Category: Impression

“And The Winner Is…”

When I opened up Facebook, the very first post in my feed was a video with the tag line “And The Winner Is...”

Aside from selecting a like, love, or care emoji on Facebook posts, rarely do I comment on a post. However, the palpitation to respond to a particular post led to an exhilarating moment weeks later as I opened up my Facebook App and the first post in my feed was a video announcement with the tag line, “And The Winner Is…” It was Me! 

Weeks earlier, as I scrolled through my Facebook notifications and tapped on a “Ripples of Change: A Collaboration For Good” post from Leta Greene and read her invitation to share an experience of being seen and/or seeing someone else, my heart began pounding hard, an indicator for me to respond. A specific experience I had a few years earlier and published here on my blog entitled, “Weak In Appearance; But, In Fact, Strong” popped out for me. Not often do I respond to posts in the comments, however, I felt a strong prompting to share this particular blog post experience of my seeing someone and their seeing me.  

A bonus for those who shared an experience was being added to a drawing that would be held at the end of the month for the book, “I SEE YOU” by Julie Lee. I have followed Julie’s AMAZING podcast, “I See You” almost from the time she started the podcast 100 episodes ago. Though it was my pounding heart that led me to share my experience, the possibility I may be drawn to receive her book was an awesome plus!   

As individuals shared their experiences in the comments associated with the post, each received a grateful response followed with a confirmation they had been added to the drawing, however, to my shared experience, I received no reply. Ironically, I was unsure if the experience I felt strongly prompted to share had been seen. As I began to then see experiences being shared as a new post versus in the comments of the original post, I wondered if perhaps it was meant for me to have shared it as a new post too. 

I felt prompted to follow up about it. At the same time, I felt embarrassed I was even concerned in the first place. It seemed silly to be worried whether my post was seen or not, yet, rather than ignore and push aside the uncertainty, I uncomfortably reached out to Leta and expressed my lack of surety whether I posted it accurately. She replied back with an apology she had missed it and shared that I was entered in the drawing.

At the end of the month, out of curiosity, I looked to see who won Julie’s book. Where no mention of a winner was posted, I didn’t think more of it after that. Then over a week later while on a mini trip out-of-state, on the morning of the only free day I had amidst events and planned activities that preceded and followed that day, when I opened up Facebook, the very first post in my feed was a video with the tag line “And The Winner Is…” posted live by Leta the evening prior. As I viewed the video, I was elated to see and hear my name drawn as the winner of Julie Lee’s book. I was giddy. I immediately sent a thank you to Leta. 

It was a tender mercy it so happened Leta’s residence was approximately 30 minutes from where I was staying and I would be able to pick up the book directly from her. As we corresponded with one another to coordinate a time for me to come pick up the book, it was a tender mercy she felt impressed to connect me with Julie herself whose residence in the opposite direction was likewise approximately 30 minutes from me and in addition, I have many warm, nostalgic ties to where she lives. It was so incredibly cool to visit Julie in-person, alongside with my husband, and receive a personalized signed copy of her book from Julie herself! 

Wow! An incredible tender mercy that derived from my having acted on the prompting to share my experience of being seen and seeing another to feeling impressed to inquire whether my posted experience in the comments had been seen.

When have you felt awkward, yet prompted to follow up on something you were impressed to submit, which involved being added to a drawing for a free gift, that appeared to have gone overlooked and your inquiry led to a very cool, “And The Winner Is…” moment with you being declared the winner?

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.

Upon The Aftermath, It Made Sense

It was a tender mercy that upon the aftermath, it made sense not only why I had received the impression so as to jumpstart the release of the toxin from my body, but also that I had indeed received an impression.

After I returned home from a dinner out and prior to the close of the evening, I had a sweet tooth and craved chocolate. In that moment, I received the impression to drink lemon water instead, but opted against the lemon water and went for a piece of chocolate, a packet of applesauce, nuts, and water. An unforeseen side effect of what I may have been exposed to while eating dinner showed up hours later. Upon the aftermath, it made sense why I had received the impression to drink lemon water. 

Several years back while on a trip to a touristy destination, I did a lot of walking all throughout the area and ate yummy seafood sandwiches. Following the trip, I felt an internal heat penetrating my upper thighs. I thought it was attributed to all the walking I had done. However, I learned it was an allergic reaction to the seafood I had eaten. 

