Category: Determination

Far Better Than The Fear Anticipated

What became, as I went for it with overwhelming trepidation, was an experience far better than the fear anticipated. 

Following this morning’s school drop off, as I set out to run a planned errand, I received a spontaneous, strong impression to approach a fear head on. What became, as I went for it with overwhelming trepidation, was an experience far better than the fear anticipated. 

Though I grew up with snow, and lots of it, I did not know the angst of driving on hazardous roads conditions, icy roads in particular, until I experienced it first hand. Ever since, the trepidation I feel on snow packed roads with the potential for black ice has become quite intense. 

Over the weekend, via a social media feed, I saw a clip of the first snow of the season in a location a drivable distance away. When the spontaneous, strong impression came on, accompanied with the impression, it was a tender mercy an acknowledgement that today, being a beautiful Fall day in my area, sunshine, white clouds, and blue skies, was a perfect day and a great opportunity, prior to a family snowboarding and ski trip this winter holiday season, to practice driving in the recent snowfall and acclimate to my surroundings while the roads up to where it snowed were clear and dry.  

Though our children have been desirous and very much looking forward to this long-awaited, infrequent, outdoor time on the slopes, I silently, on the other hand, had been petrified and anxious about going as I visualized in my mind treacherous roads along the way.  

As I headed towards the fresh snow, I felt overwhelming anxiety and fear that did not let up the entire way there. My hands tightly clutched the steering wheel. My face went pale. My focus on the road, my breathing, and maintaining my mental confidence overtook my ability to enjoy the Fall beauty around me. I was in full on panic mode, yet, my why—to feel less anxiety while traveling if the roads were snow packed and icy when the time came for our family trip—was my drive to act on the spontaneous, strong impression.

A quarter of the way en route, anxious that my safety and well-being on this solo adventure could be in jeopardy, I felt it best to make a pit stop and call my husband and share with him my plight, where I was headed and the why, so he would know of my whereabouts. 

Ironically, upon my arrival, there was no snow. The snow had melted. The stunning, Fall scenery before me was far better than the fear anticipated. Not only was it a tender mercy I acknowledged the spontaneous, strong impression as an opportunity, while the weather was favorable, to face my fear, without resistance, for a desire for lessened anxiety if winter driving conditions were treacherous, it was also a tender mercy that though I missed taking in the beautiful landscape on the way there, I was able to soak it up and fully enjoy it on the way back. 

When have you sought out to conquer a fear upon a spontaneous, strong impression within a favorable opportunity to do so and you were met with a scene far better than the fear anticipated?

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.

Handling A Challenge Head On

Time and again, when I have gone about handling a challenge head on, the outcome of my efforts have been nothing short of a tender mercy.

How do you handle challenges? For me, I recognize if I do not handle a challenge head on, my challenges don’t go away, they just linger in the background and it is stress I don’t want weighing on me. So, how do I go about handling a challenge head on? I proactively take some kind of action to do what I can to work towards a resolve that will improve the circumstances I find myself up against. 

Between my college years, my transportation to and fro where I lived and the job I had was by bus. The bus stop closest to the office building where I worked was several blocks away. Each evening after work, I could either take my time walking to the bus stop and wait a length of time for a later hour bus to arrive or I could run as fast as I could to catch a scheduled bus that was departing just minutes after I got off work.

Desiring to get home sooner rather than later, I didn’t think twice or doubt my ability to accomplish a desired goal of getting on the earlier bus. I went for it and took off running. The result of my determination and believing I could do it paid off. Every time I made a run to catch the earlier bus, it was a tender mercy I got to the door of the bus just seconds after it arrived and before it departed.  

Today, while simultaneously listening to something through my earbuds that were plugged into my phone that was placed in a front pocket of my shirt and attending to replenishing our puppy’s food and water dish, as I leaned over her water bowl I had just filled up and was setting down, my phone fell out of my pocket and landed in the water. 

