scheduled meeting I would be facilitating not long after returning home from dropping off our kids, after calling the shop and learning of the lengthy wait time, due to the tight time constraint, I once again moved forward with a revised matter of fact plan of action to instead go to the shop following my meeting and before picking up our kids from school. 

By that time, it was then early afternoon and over the course of several hours since my husband had added air to the tire, the tire pressure had dropped from 35 psi to close to 15 psi. Although I was quite nervous about the slow leak causing the psi to drop so significantly and worried if the low tire pressure would hold up long enough to get to the shop 20 minutes away, it was a tender mercy the tire was not yet altogether flat. 

In hopes of being able to make it to the shop without getting a flat, I attempted to fill up the tire using the air compressor, but I didn’t know how to use it and when I looked up a YouTube video for a demonstration, it wasn’t any help either. So, I placed the air compressor and an extension cord in the trunk of my car and prayed and prayed and prayed that first and foremost I would make it all the way to the shop without losing anymore air. And secondly, if I did lose more air, I was prepared and prayerful that someone along the way would be able to help me.

Before leaving our home, I examined the tire once again and saw where a heavy duty nail of sorts had become lodged in the tire. Despite my naivety of how physics works, I was hopeful and optimistic that as the tire rotated around and around while in route to the shop, the pressure on the nail as it butted up against the pavement over and over again would lock and seal any air from escaping till I got to the tire shop. 

Along the way, although I felt anxious, I tried really hard to keep my mind focused on trusting in the Lord and staying relaxed. It was a wonderful tender mercy that not only did I make it safely to the shop without getting a flat tire, it was super amazing where now that I only had 1 hour before I would need to leave to pick up my kids from school that a garage bay was open and available when I arrived and I was able to pull right in before several other customers came in following behind me and my tire, which was discovered to have also had a screw in it too, was fixed right away for a very minimal charge. 

All in all, it was a tender mercy that before leaving home to take our kids to school, I became aware of the tire that was low before it became a full-fledged flat tire.

When have you had an experience to which you became aware of a situation before it resulted in something more so problematic? And, when have you had plans change unexpectedly and you were able to proactively with decisiveness move instantaneously forward with a revised matter of fact plan of action? 

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.

It Didn’t Make Sense, Nonetheless…

Upon receiving a spontaneous prompting to purchase raspberry lemonade, though it didn’t make sense, nonetheless, the impression to go and do was acted on.

It Didn’t Make Sense, Nonetheless…

As much as I did not want to go to the grocery store this evening, I was grateful for the deliberate focus I had on what all I needed to get and that the menu items for the meals I had planned out for at least the next couple of days all fit in a mini shopping cart. As I was ready to check out, I felt impressed to go all the way to the back of the store in the cold section and get some raspberry lemonade. I did not know the reason for the prompting and though it didn’t make sense, nonetheless I went ahead and followed through with it. 

Typically it is not a food item that I purchase on a regular basis, only on a rare occasion if there’s a coupon or it’s on sale. Remarkably, in conjunction with the impression, it was a tender mercy that the lemonade happened to be on sale. As I purchased two bottles along with our other groceries, brought them home and placed them in our fridge, one of my children noticed and they were pleased. I wondered if maybe it was meant for them, but it didn’t feel like it and so again I still didn’t know the reason for purchasing the raspberry lemonade.

The following night, it seemed fitting to have one of the bottles of raspberry lemonade as just part of our family meal. It tasted delicious and was enjoyed by everyone, however, there was nothing significant that stood out answering the why I felt impressed to specifically purchase the raspberry lemonade and so I was still curious as to the reason. 

Later that evening at the close of the night I received a text message from a friend expressing concern about a mutual friend who was struggling and reaching out for connection. 

Earlier in the week, I felt prompted to message the struggling friend prior to coming to know that they were going through a hard time, but received no response back. As this friend continued to be on my mind for days, I prayed for them and asked Heavenly Father what I could do for them. I was impressed to place their name on a prayer roll inside one of the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so that not only myself, but others as well could pray for them too. However, that would have to wait a couple days until the temple was open to be able to do so. 