Because the onset of the reaction was not sudden, I was not aware of the cause until later. Much like working out and your muscles don’t feel sore immediately, then sometime later when you feel soreness, you may wonder why and realize it was from working out.

It was weeks before the burning, inflamed sensation let up and the toxin from the bottom feeder fish I had eaten completely exited my body. This allergic reaction was confirmed when I returned to the location less than a year later. After again enjoying the seafood, I experienced the burning sensation in my upper thighs once more for weeks.

At the time I craved the chocolate, I felt fine. Little did I know the significance of the impression to drink lemon water. The evening of eating out proceeded a 24 hour fast and I wanted to savor and enjoy a sweet treat and some sustainable food beforehand. As eating chocolate and lemon water together is counter productive, the either or choice went to my craving and not to the prompting I had received. The next day, the burning sensation in my legs began and I quickly understood. Upon the aftermath, it made sense why I had received the impression to drink lemon water. 

After backtracking to assess and try to figure out the source of the burning in my legs, it was a tender mercy I recalled the years earlier when I had the same sensation occur and concluded that though my meal was a non-seafood dish, it was probable that a trace amount of fish cooked and served to other patrons may have gotten into my food too. Per my experience on prior occasions, a successful means of clearing out toxins from my body had been drinking water with a quarter freshly squeezed lemon combined with pure cranberry juice.  

Though, from the get-go, I disregarded the impression to drink the lemon water and acted rather on my craving, it was a tender mercy that upon the aftermath, it made sense not only why I had received the impression so as to jumpstart the release of the toxin from my body, but also that I had indeed received an impression. Within a couple of days of drinking warm, honey lemon water first thing in the morning, it was a tender mercy the burning sensation became mild to hardly present and as I continued to then drink lemon water with pure cranberry juice daily for breakfast, the burning sensation gradually and eventually subsided. 

When have you had an upon the aftermath, it made sense experience in which you not only understood the why you received a particular impression to act, but that it also confirmed you had indeed received an impression?

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.

Peace From Within Came In Due Time

A peace from within came in due time after a number of consecutive tender mercy moments.

Nearly a year and half ago, I received a distinct impression that a big change would occur for our family. And, it was clear to me the time for the change was not right then. As to when I did not know until a few months back. It was a tender mercy it was then I received a confirmation over and over again that the time had come, however, there was a component associated with the change to which I felt unsettled. With a desire to be fully on board with this component as I was with the overall change itself, I sought to feel peace. A peace from within came in due time after a number of consecutive tender mercy moments. 

The process to my eventual feeling a peace regarding that component started off with a late night prayer before I read my scriptures with a hope that a peace would come by way of something I read. Amidst the words I read and reread as I desired to capture the gist of every verse, a very specific question of concern popped into my mind. I was enlightened to bring it up to my husband the next morning. When I did, he shared that it had not crossed his mind, however, it was a tender mercy he had received information that morning, unrequested by him, in his email inbox that directly corresponded to the question of concern and ruled out that undesirable circumstance I would not want to face. It was a tender mercy I felt of Heavenly Father’s awareness of me to provide an assurance all was well in regards to this critical detail of good to know importance associated with the component that may not have come up on my radar. Unfortunately, though I was grateful, I still did not feel the peace I desired to feel. 

The following evening, I drove to a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to seek for a peace the rest of my family and members of our extended family already felt regarding the component. While there by myself in the parking lot looking up towards the temple that was closed at the time, it was a tender mercy I was impressed to share immediately with a number of family members before they, who in that very moment were gathered together in the same place, returned to their own residences this statement that came to my mind, “Though I still do not feel the peace I desire to feel and I am continuing to seek it, I am willing to join you all on the journey.”    

And then, it was a tender mercy that back-to-back, I came across this verse in my daily scripture reading, 

2 Nephi 11:3 “And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him; wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to prove unto them that my words are true. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word. Nevertheless, God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.”

And, right after this scripture, Proverbs 3 verse 5 entered my mind, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

Each tender mercy moment was impactful. Even though I still struggled to feel peace after each one, a peace from within came in due time. The tender mercy moment that clinched it for me and the desired peace came was when I had an aha moment of realization that the opportunity to expand and do more with a hobby of mine would be available to me by means of this component. It was this tender mercy that impacted me the most in a very personal way. As I sought for peace, though it did not come immediately, I was grateful peace from within came in due time. 