Though my natural split second inclination would be to freeze and assess the situation, it was a tender mercy I immediately pulled my phone out of the water. After wiping dry the front side of my phone and the exterior of my case, enclosed tightly around my phone, I also noticed moisture that was trapped between the phone and the case. It was a tender mercy I was able to remove the case quickly, wipe dry the interior of the case and the backside of the phone, and as I took to handling the challenge head on, my new phone, not more than a few weeks old, was still fully functional. 

And then, not long after, as I was just about to take our puppy out to go potty, before I could get to her, she peed on the kitchen floor directly in front of me. Right away, as I took to handling the challenge head on and went into a one man attempt to swiftly get her outside to finish up any business she still had remaining, and prior to, loosely lay paper towels over the area that was wet so other family members would not unknowingly walk in it while we were outside, it was a tender mercy my husband entered the kitchen at that very moment and offered to take her outside and I was able to stay back to clean and sanitize where she had peed before anyone else came into the room. Time and again, when I have gone about handling a challenge head on, the outcome of my efforts have been nothing short of a tender mercy. 

When has the outcome of your efforts been nothing short of a tender mercy as you have gone about handling a challenge head on? 

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.

What Is A Gift They Would Really Like?

When have you wanted to give someone who had no wish list a gift, but questioned what is a gift they would really like?

Has there ever been someone for whom you wanted to buy a gift, for any special occasion—birthday, valentines, anniversary, Christmas, etc. that did not come right out and express what they wanted nor share a wish list with you when asked directly, leaving you stuck with no idea what to get them and wondering what is a gift they would really like?

I have…. and just recently….until I focused on their from time to time, subtle communications in reference to specific gifts they would really like.  

I love Christmas and the magic of Christmas and the excitement on Christmas day of seeing loved ones open up the thoughtful gifts I personally select for them indicating that I see them and know them. 

This year was a lot more challenging as I struggled not only to find items for those who provided me with a wish list, but even more so when a list was not given. Nonetheless, I was up for the challenge. I just hoped I would figure it out before Christmas. To which I did. The weeks leading up to that anticipated day, my ears were honed into dialogues with whom I did not receive a list and I reflected on prior conversations I’ve had with them. Before too long, I had a number of ideas of what gifts to get for them between what I picked up on through observation for what they may appreciate getting to what I recollected they had in passing nonchalantly expressed they would really like.

Going from not having any idea to knowing a couple handful of gifts I could get for them was super exciting, though, I kept that knowledge and enthusiasm to myself. I did not want to give away that even though they didn’t come right out and tell me, I knew exactly what they wanted as well as what they may appreciate getting. I was looking so forward to Christmas day to see their reaction. 

One by one, it was a tender mercy that after hours of going in and out of many different stores all throughout the holiday season, I found each item. I was so happy and most especially giddy about one in particular. It was one they had seen on TV that was described to me with great interest when I returned home one evening from being out. 

Just three days before Christmas, as this particular gift item had been on the back of my mind, but I had not gotten around to researching about it, it was a tender mercy that in only going off of the description shared as I had not seen it myself, the exact product they had seen on TV came up right away when I google searched it. I saw that the item was carried in several stores near me which was a relief as my preference is in-store shopping and I was up against the wire, but each store I called was completely out of that item. 

When I returned to the product information online, there was another store I had missed and upon my calling them, it was a tender mercy there was one of that product remaining on their shelf. The employee offered to go get it and hold it for me. Oh, my excitement! I responded with an absolute and delighted yes! Within a 1/2 hour I was in the store picking it up. I marveled and felt such joy and gratitude I had this last minute and most important gift, that wrapped up my gift buying purchases, in my hand. Christmas was a success! Each gift was well-received and appreciated!

When have you wanted to give someone who had no wish list a gift, but questioned what is a gift they would really like and in paying close attention to their subtle mention here and there of ideas, you knew just what to get them?

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.

A Quick Reaction Time

It was a tender mercy my quick reaction time protected our family from serious harm as well as our not going off course.

During a four day road trip en route back home along a touristy path to further stretch out and extend our family vacation a bit longer, over and over again, a quick reaction time upon multiple near potential and serious accidents and an almost consequential delay kept our family safe and on course. 

