Category: Gratitude

Being Lost Paid Off

In trying to figure out which way to go, being lost paid off.

When has being lost paid off for you? I have been needing to go walking for a long time, but have put it off for other higher priority activities. While I was out delivering a treat to a friend and looking for their place, I was unable to access their enclosed community without having their gate code. I parked at the complex’s main office and figured I could then walk to their place by going through the office. 

It was a tender mercy that as soon as I got out of my car, a gate nearby opened and I was able to enter by foot that way. I walked briskly to find their place as time was short before I needed to pick up my kids from school. Within a few minutes of thinking I was going the right way, my phone GPS was indicating I was going the wrong way. After rerouting me a number of times and finding that I was getting supposedly further and further away from my friend’s place, I turned around and did my best to follow the map as it guided me in a completely different direction which still didn’t seem to be getting me any closer to their place. At one point, I actually reached a dead end. 

In trying to figure out which way to go, someone spotted me and asked if I was lost and redirected me back over to where I had originally been before turning around. It just so happened that my friend’s place was only a few steps ahead from that location. Rather than looking for the number to their residence on the buildings themselves, I had focused and relied only on my navigation map app to get me to their place.

Though I could have been frustrated, instead it was a tender mercy that being lost and parking at the office was an opportunity for me to get in a nice, quick, fast-paced walk on a beautiful, cool and sunny day. Being lost paid off. I was super grateful for the much needed exercise that came about in the way it did.  

When have you relished in an opportunity to take care of yourself that inadvertently came about as a result of being lost, to which, being lost paid off?

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.*

Stayed Out Of Harm’s Way

Stayed out of harm’s way when tailgated on a narrow, windy, scenic backroad.

While in route to take my children to school via a scenic path to avoid the morning rush hour congestion along a more direct thoroughfare, I became concerned when after turning onto this windy stretch of road, one lane each way, I observed through my rearview mirror a truck following behind me awfully close, uncomfortably close. Not wanting to get hit, I intentionally maneuvered and adjusted my position to stay out of harm’s way so as not to be directly in front of them, but off center, keeping left near the lane divider line to stay as far clear of them as possible. 

With each frequent stop-and-go for a few miles on this curvy, up and down road that was backed up as well, I was extremely nervous as they tailgated me. I was on high alert, extra cognizant, and continuously aware of the driver’s movements. I considered pulling into someone’s driveway or a neighborhood entrance to let them go ahead of me, but worried how long it would take before another driver would let me back in the line of traffic and the possibility of it delaying my kids getting to school on time. As I continually kept an eye on the truck behind me, I prayed that at the four-way stop some minutes ahead, a different driver would fall behind me, separating me from the driver “riding my bumper”. 

Once at the four-way stop, it was a tender mercy that while I continued to go straight, the driver behind me turned left. 

When has a driver tailgated you while on a windy, narrow road and where it was not easy or convenient to pull over for them to get around you, you were able to stay out of harm’s way and relieved when at a traffic stop the driver split off in a different direction and was no longer right behind 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.*

Rescued From A Bad Dream

A good night’s sleep restored after a bad dream

After a long exhausting day, physically and mentally, I went to bed sooner than usual for me and well before my husband did. In part, my being so tired was attributed to my going to bed real late and getting up super early consecutively for days. 

With the start of a new school year for our children, I had not yet transitioned my sleep schedule accordingly. I was still maintaining the same night owl routine I had been on all summer long and now with school back in session and my weekday beginning before the crack of dawn to drive one of our children to early morning church seminary, I was feeling the toll on my body. With days of less than adequate sleep added to activities that required a lot of mental energy, on this night, in no time flat, as soon as I lied down, my eyes quickly closed and immediately I fell asleep. 

As my husband was settling into bed sometime later, he heard me breathing heavy and observed something was wrong. He gently and lovingly asked me if I was ok, to which I responded “No, I am Not”. I was terrified, sweating, and muttering words in my sleep. Once aroused and broken away from the awful dream, I thanked him for waking me up. It was a tender mercy he had still been awake at that time and rescued me from my panic induced state. 