When have you known that an inspired change in your life was right, but unsettled about a component of the change you desired to feel good about also, and specific to that, peace from within came in due 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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Stay Put

Uncertainty if I had come to the right place, I considered going elsewhere instead, yet an impression led me to stay put.

Once I reached my planned destination to purchase a gift for an incredible person’s momentous occasion, due to inclement weather and uncertainty if I had come to the right place, I considered going elsewhere instead, yet an impression led me to stay put. 

As in-person gatherings have become sparse due to the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, my connection with those I used to see on a regular basis has changed some, in the sense I am not as aware of their to date interests and happenings in their lives. 

When I was invited to attend a special occasion for one of them, I wanted to give them a gift, however, as I pondered what to get them, I was completely blank of ideas. Until, early one morning, it was a tender mercy the perfect gift idea came to me in a dream. 

Days prior to the event, it was a tender mercy an evening opened up for me to be able to go out and buy the gift, to which I was grateful as I did not want to procrastinate up to the day. 

Upon arrival to the store I assumed had the gift item, I paused before exiting the car as doubt struck me that perhaps the store I had come to did not actually have the gift item and where it was a rainy night, I did not want to step out of the car into the rain, go inside the store, and walk aimlessly around looking for it if they did not have it. As I considered driving to a different store, I was impressed to stay put and first look up on my phone whether the item was carried in the store where I was at already, and if not, what stores around me carried it. 

It came up on my search that the store I was at did carry the item, however, at a more expensive price then a couple of other stores in the area. Before deciding to go to one of the other stores, it was a tender mercy I recalled the store I was at had online coupons whereas the other main retail stores near me did not. When I looked up what online coupons may be available, there was a 20% off coupon which would bring the price of the gift item down to a comparable price of the item in the other retail stores. 

With this information, I decided to stay put and go inside the store. As I walked around, I came across a similar, even better, more ideal version of the product I sought to purchase, however, it cost quite a bit more than I had budgeted. Yet, with the online coupon, it was more affordable and an amount I was willing to pay. Before going to the register to check out, being that I had not been in the store for awhile since the COVID-19 pandemic surfaced, it was a tender mercy I decided to roam the aisles as I came across a display rack on the complete opposite side of the store with the exact same item as the one in my hand at a discounted 60% off. I was thrilled. At that price, I went ahead and picked up a second of the same item. 

When I arrived at the register and asked for a price check, the item came up full price, however, when I shared with the cashier that the item was in two different locations in the store, on one side at full price and on the other side at 60% off, an employee, a manager I presume, went to the discounted display rack and approved the purchase at 60% off. Woo hoo! It was a tender mercy I did stay put and not only did the store have the gift, they had an even more ideal and better version of it, and I was able to get two of them, a double gift, for a final price close to equivalent the regular price it sold for in other retail stores.

When have you questioned if you had arrived at the right place for something in particular and as you considered going elsewhere, you felt impressed to stay put and further information confirmed you were in the right 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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Rest Assured, All Is Well

Prior to receiving the impression, “rest assured, all is well”, concern enveloped my entire being as I observed what our puppy may have ingested.

Just like that, as my undivided attention turned momentarily away from our puppy, when I returned my focus to her, prior to receiving the impression, “rest assured, all is well”, concern enveloped my entire being as I observed what our puppy may have ingested.

While our family was hanging out watching TV, our four month old puppy was playing with her toys, when out of the corner of my eye I observed her chewing something suspicious. I quickly got up off the couch and knelt down by her side. When I looked in her mouth, I saw that she was chewing on some polyester stuffing from one of her toys that had ripped apart. I attempted to pry open her mouth, however, fear that she would clamp her teeth down on my hand as I reached into her mouth, I stopped any attempt and immediately called on one of my children, who has with such ease been able to sweep her mouth and remove a variety of questionable things she has been caught chewing on. Within the split second it took for them to get to her, they were unable to find the stuffing anywhere in her mouth. 