At times when I have been unable to shake off situations that catch me by surprise and struggle to regain my bearing and center myself or get a handle on whatever has turned my world upside down, a domino effect of other things consecutively going badly, one after another, seems to then occur.

It was a tender mercy that after each close call incident along our path back home, I was able to immediately resume driving with an unrelenting, engaged focus and a composure that was solid and unrattled. I was able to continue onward with confidence and keep each isolated incident behind me in the rear view mirror and not let it negatively affect or impact me beyond the moment when it happened.

The various occurrences that took place in which it was a tender mercy my quick reaction time protected our family from serious harm as well as our not going off course included—

The time when I was merging onto an interstate and my abrupt and controlled swerve in the nick of time kept our vehicle from nearly colliding side by side with another car right at the point where our lanes merged. And, at a later time when I was concerned we were going to get sideswiped by a car driving too closely in the lane next to us, my same abrupt and controlled dodging maneuver to steer away from the vehicle kept us safe.

The time I was midway through a traffic light that had turned yellow as I approached the intersection in a business corridor and a driver turning left also drove through the yellow light and crossed in front of me. Being that I was traveling at a slow speed, I was able to brake suddenly before any impact between our cars took place. 

The time I was able to sufficiently slow down in time and swoop around the back end of a double trailer truck without going onto the shoulder of the highway when a truck driver crossed in front of me as they exited a roadside business, and the length of their semi-tractor-trailer truck blocked all the lanes on our side after they stopped in the median before turning left to enter the highway headed in the direction behind us.

The times I kept our car steady when jostled during multiple gusty wind areas on the interstate. 

The time our auto headlights seemed to have gone out as dusk turned to total darkness and I was able to quickly turn on a different light setting that appeared dimmer and have visibility to navigate that way until the auto light seemed to work again after I rotated the auto light setting off and then back on again. 

The time I was blinded for a split second by the bright headlights of cars coming at me from the other side of the interstate and the automatic lane departure warning sensor in my car beeped as I steered outside of my lane and my quick reaction time upon hearing the alert kept me inside my lane during the brief moment of not being able to see.  

The time I was on a straightaway stretch of road and overlooked a crucial turnoff I needed to take and within less than a 1/2 mile of passing the unseen road, I realized I was headed in a direction that would have prolonged our drive time substantially and I was able to turn around right away and stay on the shortest route to our destination. 

When have you been on a road trip and you and your passengers were protected from a potentially serious accident or almost going off course due to your quick reaction time, and following each occurrence, you were able to remain composed and focused on the road as you continued onward? 

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.

Still There

...phew, at the end of the adventure the item was still there where I had initially placed it and in working order.


While vacationing, late one afternoon our family went tubing down a river. It was fun, yet not as relaxing as I had hoped. While on the river, I opted to keep an essential and not so easily replaceable item on me the whole time, with the intent it would remain safe and secure. Despite a perilous moment in the rapids soon after I fell behind everyone else as they were carried briskly downstream per a straighter course than I, phew, at the end of the adventure the item was still there where I had initially placed it and in working order.  

My plan while on the river was to stay in my tube the entire time and enjoy a leisure ride effortlessly floating along and taking in the scenery all around me. As such, I selected of the two tube options, one with a deep height circumference that would more so keep me up and out of the water. 

Throughout our adventure, I kept our car key remote with me. To keep it dry and secure, I slipped it onto the waistband drawstring of my denim capri shorts and double knotted it tightly. I then flipped the knot with the key attached inside my capris between my pants and an undergarment. My top layer shirt I kept untucked to lay over top my capris. I then put on my life jacket. As the bottom of my pants legs had an elastic hem, I pulled them up to rest them just below my knees. I was hopeful that if in the event the car key remote slipped off the knotted tie, whichever pant leg it fell into, it would stay pocketed and not escape the elastic hem.