Once removed and disengaged from the bad dream and prior to wanting to go right back to sleep without a re-occurrence, I prayed the bad dream would not return. I was extremely grateful for the tender mercy that although an image and recollection of what caused me to stir remained, the fear and trauma associated did not and I slept soundly and peacefully the rest of the evening. 

When have you been calmly rescued from a bad dream and while still very tired and desirous to be able to comfortably go back to sleep, after praying that the bad dream would not return, you were able to once again fall asleep right away and you slept soundly and peacefully the rest of the night?


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.*

What Should I Do?

As I was looking forward to and expecting a call from a loved one late one evening, I sought earlier in the day to find out from them via a text message what time specifically was best for them. I had anticipated getting a response back from them right away, but I did not. Initially I was not concerned. I felt a peace and a calm. Hours later, I still had not received a reply back from them. 

Even though I did not know why I had not yet heard from them, I continued to feel the same peace and calm. I was optimistic and told myself comforting explanations as to the possible reasons why I felt that they were just fine—1) I don’t always get back to others right away when they text me 2) my friends don’t always reply back to me right away when I text them. And, neither is an indicator that something is wrong, only that our schedules are varied and we will get back to each other as soon as we can. I also considered that maybe the loved one had lost their phone, and even so, if it were the case, it didn’t change the fact that I felt they were just fine. I tried to stay out of the worry zone. 

Before the close of the evening, I reached out again, one more time, via a phone call, desiring to touch base. Still no response. And, then first thing the next morning, I messaged them again. By this time, the natural worrier in me started creeping in. As it did, I contemplated what I would do if they were in harm’s way or injured and who I knew that was close to them I could call and ask when they last had contact with this loved one. With a geographical distance between us, the only contact I had to the loved one was by phone. Without communication, I had no idea or visibility as to what was happening or going on with them. However, I knew one person that did, Heavenly Father. 

I reached out to Heavenly Father and asked, “What should I do?” The answer I received to stick to the peaceful feeling I felt from the beginning was a tender mercy. I felt comfort and went on with my day without being consumed with worry or deterred away from the feeling of peace and calm that they were ok.

Mid morning, I received a reply from the loved one that they were well and all was good with them. They also shared that they had called the evening prior, but for some reason when their call came in, it was not seen. When I checked my “recents” call log, (which I had a subtle thought to check the night prior, but it was so fleeting I completely forgot all about it until I received their reply) sure enough, they had called. It was a bummer I missed their call, yet I was grateful for the peace and calm I felt right off the bat when I didn’t first hear from them and the comfort extended beyond when I could’ve easily been in worry and panic mode. 

When have you been unable to reach a loved one at a time you were expecting to hear from them and you were able to keep your worries at bay when your initial feelings regarding their safety and well-being was one of peace and calm?

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.*

Shading From The Heat Of The Sun

Mid-afternoon, on this blazing summer day, a friend of mine and I enjoyed a day together with our children at a park. As the sun was beating down, I was constantly wiping sweat droplets from my chin and along my cheek bones and frequently drinking water to stay hydrated. Although the bright sun among the white puffy clouds in the blue blue sky was of a sweltering degree, it was a tender mercy that the park had a covering to shade the playground and bench area from the scorching heat of the sun. 

When have you been to a park, a pool, the beach, a sporting event…on a very hot day and were extremely grateful there was a covering (pavilion, awning, umbrella, trees, etc.) you could sit under that provided some or full shade from direct exposure of the sun’s rays?

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.*

Questioning Whether To Offer Help Or Not

While waiting to watch one of my children drive away and head off for a several days long, summer adventure in company with many, many other kids all around the same age, I became aware that one of the members of the group was reluctant, hesitant, and nervous to go. As a result, they backed out of attending and no matter what efforts and encouragement was given from others, it didn’t convince them to change their mind prior to the group’s departure.  