I was so frustrated with myself that I did not have the skill and courage to get it out of her mouth while I had an eye on it and I was very concerned she had swallowed it. What did it mean if she had? I sat back down on the couch, no longer engaged on whatever was on TV, but fully invested in researching and seeking to know what to do if she had swallowed it. I read of the possibility it could cause intestinal blockage and to get her to a veterinarian immediately OR it could come out in her poop within 24 hours and in the meantime to observe if she showed any signs or symptoms of illness. 

As a first time puppy owner, I was clueless and had no idea the seriousness, if any, I was up against. Do I lean towards a more assertive action and take her to the veterinary hospital, as the veterinary clinic was closed, or the passive approach to wait it out with hopes she had no digestive issues and it would come out the next morning?

While uncertain what action to take and not wanting to become anxious, it was a tender mercy I felt “rest assured, all is well”. Simultaneously, I was prompted to go where she had been chewing on the polyester stuffing and run my hand along our carpet, a color tone the stuffing blended in with easily. As I got down on my hands and knees and brushed my hand over the area, it was a tender mercy I found the polyester stuffing that had been in her mouth. I was relieved she had spit it out and not swallowed it. 

Several days later, I observed her biting a hole in the corner seam of a fabric covered sand bag, up against our back door to keep the winter cold air out of our kitchen. As a quick remedy, I tied off the hole with a twist tie and flipped the bag upside down to hide the corner from her and hoped she would not be able to access it. Unfortunately, one afternoon as I left her resting unattended in the kitchen while I took a phone call in another room with better reception, she managed to remove the twist tie and further increase the size of the hole. 

When I returned to the kitchen, sand was spilt out on the floor beside the bag and the wire twist tie was missing. Though I was concerned she may have chewed and swallowed the twist tie, I refrained from becoming panicked, just yet. As the thought entered my mind of whether or not to make an emergency call to a veterinarian to have her checked out, it was a tender mercy I felt a peaceful calm that it was not necessary. I felt confident and rest assured, all is well and that I would find the twist tie. 

After I swept up the spilt sand and continued sweeping in the kitchen where she goes to hang out and chew on the treats we give her, next to the towel she lies on while enjoying her treats was the twist tie wire. It was a tender mercy that though she had chewed some of the paper off of the twist tie, the entire wire piece had not been ingested by her. I was relieved and grateful that during these two health scare instances, I received the impression that rest assured, all is well. 

When have you experienced a health scare instance of a loved one and you received a much like impression that rest assured, all is well? 

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 Light In The Darkness

When have you been provided a light in the darkness during a time you could not see and needed the light?

Twice this evening, practically back to back, I and another person were separately provided a light in the darkness.  

While traveling in our teenage drivers’ older car to drop off one of my children at a school basketball game, upon our arrival, after parking in a stall to wait and observe their safe entrance into the gym, my hands felt sticky and dirty. As I looked in the middle console of the car for hand wipes, to which there was none, I spotted a flashlight. I was drawn to what was wrapped around the exterior of the flashlight. It was a message that read, “Be Different, Stand Out, Be A Light”.

Once my child was safely inside the gym, as I was about to leave and go back home, I observed a man parked a few stalls away from me to my left, with no cars between us, changing his flat tire. I felt impressed to roll down my window and share with him what a tender mercy that he was able to make it off the nearby highway and into the gym parking lot to change the tire in a safe place rather than being stuck changing it on the highway. He was very appreciative of the wonderful blessing. After that brief interaction, upon my departure, I recognized another tender mercy. As dusk was fast approaching, I noticed that he would have a light in the darkness while he changed his tire as he was parked in a location right under a parking lot light. 

On my way back home, just before I arrived, I heard something fall to the floor near or around the front passenger seat. At this point, the sun had completely set. After I reached our driveway, parked, and turned off the car, I looked for it, but I couldn’t see what it was or where it had fallen. It was a tender mercy that where my light on my phone did not work, I was fortunately aware of the flashlight in the middle console and I had a light in the darkness to find and pick up the object as well as see to gather all my belongings prior to my exit out of the car. 

When have you been provided a light in the darkness during a time you could not see and needed the light? 

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 To Do? What To Do?

What To Do? What To Do? Each evening, we have enjoyed well spent, quality hours of fun together eating a Christmas treat and playing a game.

What To Do? What To Do?