While on the bus that took us up to the drop off location where we would begin the tubing adventure, we were informed of several islands downstream and instructed to go around them on one particular side as we approached them. As I neared the first island, no matter how hard I tried to steer myself via my hands to paddle in the direction we were asked to go, I was unsuccessful. 

The closer I got to the island and continued to make no headway in navigating over to the side I needed to be on, I quickly got out of the tube and tried to walk and pull the tube over to that side, but with the swiftness of the water and not being able to firmly plant my feet on anything, it was a challenge as I fought against the force of the river. I gave it my all.

All the while in the water and at the river’s mercy, after clearing the island, I prayed to stay calm as I attempted every possible way I could to get back in the tube. Unable to plop back in as I had no footing below me, I tried to grab a branch or protruding rock on the edge of the bank to hold myself steady long enough to get back in, however, that didn’t work. As the water propelled me aggressively forward, I hung over the outside of the back end of the tube. After what felt longer than it probably actually was, it was a tender mercy I reached a temporary calm spot in the river and a place where I could quickly stand up adequately and get back in the tube sitting upright.  

During the time I was in the water, I was concerned that the inside of my car key remote may have gotten wet and would no longer work. Once back in the tube, I hoped the sun’s heat would not only dry my clothes but also that my dry clothes would soak up any possible water that may have gotten inside the car key remote, however, time and again as I crashed into the rapids, water toppled onto my lap and soaked up my clothes. 

Even after being directly in the water and drenched multiple times throughout the tubing adventure, it was a tender mercy that after exiting the river, not only was my car key remote still there where I knotted it on the drawstring, but also when I returned to our car, the remote had only a little bit of moisture on the outside and it still worked. 

When have you been concerned that something you intended to keep safe and secure may have become damaged or gone missing due to life’s happenings, and it was still there in the place you put it and in one piece?

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.

Summited Through The Obstacles

With an “I Can Do This” mental mindset and the courage to “go and do”, I summited through the obstacles overwhelming my anxiety and made it to the refreshing waterfall.

Days before the close of summer break, per a recommendation given to my husband for scenic locations to check out in our area, our family went for a hike along a rocky ridge to a cascading waterfall inside a canyon, not far distant from our place. Along the way we summited through obstacles that overwhelmed my anxiety, yet it did not stop me from my desire to reach this spectacular destination.  

Though it was a rather short drive away, the speed of traffic en route was extremely nerve-racking for me and most especially when we approached the base of the canyon as the lanes veering off to go up in the direction we were headed merged into one. 

I love driving through canyons and seeing the beauty of nature from the trees to the flowing streams, wildlife, etc. however, I experience intense anxiety in fast paced traffic, and even a bit more so along windy, albeit wide, highway roads through mountain passes.  

Before entering the mountain pass, as we drove through the bottlenecked area at the base of the canyon, my anxiety skyrocketed. Once the lanes opened up again, I was able to relax a little, however, my anxiety continued as a few miles up the road we turned off the main highway and drove up a tight paved road with switchbacks and drop off edges to the parking lot where the hike began. 

Once on the little more than single-file dusty hiking trail that weaved in and out of the sun’s heat, navigating over large rocks and around tree stumps hoping not to sprain an ankle, twist a knee, slip and fall, or overexert myself to the point of exhaustion, I was conscientious of each step I took and I stopped to take breaks. 

After the nerve-racking drive up the canyon highway, traveling along the treacherous, narrow and here and there curvy side road, and an hour of hiking all the while out of shape, it was a tender mercy, with an “I Can Do This” mental mindset and the courage to “go and do”, I summited through the obstacles overwhelming my anxiety and made it to the refreshing waterfall.  

When have you summited through obstacles that overwhelmed your anxiety and with mental strength and courage you made it the distance to see a worthwhile scenic site? 

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.

What I Was Not Asking

It was through asking what I wasn’t asking that ended up easing my angst when I have questioned, “Why have I been inspired to share a gift of mine with others through means for which I am not naturally skilled?”

