Category: Encouragement

You Are Doing Something Right

The joy you feel as you come to know that you are doing something right as a mom.

“Yes, Yes, you are doing something right!” As a mom, parenting can be a real struggle. I absolutely love being a mom, however, often I question if I am parenting the right way. Today, I received an affirmation of one thing in particular to which I was immediately overjoyed, so much so, I clenched my right hand as I raised it above my head and quickly brought it back down by my side in a victorious manner all the while resoundingly expressing to myself in second person, “Yes, Yes, you are doing something right!” 

On my way to picking up one of my children from early morning church seminary, I was listening to an episode of Real Talk. One specific quote, “The gospel of Jesus Christ should be caught not taught” mentioned non verbatim by one of the hosts referencing something spoken of by Elder David A. Bednar captured my attention. I looked up Elder Bednar’s broadcast talk and the words resonated with what I’ve done with my kids ever since they were little. 

When they would ask me for answers to questions—general life questions, homework questions, where they could find such and such, etc. I would often reply with “What do you think?“ Although they would get frustrated with this response, I did not want to just give them the answer outright. I wanted them to process through and consider the answer for themselves first. Most often, as I guided them, they would come to the correct answer all on their own. I absolutely love the phrase/proverb, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” 

Hearing first the quote and then reading the talk by Elder Bednar was a tender mercy as it provided me a thrill of affirmation that “Yes, Yes, you are doing something right!”

When have you questioned if you were parenting the right way or not and you received a form of affirmation that indeed, “Yes, Yes, you are doing something right!”?

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.

Why Am I Struggling So?

While writing up a blog entry, I couldn’t figure out why my post was not coming together and it was troubling me…until I stepped away to take a much needed break. In part, it made sense since writing is not my forte, however, it is something I do on a regular basis and many days I do fine, but today was extremely challenging and a struggle for me.

It was a tender mercy that immediately as I set it aside and moved away from it, one of my children came to me with the exact same question I was stewing over, “Why Am I Struggling So?” only from the flip side. I was intrigued and delighted. 

For them, it was with basketball. On this particular day, they were very pleased with their basketball accomplishments, yet, they brought up how interesting it is that on some days they do well and on other days they don’t do so well. I was curious…what makes the difference? Such as, a bad hair day versus a good hair day, a bad writing day versus a good writing day, a bad workout day versus a good workout day and on and on… 

Per our conversation, these various thoughts came to mind. 

1.  What I was writing was a significant post that had potential to bless the lives of many, and as such, the adversary was working full force to prevent and thwart my efforts from it getting posted. 

2. Einstein had many a bad days, but he didn’t give up and kept going and great things came from his perseverance. 

3. How often do we tackle a project like a renovation and think it’ll be easy, but once we get into it, we find issues—rusted out pipes, mold, termites… etc. Although the repairs and fixing it up is tedious and frustrating, the effort extended results in an amazing finished product. 

4. Perhaps, it opens the door for other good things to happen redirecting and focusing our energy, for the time-being, elsewhere. For instance, in basketball, rather than practicing 3 point shots that, for whatever reason, are not sinking like usual, improving upon lay ups instead. With writing, maybe setting it aside and engage in a completely different activity and area of interest for an essential breather to clear one’s mind. Or, with bad hair days, trying a different hairstyle that may result in discovering an amazing new style that only came to be because of a bad hair day. 

5.  In addition, another family member shared a reminder that there is opposition in all things. 

As I reflected on each of these points, I had an enlightened perspective when I returned later to my writing. Even though it took longer than most to write up the specific blog post, I did not give up and eventually it came together. 

In a nutshell, my takeaway was that things of great importance and worthwhile may require more painstaking effort and to not give up when something isn’t working out in the moment(s); and, that struggles and “bumps in the road” do not necessarily mean stop doing what valuable thing you are doing, particularly, when it doesn’t feel right to do so, and “throw in the towel”, but rather step away to do something else for a time and then come back and try again.  

When have you been at a point of contemplating giving up on something beneficial you were working really hard on that wasn’t coming together and a conversation with another, right at that time, inspired you to keep going and pressing forward? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

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

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

Seeing Myself As Heavenly Father Sees Me

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

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

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

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

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

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

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

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

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

I’ve Got This

On a regular basis I catch myself confidently stating, “I’ve Got This” during moments when I am challenged outside of my comfort zone. On occasion, I follow it up expressing further with unquestionable belief, “I’ve got this, I truly do”. With the frequency I’ve iterated these words, they are now embedded in my mind, so much so, that it has become my natural self-motivating “go-to” phrase. I find myself routinely and automatically speaking the words internally and out loud, often times without even thinking about it or realizing it. And, my kids as well have pointed out moments when they’ve overheard me not dialoguing with anyone directly, but rather, under my breathe, without my being aware I am doing it, giving myself a pep talk.

The encouraging words I tell myself remind me of a Winnie The Pooh quote I really like, “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

It is a tender mercy I’ve had a “go-to” phrase that has become a part of me and is with me always wherever I am and no matter what challenges I am going through when I need a lift. 

When have motivating and encouraging word/phrase(s) you’ve told yourself enough times they’ve become ingrained in your mind helped you move through hard things?

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.*