In the meantime, when I received the text from the friend about our mutual friend, I once again reached out and asked the struggling friend if they would like to get together. Despite their desire for connection, they replied back that per what they were going through, the timing was not good. I then asked what would help them the most right at that time. They quickly responded that they were in much need of prayers to which I replied that I would definitely do that and at the end of the text message I added a hug and a prayer emoji. 

After our correspondence, it became clear to me that the other bottle of raspberry lemonade was for this struggling friend. However, a part of me felt a little uncomfortable giving them the raspberry lemonade as I was concerned that their perception would be that I was sending a message for them to turn their “lemons into lemonade” and to just get over what they were going through rather than the pure compassion and empathy I felt for them. 

That concern was short lived as I knew I was guided to specifically get the raspberry lemonade for reasons I did not know as well as the thought that when food has been brought to me, I have felt comforted and happy that somebody had thought of me and took the time to bring something to me especially at a time when I’ve been hurting.

The following afternoon I stopped by their home and though it appeared they were there as their family cars were in the driveway, I did not expect them to come to the door. After knocking and waiting a short couple of minutes, I placed a grocery bag with the raspberry lemonade inside on their door knob and texted them to let them know I left it. 

Although I didn’t know anything about my friend’s circumstance or situation, only that they were struggling and going through a very hard time, I knew there was a purpose in getting the raspberry lemonade and though initially it didn’t make sense, nonetheless as I acted on the impression, it was a tender mercy I was able to bless them during their time of need. 

I learned later through a thank you text from the struggling friend a couple of primary whys behind the raspberry lemonade in particular, one being that it is a favorite drink for most of the family members in their household.

When have you received a spontaneous prompting to purchase a random item, which at the time it didn’t make sense, nonetheless, you acted on the impression to go and do and later came to know of the inspirational reason why?

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.

One For Me And One For You

With most all shopping carts being used by other patrons, it was a tender mercy that when you and another shopper not far behind you entered the store, there were still two available carts, “One For Me And One For You!”

“Yay, one for me and one for you!” was my quiet expression of gratitude when walking into a store full of shoppers and seeing that the only cart left by the entrance/exit was available for me as well as spotting an unattended cart nearby for another shopper that came in not far behind me whom was also desirous of having a cart. 

Post Christmas and New Years as the holiday break was coming to a close, I went to a particular store to return a couple of Christmas presents that did not work as intended and to purchase a few end-of-season clearance and regular priced gift items. Once inside, I noticed a long checkout line and the number of available carts had dwindled down to one. It was a tender mercy that when I arrived, there was at least one remaining shopping cart by the entrance/exit. 

As I settled my personal belongings and returns into the cart and was preparing to step away, I observed another shopper that had come in soon after I did looking for a cart. Though I could have kept the last cart for myself as per the phrase “first come, first serve”, I was willing to give it up to them, however, I too needed a cart. 

With a very sore shoulder from overextending one of my arms a few days earlier, carrying anything caused uncomfortable pain so going into the packed store and being able to snatch up the last available cart near the entrance/exit was a welcomed tender mercy for me. 

Yet, I didn’t want the much older shopper than I to be without a cart so I scanned the area from where I was standing and it was a tender mercy I saw an isolated cart close by in a section between racks of clothing and shelves of merchandise. I turned to the other shopper with an expression of elation, optimistic that we would each have a cart, “one for me and one for you.” 

However, not knowing if the cart with an article of clothing on the seat was being used by someone who may have gone into a nearby toilet room, as I approached the restroom to see if it was vacant or not, an individual stepped out and did not claim the cart when asked and no one else was nearby so it was assumed it had just been randomly left behind. It was a tender mercy we each now had a cart. 

When have you gone into a store and there was a limited quantity of something you and another shopper desired and you were grateful that with what remained there was “one for me and one for you”, meaning one for each of you? 

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.

Same First Name “Problems”

The realization that you shared the same first name as someone else in a small group with you that was picking up something and you were about to receive what was theirs and they were about receive what was yours.