For months, I have questioned, “Why have I been inspired to share a gift of mine with others through means for which I am not naturally skilled?” I have been in a painstaking, uphill battle pushing forward day after day to accomplish what Heavenly Father would have me do at this time, which on numerous occasions I have wanted to back out of doing until I recently had an aha moment that what I was not asking of Heavenly Father was the very key that has contrasted how I am now approaching the intended process for which my gift is being shared. 

As I have mentioned a few times before in previous blog posts, writing and technology are both enormous challenges for me. These are skills that do not come easy for me at all and ones I have struggled with my whole life, albeit I have managed to do well at tasks requiring either or both due to much effort, dedication, and determination on my part and help from others. 

Right now, in this season of my life, I know the Tender Mercy Moments blog is exactly what Heavenly Father would have me to do. Even so, everyday I have felt a great deal of angst as blogging requires utilizing both writing and technology skills. Preceding the steps necessary to publish a post, I have often been frustrated and discouraged mainly with how long it takes me to not only write a blog entry but also daily, simple, one sentence Tender Mercy Moment Cues, each in accordance with my own to date tender mercy moments. 

As such, I have turned my head side to side many of times and said, “I don’t get it.” I don’t get why it is through these areas which I don’t have a knack for that I have been inspired to share with others my gift of being able to see good among situations that are troubling, essentially recognizing tender mercy moments from a loving Heavenly Father who is mindful and aware of you and me throughout life’s journey. So much so, I have asked Heavenly Father on countless occasions if I could just stop blogging altogether. However, like needing to go to the bathroom, it is at times something we may not want to go and do when there are other things we would rather be doing, yet the nudge and urge to go won’t stop. 

Although the direction I have continuously been inspired, line upon line, to go and do doesn’t make sense to me, I trust Heavenly Father. I know He has a purpose and a reason why I am to move forward in this particular way. Even though I don’t know what that is right now, I do know my why I blog and what drives my desire and motivation to keep writing, no matter how difficult. It is to help and bless you, my reader and/or listener, recognize and see His hand in your life and His daily awareness and mindfulness of you.

So far, each time I have leaned towards stopping and have cried hard to Heavenly Father about the extreme difficulty aspects and components of the process have been for me, I’ve received either a positive message from someone right in that moment regarding my blog or added clear inspiration affirming that I am to continue onward as well as frequent spiritual confirmations to stay the course time and again.

One afternoon, as I stood outside, taking in the beauty around me, it was a tender mercy a distinct eye-opening moment changed the how I now approach elements of blogging from photography and writing to publishing each post. The turning point that moved me out of feeling so distressed while blogging was when I asked Heavenly Father what I was not asking. I asked for help to experience joy during the process. Though I value and appreciate very much the final result of each blog entry, for a good majority of the time, energy, and effort spent leading up to that point has not in the least been easy. 

Instead of focusing on how long it takes me to write a post and my deficiencies that have become quite apparent as I’ve placed a lot of pressure to expect more of myself than what I know how to do, I now approach the daunting process not with angst, but with an excitement to what I will learn along the way that will help me to enhance, develop, and improve upon what skills I lack, including that confidence in my abilities will increase. I still don’t get the why I am to share my gift via my weakness in writing and technology, yet I still give blogging my all and do my best. In addition, I am now embracing joy in the process, gratitude for the growth, knowledge and skills I have gained thus far and will continue to gain. 

When have you struggled with the means in which you were inspired to share a gift or talent with others and it was through asking what you were not asking for that ended up easing your angst? 

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.

Breaking Away From Negative Thoughts

Breaking away from negative thoughts of my many deficiencies came as I engaged in an activity that for me was fun and therapeutic.

Breaking away from negative thoughts that came as I struggled to grasp the know-how to use a specific technology function on my device was put on hold until after my determination to first get the function up and running.

On this casual, laid back, rainy day as I sat down in a chair in a room looking out at the landscape just beyond my backyard with my device in hand, I was excited to implement the function. I thought it would be a simple and easy process. Unfortunately, it was not. Every so often while on my device working, I had inadvertently come into seeing the steps involved. 

