Category: Blessing

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.*

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.*

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.*

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.*

Not Settling For Mediocre

Upon completing a post entry for my blog, one of the finishing touches before it was ready to publish was trying to figure out which picture image to attach that corresponded adequately to the experience I was sharing. I had a couple of options I was considering as possibilities, yet, it wasn’t clear which one I should select. Although I was leaning more heavily towards one of them, neither felt completely right nor connected in the way I’d hoped for or wanted. 

Because I didn’t have anything else to choose from at the time, I decided to move forward and just go with the one I liked to a greater extent and it would have to make do. I was about willing to settle for “just ok” from the limited selection I had until I was abruptly interrupted and needed to take care of another matter. As I stepped away briefly and walked into another room, I observed on a wall a picture to which I immediately knew and felt was the perfect image for the post. It was a tender mercy that in the very moment I was close to publishing and settling for a mediocre image, I was drawn away to then come across an amazingly ideal and fitting image for my blog entry.  

When have you almost settled for a mediocre choice and in the very moment of decision an abrupt interruption guides you to another option that is even better? 

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.*

Spotted

Before the sun completely set after a spiritually-filled day of listening to and watching two amazing sessions of a semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on TV followed by a welcome visit from the missionaries serving in our area, I was excited to go for a walk with my husband and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. On our way out the door, I spotted out of the corner of my eye the Redbox movies we had rented and watched the night before sitting on our kitchen countertop. 

In taking in and soaking up each of the inspired messages as they were conveyed and later pondering on them while in the relaxation and comfort of our home, I lost track of the movies and the plan to return them earlier. It was a tender mercy I caught a glimpse of the videos 1 hour before they were due and they were returned in time before being charged another day for them.

When have you forgotten about an item you had rented and before it was turned in late, you noticed it sitting out and took it back just in time?

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.*

Called To The Work

Recently, throughout the day and into the evening while attending with my children and the youth of our congregation as they participated in ordinances in the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I was experiencing a pain in my side and emotionally my spirits were low.  

Upon arrival, one of the youth shared with me that they did not have with them the necessary card to enter the temple. As the rest of the group went ahead, I stayed behind to help them. As we waited until they were issued a new temple recommend, they expressed gratitude that I had remained by their side. For me, it was a tender mercy that they had approached me with their concern and I was able to assist as being engaged in their need took my mind somewhat off of the hurt I was feeling. 

In addition, it was a tender mercy when rather than sitting the entire time paying more attention to what was troubling me while also watching each of the youth one-by-one perform proxy baptisms for the dead and confirmations, I was asked by a temple worker if I was willing to be a “baptistry runner” continuously taking a grouping of completed baptism names from a table to the confirmation desk and then to the office for recording. Although I hesitantly said yes, it kept me occupied and active throughout the duration of our time there. Ultimately, the opportunity to serve helped me. My focus and energy was redirected away from my physical discomfort and feeling emotionally down. It was a wonderful blessing! 

When has a form of pain you were experiencing been unnoticed for a time as you accepted an opportunity to serve others?

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.*

Prepared For The Worst

Through numerous heartbreaking occurrences I have undergone, I’ve come to know that good things do transpire from facing challenges and I’ve become a better person because of the trials and hardships I’ve encountered. Nonetheless, I do not look forward to any of those difficult moments, however, they inevitably happen. Some come suddenly and unexpected and some are foreseen. 

On this day, I prepared and braced myself mentally for an unnerving interaction I was sure I was going to have later in the day. I wanted to be my best self and handle the situation well when faced with what I thought would be a definite negative experience. Although I was ready, it was a tender mercy the experience that I anticipated and prepared for the high probability would occur, never did. I was relieved and grateful it didn’t happen. 

When have you prepared yourself for a negative experience you were sure was likely to happen and you were relieved when it didn’t end up taking place?

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.*

Growth Beyond The Freeze


Growing season has begun. Spring is right around the corner. Less than a week after our family planted a flower garden and vegetable garden during our Family Home Evening, we experienced the coldest night of winter. I don’t regularly check the weather day to day so it was a tender mercy our family happened to be watching the news and saw the weather report the first evening of the cold front. When we heard the heads up of the cold front approaching, my husband covered our plants. A few days later, I noticed the seedlings coming up and assumed that in addition to having covered them, they were also protected while still in the dirt and not yet exposed above ground. Timing was perfect that they didn’t poke through too soon. It was a tender mercy that the plants were still growing even after some very cold days and nights.

When have you protected your flower garden/vegetable garden/plants in time from a winter freeze and they survived the cold front?

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.*

Worst-Case Scenario

While traveling to an event I was attending for the first time in a part of town where businesses had barred windows, I felt uneasy and outside of my comfort zone. Even though the actual location of the event seemed ok, I did not feel completely safe. Being in a questionable environment, I was vigilant and cautious of my surroundings as well as conscientious of my desire to exude confidence and have faith that my time while at the event would be positive and valuable. 

Upon arrival, I backed in to the only available legal parking spot remaining on the property and closest to the building which was on the grass in front of a railroad track. Once out of my car, I was approached by a friendly, considerate delivery guy who expressed his concern for me being parked too close to the tracks and shared that if a train came through, he did not want rocks on the track to kick up and hit my car. I responded with gratitude and returned to my car moving it forward several feet away from the tracks. It was a tender mercy the fellow was there when I pulled up and provided that information with me as sure enough, partially through the event, while I sat near a window that overlooked where I had parked, I heard an approaching train and observed it go by.  

After my brief interaction with him, it was another tender mercy that as I did not know where to enter the building, another attendee who arrived shortly after I did showed me the way. She happened to be directly involved with the event and invited me to follow her via a shortcut, through a side door that opened right to the event. As I entered, I was warmly welcomed and greeted by others.  

When have you been in a place outside your comfort zone and the timeliness of kindness shown to you by another was beneficial and helpful? 

As much as I appreciated the timeliness of the acts of good will, I was, likewise, leery and apprehensive being in a new place and among individuals I was meeting for the first time. 

Once inside, within a few short minutes, I realized that I did not have my phone with me. I had last used it in the car when I turned off my phone navigation system after parking. As I always keep my phone on me when I am out either in a back pocket or in my purse, I became worried when it was not in either place. In one second I had my phone, and the next I did not. 

Aware of my heightened sense of feeling unsettled on top of having passed several people when I discovered my phone was missing, my mind went to the worst-case scenario that I had been pickpocketed. A part of me was skeptical and unsure who I could trust and ready to accept the loss of my phone, whereas, the other part of me was hopeful that I had simply misplaced my phone. Although I experienced a sudden panic, rather than allowing myself to dwell on the former possibility, I leaned in the direction of the latter taking a proactive “benefit of the doubt” approach while trying to not only appear calm, but also stay grounded and clear minded. Immediately, I backtracked my steps a couple of times and repeatedly checked all my pockets and my purse.  

As I stayed focused, prayed, and continued to search without giving up, it was a tender mercy when I went back to my car a second time and leaned over the driver’s seat to look inside the middle console, I saw my phone partially lodged between the console and front passenger seat.   

After finding my phone, I realized that in my hurried attempt to get back in my car to move it more so away from the railroad tracks and then get into the event as quickly as possible, I had set my phone down in the front passenger seat and only grabbed my purse when I got out. 

When have you experienced a troubling situation and the actual outcome was better than your worst-case scenario thought?

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.*