As my children are getting older, I still want Christmas to be a magical time of year. I LOVE Christmas. It is magical for me and I don’t ever want that to go away. With the Christmas season upon us, I so wanted to come up with activities our two kids still at home would enjoy doing all together as a family during the days leading up to Christmas day. The question was “What To Do? What To Do?” I spent a lot of time thinking about what to do without any answer coming to me, until the answer came through a series of events and then I could barely contain my excitement and giddiness to share the idea, first with my husband and then our kids. 

A couple of days prior to the first of December while on a drive with one of my children, I asked them about our Christmas traditions and which ones they liked and would like to continue to carry on this upcoming Christmas season. As I went down the list, the activities our family has done in year’s past did not so much interest them any longer, except for one, ice skating. Desiring to come up with more than just that one activity our children, who are not so little anymore and will be leaving home all too soon, would enjoy was a challenge. 

During our dialogue, it was a tender mercy I was prompted to ask them if they like games to which they said yes in a casual kind of way and it was expressed again what they, as of late, had brought up several times before of a game we did not have that they were interested in playing. Traditionally, every year for Christmas our family has unwrapped a new game. Of the number of games we have, most have only been played once or not at all as we gravitate to our favorite top go-to games—Ticket To Ride, Settlers of Catan, Boggle, Apples To Apples, Rook, and Phase 10. 

Though following our conversation I was still unsure what to do that would engage our children to enjoy the spirit of the holiday all season long up through Christmas day and my prayers to know what to do continued, the prompting kickstarted what became a fully formed idea that began on December 1. 

On this mid morning Tuesday, it was a tender mercy I felt impressed to reopen an email I had received from our women’s Relief Society organization at church about an upcoming homeless care kit collection service activity. Even though I would be unable to attend the activity, I wanted to help out. Upon my also going to our Relief Society Facebook page to see if there was a list of what was needed to then gather what items our family had on hand to donate to the cause and deliver them to the Relief Society President that afternoon, the first thing I saw as I opened up Facebook was a friend share on their Facebook stories the #LightTheWorld calendar. Not realizing as the day began that it was December 1st nor was I at all aware the #LightTheWorld countdown would be happening again this year, grateful to not miss the opportunity to start with day 1, it was a tender mercy I saw the post when I did and the first day of the countdown was about donating to a charity to which it so happened I was in the process of doing.  

From there, it was a tender mercy I was prompted to open up another email from our ward Bishop regarding an Angel Tree to which I wanted to help out in that way as well. As I began taking an inventory of what gifts for what ages I already had on hand from purchases I have made over the years and saved specifically to give for birthdays and Christmas, I discovered an unexpired sealed box of cordial cherry chocolates from last Christmas.  

While in route the few minutes away from my place to drop off the items for the homeless service project with plans of returning home right after, it was a tender mercy that per the series of events above, a spontaneous, on the spot, impression as to what activity to do that would suit our family well dawned on me. It was to do a 25 day Christmas countdown in which each day one family member would secretly wrap a Christmas treat of their choosing and a second family member would likewise secretly wrap a game of their choosing from our current selection of games or the purchase of a new game and then a third family member would unwrap the treat and the fourth family member would unwrap the game and we would spend the evening eating the treat and playing the game. Every day after, up through Christmas day, we would rotate who did what. I was super ecstatic about this splendid idea and could not wait to share it with our family. 

After delivering the items, I straightaway drove to a store nearest me to purchase the very game my child had most recently, here and there, requested. Originally, I was going to drive to a store further away because it was where I had seen the game days earlier, yet it was a tender mercy that I felt impressed to go to the store just up the street from me and being that they too had the game, I saved a lot of time not sitting in rush hour traffic and money for gas had I traveled 4x the distance to the other store.  

Once home, I couldn’t wait to gather our family together to share the idea with them. With giddiness and enthusiasm, I began by asking them what day it was. One of our children responded with December 1. They then asked if we were doing the #LightTheWorld countdown. It was remarkable this child remembered it from the Christmas past and I happily shared that we, without initially being aware, participated in Day 1 and then I proceeded to excitedly present the activity idea that had come to me. 