At first, I was confident I could navigate through what I thought I had recalled was the way to set it up. However, as time slipped by, I became stumped and baffled that the how to get it up and running was eluding me.

It was difficult to understand and know why this process to which I thought would be easy had turned out to be quite challenging. Discouragement started to surface and comparison of my weaknesses to the strengths of others on many fronts began creeping into my thoughts and lingering there. I questioned, “Why do simple tasks for others take me so long?” “Why can’t I figure out how to troubleshoot technology or complete supposedly easy processes in a relatively shortened period of time?” As I was bound and determined to figure out how to get the function up and running, comparing myself to others remained at bay.  

After a long, arduous while of not giving up, I finally accomplished what I was trying so hard to do. In the end, I was extremely frustrated, irritated, unrelaxed, and on edge. As I acknowledged my heightened emotions, it was a tender mercy I was prompted to go and do something I enjoyed that was a no-brainer. Breaking away from negative thoughts of my many deficiencies came as I engaged in an activity that for me was fun and therapeutic. I made some yummy no bake cookies I had been craving earlier in the day and wonderful chocolate chip cookies that other family members were craving.

When has acting on a prompting to go and do an activity that for you was enjoyable and therapeutic after working on something that was really hard helped you break away from negative thoughts of your deficiencies?  

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.

Willing To Accept It Was Gone Gone

After searching for my credit card to no avail, I was willing to accept it was gone gone.

During a moment I was relaxing after an afternoon of running errands, suddenly, out of the blue, I received a prompting to look for my credit card. After searching intently and not being able to find it, I was willing to accept it was gone gone and ready to outright cancel my card.  

Initially, I was taken aback by the prompting as I was so certain I knew exactly the whereabouts of my card. As a matter of fact, in the moment I received the prompting, I could clearly visualize myself standing outside of my car upon my return home from getting gas and grocery shopping with the card in my right hand along with my phone and purchase receipts. 

Once inside the house, I placed everything that was in my hand onto a table before going back out to the car for the groceries. However, when I approached the table after receiving the prompting, apparently my recollection of what actually took place was inaccurate. The card was not where I thought I had left it. Up until I had received the prompting, I had been completely oblivious that the card was even missing.   

Immediately, I began thinking of everywhere I had been since coming home and, one by one, I backtracked to each of those places. As I came up empty-handed after repeatedly checking each location multiple times, I then considered the possibility that the card was not even in the house.

My thoughts took me back to the grocery store. I wondered if perhaps after placing my credit card temporarily in the same back pant pocket as my phone while checking out, that when I removed my phone as I was getting into my car, the card may have fallen out in the parking lot. When I called the store and asked someone in customer service if anyone had turned it in, I was told no. 

With each dead end, I then convinced myself of another scenario. I firmly believed that when I removed everything from my back pants pockets as I was getting into the car at the grocery store to leave for home, I placed my credit card in my lap. And then when I stopped at our mailbox along the way, it for sure fell from my lap onto the street as I stepped out of the car to get our mail. I was one hundred percent set that was what actually happened with the card, unfortunately, when I drove back to the mailbox and looked around, it was not there.

At this point, I had no idea where it could be or what happened to it. I determined that finding my credit card was a lost cause. I resigned to the fact that my credit card was gone gone and I was more than ready to cancel it. Even though I knew that by doing so, it would entail waiting several days before a new credit card arrived to which I would not be able to make any necessary purchases until then and all online payment accounts associated with the card would need to be updated, it was a tender mercy that if I were to cancel the card, I had enough groceries to last our family a little while and my car had a full tank of gas. 

And yet, at the same time, although I had retraced my steps several times to no avail, I was still hopeful I would find my credit card so I kept looking more thoroughly in every place I had already checked throughout the house as well as inside the car. 

After nonstop looking and not finding it, just before I was prepared to move forward, fully willing to accept it was gone gone and cancel the card, I again went out to the car and slid the driver’s seat back to search the floor one more time. When I again came up empty-handed, I decided to offer a prayer.