Per their decision to stay behind, I considered offering to take them back home, but the idea remained a question, a stupor of thought, with no real clear, definitive and absolute, answer to do so. As I regarded and respected what I imagined the young person may have been going through and knew that arrangements had already been made for a family member to come pick them up, I was not feeling certain whether I should even propose the kindly act or intervene, so I said nothing. Although I was ready and prepared to serve and able to provide transportation to get them back home, I was confused at the reason for the stupor of thought and why extending myself did not feel completely right.  

After everyone left, including myself, another parent stayed with the young person to ensure they were taken care of until their family member picked them up. A couple of days later, I reached out to the parent to follow up on how everything went.  

It was a tender mercy that as I heard the rest of what happened relayed to me, I understood the why I had a stupor of thought. Through a miraculous course of events, totally unexpected and not foreseen by anyone, the nervous participant ended up, several hours after, rejoining the group. Heavenly Father was keenly aware of this individual’s struggles and helped them in a remarkable way to be a part of an incredible summer experience!    

When have you been available and willing to help someone in need, but due to a stupor of thought you held back and learned later the reason why it was not clear whether to have offered them assistance or not?

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.*

In The Nick Of Time

While traveling in the quiet stillness and darkness of the early morning hours with very few cars on the road, it was a complete and utter surprise as I was coming out of an ascending loop on an interchange overpass, anticipating an effortless shift into a lane over that merged into the freeway I was getting on, I was caught off guard when in my blindspot, another driver, coming in from the freeway heading in the same direction as me, was likewise and simultaneously shifting into my lane to take the descending loop to transfer onto and enter the interstate I just left. 

It was a tender mercy that in the very moment we were about to cross into each other’s lane at the same time, same place, I had deliberately looked back over my left shoulder and saw the car beside me and avoided, in the nick of time, a near collision. 

And, then again when I needed to change roadways for the last leg of the drive and the navigation directions were confusing, it was a tender mercy I figured out where I needed to turn off just in the nick of time, narrowly taking the correct highway junction exit necessary to get to my destination before I passed by it. 

When have you closely avoided a near collision because you looked over your shoulder before switching lanes and/or you narrowly took an exit you needed to take in the nick of 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.*

Good Samaritan

When a wooden board from our neighbor’s worn out, sun beaten, brittle fence fell down, I observed my independent, proactive, and service-oriented youngest son gathering up essential tools—a handheld battery powered drill, a hammer, screws, and nails—to repair their fence. All on his own, he took it upon himself and was desirous to fix their fence for them.  

From the sidelines, it was a tender mercy for me to have seen him in action, the joy in his demeanor, and smile on his face as he was a willing and cheerful good Samaritan, serving our neighbors.

In the process of his working to drill the board back in place, I overheard the wife, who while attending to their dogs in their backyard and realizing someone was on the other side of their fence, curiously and gently ask, “Excuse me, may I help you?” to which my son confidently replied, “I just noticed that one of your fence pieces was broken and I am fixing it so it doesn’t fall again”. She responded, “You are amazing!” A few minutes later her husband came out to assist and eventually she also came out again with their young daughter and expressed gratitude, appreciation, and admiration for my son’s sweetness in helping them in the way he did. 

This interaction, in and of itself was a tremendous tender mercy too as my son and I met this amazing and friendly family for the first time since they moved in, surprisingly 2 years earlier. Although I was thoroughly embarrassed and apologetic that our welcoming them to our neighborhood was long overdue, attributing it to our comings and goings and differing schedules, it was a blessing that through my son’s act of service, this opportunity to introduce ourselves to one another occurred.   

When have you experienced the joy of observing your child(ren) taking the initiative to help and serve others all on their own? And/or through a a direct or indirect involvement in a service opportunity, you met an amazing new friend(s)?

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.*

Alert And Attentive

I had a remarkable experience on this bright and sunny, 100 degree day that involved several tender mercies that culminated into one big miracle.   