It was a tender mercy that everyone was on board and where I had hoped that one day we would take the time to play our other games, now was that opportunity. Also, it was a tender mercy that the 25 day countdown idea came on December 1. As we began the countdown that evening, the child wanting the new game was pleased when they opened up the first wrapped gift to see the game of their choosing and that it would be the first one we played, and our other child opened up the wrapped cordial cherry chocolates.

It has been an incredible Christmas season thus far. Our 25 day Christmas countdown has been a daily event everyone has looked forward to with joy. When I asked my children, “If we didn’t have any gifts on Christmas day and this is all we did, would they be ok with that?” They said yes. Each evening, we have enjoyed well spent, quality hours of fun together eating a Christmas treat and playing a game. 

When has an answer to a prayer in which you desired to know “What to do? What to do?” come by way of a series of events? 

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.

I Don’t Always Know What Is Best

When have you had an “I don’t always know what is best” moment in which a better decision than the one you were about to make came by way of a peaceful impression?

As a mom, I don’t always know what is best. Have you ever taken on something your kids could do because you were concerned with looming what ifs it didn’t get done or in the way you hoped and therefore you decided to do it yourself instead? Essentially, trusting yourself over trusting in your kids.

As our adult children have ventured out on their own post high school graduation to attend college, they have left behind memorabilia and possessions they did not want to take or needed with them. Recently, as my husband desired to declutter our attic, he contacted one of our children via FaceTime to go through and assess together with them their stored belongings to see and decide what they wanted to keep, have sent to them, or have thrown out. 

In the end, what remained for the keeping was a backpack, a few memorabilia, and an important document of recognition which all fit nicely inside the backpack. The backpack was then set aside to be given to them whenever the next time was that we would be with them again. Right around that same approximate timeframe, one of our other adult children called and shared their plans of driving home from college to spend Thanksgiving week with us. 

Perfect! It was a tender mercy that on their return trip back to school, they would be able to take the backpack to their sibling that was unable to come home for the holiday. And, in addition, hand-deliver a Christmas stocking to them filled with wrapped gifts from my husband and I. 

Initially, that was the plan, however, as my mind gravitated to “what if” concerns, I was reluctant and hesitant about sending the backpack, Christmas stocking, and gifts with our child upon the close of their visit. As they would be driving almost a full day and straight through the night to get back to their college residence, worry and fear set in for their safety and well-being, especially during the longer hours of night driving due to daylight savings and if they encountered possible inclement weather conditions along the way. 

If in the event they were in an accident, my mind pictured the loss of the belongings we sent with them scattered about the roadway that may or may not then make it to their sibling. Oh, how my mind goes into natural worry wart mode.  

That being the case, I felt it would be better to not send the belongings with them, but rather wait till our family drove out to visit our adult children at a time when I was confident our travels to them would be much safer. However, I don’t always know what is best. Upon my hedging on what to do, it was a tender mercy I received a peaceful, calm impression that all would be well during our child’s travels back to school. With that impression, I sent their sibling’s belongings, Christmas stocking, and gifts with them.   

It was a tender mercy our child made it all the way back to school safe and sound and that all throughout their travels I felt a constant peace and calm. Also, it was a tender mercy that my husband and I were able to watch via FaceTime the child who was unable to come home open up the gifts we had gotten for them to enjoy during the Christmas season. 

When have you had an “I don’t always know what is best” moment in which a better decision than the one you were about to make came by way of a peaceful impression?

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 Back-up Plan To The Rescue

Fortunately, a back-up plan to the rescue did not preclude the mammogram screening from happening within the specific window that was best for me.

A strategic process that has gone smoothly every other previous mammogram screening I’ve gone in for was almost disrupted. Fortunately, a back-up plan to the rescue did not preclude it from happening within the specific window that was best for me. 

This is one of those appointments that I do not schedule out in advance due to not knowing exactly where my body will be in relationship to my menstrual cycle. It was a tender mercy that the imaging center accepted walk-in visits. And, where deodorants and lotions interfere with the testing and applying lotion is a necessity for my dry skin, being able to spontaneously decide the day of for when it was most optimal for me to shower and skip the lotion around my chest area and hold off on the deodorant till after the screening was a tender mercy. 