I prayed that if the card was still in my possession I would come to know following the prayer exactly where to find it, otherwise, I would straightaway cancel it. Right after the prayer, I had a thought to look again on the floor in an area where many things have fallen through a slim, narrow gap between the driver seat and the middle console. It was a tender mercy that it was there I found my credit card.

When has your credit or debit card turned up missing and though you were willing to accept it was gone gone, before canceling the card, you found 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, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Back Up Again After The Fall

Even after slipping and falling while mountain biking, I was determined and set to get back up again after the fall and finish the course.

While participating in an outdoor adventure with my husband and children, one that I had never before done, I was a bit nervous from the start to the finish of our mountain biking experience, but I did not let it show. At one point along the way, as I made a jagged turn, slipped, and was unable to regain my footing before landing, I was determined and set on getting back up again after the fall and finishing the run. 

A couple weeks prior, as Spring Break was approaching, our family came together to discuss and plan out what we wanted to do during that time. It was decided that we would each select one specific activity of our choosing that we would then all do together. Among the activities was an indoor waterpark, outdoor ropes course and zip line, escape room, drive-in-movie, and mountain biking.

I enjoy biking, leisure biking that is. However, mountain biking is a different kind of terrain for me to which I was partly apprehensive, but willing to give it a try. As I love being in nature, I figured if I kept my mind focused on that aspect and that alone, I would do just fine. It would not only offset my anxiety of riding an open chairlift to the top of the mountain, but also offset my anxiety while biking down a narrow, rocky trail with threatening edges and intense switchbacks along with other bikers, who by far were faster, more experienced and gutsy than myself.

While ascending uphill the first time around, I was unaware that there was a safety bar attached to the chairlift. It was a tender mercy when almost 3/4 of the way up, one of my children in a chairlift ahead of me noticed that I was riding unrestrained and made it known to me that there was a safety bar I could pull down in front of me. After I gently brought it down, I felt more secure and at greater ease while being high above the ground. 

Once at the top of the mountain, of all the runs, I opted to time and again go down the singular green course that was marked as the easiest of them all. The first time downhill was a dry run. I was pleased that though it was a challenging course, for a beginner like me, it was doable. The second time downhill was my favorite. I was comfortable, felt relaxed and really enjoyed the ride. On my third time downhill, I missed staying up high along a berm going around a bend and turned too sharply into loose dirt within the mid and lower portion of the switchback. Being unable to steady myself, I slipped and fell.

Although I tried resisting the fall, my feet and bike had no traction. I was sliding sideways into base so to speak. Once I came to a solid stop, as I lifted myself back up on my feet and brushed off my pant legs, I could feel my right elbow, right knee, and the inner portion of my left foot start to sting. 

Considering that I was wearing fitted pants and a fitted jacket, I felt it best to keep the sustained injuries covered and not expose the open sores to dirt and debris until I could properly care for them. It was not until we returned home that I observed the extent of my injuries. It was a tender mercy that though my leg was scuffed up just below my right knee, there was no bleeding, only the appearance of broken blood vessels and a visible, yet painless bruise, my right elbow had no scraps or marks whatsoever only a slightly tender internal bruise, and my inner left foot had nothing more than a tiny nick. It was a tender mercy that my having worn long pants and a long sleeve jacket not only served as a covering from exposure to the elements, but also as a protection from being more so injured.

Despite the fall, once I got back up, I was determined to finish the course and I was set on being able to round that same bend over and over again undeterred. It was a tender mercy I did not get stuck in a mental block and I was able to continue mountain biking the remainder of our four hour time at the bike park without again slipping and falling.

Even though the luster of riding casually and blissfully down the nature trail was somewhat lost after I fell and I became more cautious and deliberate as I maneuvered down the course, at times skimming one foot a top the ground as I came around the switchbacks to stay upright and not lose my balance, I strived to simultaneously soak up and take in as much as I could of the beauty around me.

When have you been somewhat nervous about trying something adventurous for the first time and though you fell down and got a little scraped up, you got back up again after a fall and finished the course multiple times 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, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.