While my children and I were driving a relative distance from home to take one of them to EFY also known as Especially For Youth, we had hopes that we would get to the campus location within the check-in time frame. A third of the way there I recognized on my dash the tire light had come on and I felt a need to stop and check the air pressure in each of my tires. 

Ironically, the day prior as I came out of church I had a fleeting and subtle thought to check them, yet it came and went without a second thought and I did not act on it. Just looking at the tires, they appeared fine, however, in using a tire-pressure gauge, one of the tires only had a 20 psi reading so I knew there was a slow leak. When I examined the tire, I found a nail puncture in the tread.   

As I processed my options and what to do in my situation, not knowing with certainty how I should precede forward, the idea came to my mind to 1) place duct tape over the nail puncture, 2) pray and have faith that we would make it the latter 2/3rds of the way up to EFY safely, and 3) seek help to change out the tire once we got to our destination. I shared my plan with Heavenly Father and asked that if it was not ideal to continue in that manner that I be guided otherwise. 

Simultaneously, I was thinking about a scriptural account I had just recently read in the Book of Mormon of the brother of Jared who presented stones to the Lord that became a light source for the Jaredites as they traveled in barges to the Promised Land. I believed the duct tape would prevent the tire from going completely flat.  

It was an incredible tender mercy that although we did not have any duct tape in our car, we had clear packing tape that I used and the adhesive stuck well. As we were ready to get back on the road, it was another tender mercy when I was impressed to call my husband to which he recommended I stop at the nearest gas station to fill the tire up with air. 

Immediately, I went into laser focus mode and actively kept an eye out for any place that had an air pump and this prepared me to not miss and pass up an ideal stop a short distance up ahead that wasn’t available again along our route for another 50+miles.

Within minutes, it was a remarkable tender mercy that 4 mile markers or so further up the road there was a car dealership that serviced our specific car’s make. Amazing! I was immensely grateful for the convenience, ease, cost-effectiveness, and timeliness of the dealership being in our path. A technician filled up the tire at no cost, exceeding slightly the recommended amount, and then advised that I stop and look for a place to keep it filled up if the tire light came back on again, which it never did.  

Upon our arrival at the campus location, it was a miraculous tender mercy that the packing tape was still intact and the air pressure held steady overall, with a loss of only 2 psi, but still resting above the recommended amount and it continued to hold steady the rest of the day. Before our departure home, I went to a nearby dealership, like the one earlier, and the small amount lost was restored.

Throughout our entire drive back home, the air pressure stayed constant even after the tape had melted away from the scorching hot pavement. And, with a reapplication of the packing tape, the air pressure continued to remain steady still into the late afternoon of the next day when I was able to get our car into the shop to have the tire repaired and patched up. 

My prayer was more than answered. We not only made it safely round trip, it was also not dire for me to have had the tire fixed while on the road or swapped out with a spare prior to our return home.   

When have you experienced car troubles while driving and not knowing exactly what to do, your move to action on your first thoughts, prayer and faith, in addition, following sound recommendations and advice from others helped you get to your destination safely as well as to a place to have your car repaired?

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.*

Time Saver

As I was walking out of the supermarket and almost to my car with the mini shopping cart of groceries I had just purchased, it was a tender mercy an item I had not thought about earlier that I needed for the following day’s holiday dinner came to my mind. 

I debated waiting until the next day to return to the store to buy the particular item, but upon weighing the pros and cons of doing so, it made more economical and logical sense to save time and gas and go back inside and get the item while I was already still at the store rather than holding off until the next day and trying to fit in another trip to the grocery store with all the other festivities taking place. So, after placing the food I had just bought into my car, I briskly walked back inside right then and there for the additional one other item. 

I figured that although it was somewhat inconvenient, it would have been more so if I had made it all the way home and then had the thought of what was needed.

When have you thought of an additional item you needed as you were exiting the store and you were grateful you thought of it while still at the store in the parking lot versus getting all the way home and it coming to your mind?

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.*