Though I have a very common first name, it never occurred to me nor did I realize while in a small group enjoying a fun adventure with our family over the holiday break that of the four females in our group of ten participants, two of us had the same first name. 

I assumed when we signed up for the adventure, our family would be in a group of our own, however, upon our arrival at the designated time, we were combined with another family whom we had never met. Though we cheered and supported each other as one by one we took turns flying with an instructor, we never introduced ourselves or interacted as we sat on separate benches facing the wind tunnel where all the action was taking place. 

Following the completion of the adventure, certificates were handed out. As I heard my first name called, it was a tender mercy I saw the certificate, inadvertently so I thought, being given to one of the other participants in our group. When I approached the participant and asked about the certificate they had just received, assuming it to be mine, I learned they shared the same first name as me.

And then, when picking up the video of my flight, it was a tender mercy I was able to view it on a screen first before accepting it as I noticed that the woman in the video was not me but rather the other person in our group with the same first name.

In paying attention both times, it was a tender mercy that before leaving I had the certificate and video that was mine in hand.

When have you been in a small group with others you did not know, picking up something in your name, and you came to realize through paying attention that one other person in the group shared your same first name and you were about to receive what was theirs and/or they were about to receive what was yours?

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.

A Brighter Outcome Surfaced

A Brighter Outcome Surfaced With Gifts Of Love Abounding All Around

When seeking help for something that was bigger than me, an individual I felt impressed to divulge my heartfelt concerns and desires with did not respond as I had anticipated, however, a brighter outcome surfaced with another individual I felt impressed to contact immediately following the discouraging conversation and met with later in the week.   

Over the course of the past several months, I have felt drawn to reach out, one by one, to those I have come to know who are dealing with struggles of varying degrees under the umbrella of mental illness, unique to each person with no two individuals bearing the same disorder in an identical way. As my heart goes out to them and the battle they are constantly facing, I have wanted each of them to feel cared about and loved, that they do matter and they are important.

In recognizing that connection and compassion is crucial and those who battle the debilitating symptoms often feel isolated, alone, and ostracized and acknowledging the tremendous need for connection and compassion by so many effected and impacted by mental illness is bigger than me, I’ve pondered and wondered what could be done and if there were resources already in place in our community and surrounding area so that connection can be an integral part of their day to day.    

At the close of a meeting one afternoon with an individual in a large leadership position, without knowing the reason why, I acted on an impromptu impression to bring up my desire for those battling mental illness to feel embraced. As this leader was in a capacity where I felt they could assist and be a part of making things happen if there was not something already in place and their being in a career field to which I assumed they would have had a familiarity with the need, I vulnerably opened up and shared my heartfelt concerns.

I was surprised and felt depleted as they seemed indifferent and did not appear to comprehend entirely the magnitude of what I brought to the table. Nonetheless, it was a tender mercy I felt they were someone who after our visit would more so process and consider to greater depths the valuable information I had shared and perhaps down the road someone who may also become an advocate. 

Though I walked away bummed and directionless not knowing what to do next, that was short lived when I immediately felt impressed to reach out to another individual who too was in a leadership role though on a much smaller and personal level with those whom they had stewardship. I really thought our dialogue would revolve around brainstorming and formulating what could be done to provide that connection and implementing it asap. Quite the opposite took place. I was unprepared, yet pleased as a brighter outcome surfaced. 

It was a tender mercy that during our meeting, I learned that I was not alone in my concerns and efforts. I came away enlightened with an awareness from this leader’s vantage point and visibility of the countless others who were silently and in the background already ministering and serving in like ways as myself. The heavy weight of not knowing exactly what to do with the tremendous need being bigger than me was lifted. What has been done and continues to be happening behind the scenes is remarkable and my heart was touched and relieved that connection is abounding all around. 

When have you felt drawn to do something to help many in need but was uncertain how to go about doing it and when reaching out for assistance, a brighter outcome surfaced as you came to learn that beyond your low visibility vantage point, the service you were rendering was happening on a greater scale behind the scenes by countless others too?

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.*