Upon arriving at the imaging center for the routine annual health mammogram screening, while in the parking lot, it was a tender mercy I was impressed to contact my insurance company to confirm if the imaging center was still in-network this year as it had been last year even though their office location had recently changed. Initially, because the new address was not showing up when the insurance representative looked it up, the center was considered out-of-network. However, it was a tender mercy the insurance representative reached out to the imaging center and learned that they would be billing from their previous address until their new address was updated with the insurance company. Based on that, the insurance representative was able to confirm that the imaging center was still in-network and the visit and screening would be covered in-network. 

Once inside the office, I was informed that the internet service had just gone down 20 minutes prior to my arrival and they would not be able to check me in. Oh no! Of all days, on the day and during the time most ideal for me when I was prepped and ready! The options I had was to wait until the service came back up whenever that may be or return home and wait until I got the call that it was back up again to return for the screening. I opted to wait. 

Within a few minutes, it was a tender mercy the front desk staff member had an ingenious idea, a back-up plan to the rescue. I was asked if I had been to their office before or if I was there for the first time. Where I was a walk-in, it was assumed I was coming in for the first time. Upon my responding that I had been to their prior location a year ago, they contacted one of their other offices that was not impacted by the outage. Since my information was already in the computer system, they were able to check me in, complete the screening, and once the service was back up, they were able to upload my mammogram images to my information in the computer. It was a tender mercy that due to the employee’s back-up plan to the rescue I was able to get the screening done during the most ideal time for me.  

When have you been prepped and ready for something that was almost put on hold and a back-up plan to the rescue did not preclude it from happening during your most optimal timeframe?

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.

Proactively Set In Motion The Ball Rolling

Through my active persistence to proactively set in motion the ball rolling, I was able to have a recall replacement part for my car installed in less than a week’s time and before the anticipated news of a joyous occasion to occur any day for a loved one took place.

While awaiting word of a special life’s event for a loved one to occur any day, I received a recall letter in the mail regarding the critical need to replace a faulty part in my vehicle that could cause my car to spontaneously, without warning, stall out at high speeds. I was concerned the immediate need to take care of this crucial recall could possibly delay my being present to celebrate with the loved one upon announcement of the anticipated joyous news. As I did not want to chance my car stalling on my way to be with them, I sought right away to arrange and proactively set in motion the ball rolling for a new replacement part to be installed as quickly as possible rather than wait on a service advisor at the dealership to reach out to me for when to get the repair done. 

At first, getting the ball rolling did not go so well and it started off very awkwardly. When I initially called the dealership’s service department where I would have the recall work done, the employee who picked up was following a standard protocol to set me up with a rental car to which I did not need. When I asked to speak with a service advisor, I was told one was unavailable and that the service area was very busy and understaffed. The employee took down my name and number and said it may take until the next day for a service advisor to get back to me. 

Later that evening I received a callback from a service advisor post shop hours.  Unfortunately, I did not recognize the number and therefore did not pick up the incoming call. When they left a voicemail, I listened to it right away and immediately called back the number they had given at the end of their return call to me, however, I got their voicemail to which I then left a detailed message expressing my desire for the recall replacement part to be ordered and that I would like to wait to bring in my car for the estimated 3 1/2 hour service once the part was in stock and that I was not in need of a rental. 

Though I was disappointed I missed their call, it was short-lived as I realized nothing could be done that night anyways as the parts department was already closed. Hopeful the service advisor would have called me back the next morning, come mid-afternoon when I still hadn’t heard back from them, I reached out to them through the service department’s main number and was transferred to their desk voicemail.

Desiring to touch base with them sooner rather than later due to the nature of needing my car to be operable as quickly as possible, it was a tender mercy I was impressed to look up the service advisor on the website for the dealership’s particular location to which under their name and photo was their work cell number. When I called the number, they picked up right away and from there I was able to more so get the ball rolling.

Not long after our call, I received, per my request, a confirmation message from the service advisor notifying me that the parts had been ordered. Where I was told it may take a week or so for the recall replacement parts to be delivered, it was a tender mercy it only took five days. As I continued to stay on top of the status, the process moved along very swiftly.

Four days later, I contacted the parts department to check on the status of the ordered parts and was informed they already had some of the parts in and they were confident the rest would arrive the next day and that I would be able to have my car serviced the day following. I was delighted and promptly contacted the service department to schedule a morning appointment two days out. 

The next afternoon, I followed up with the parts department to confirm if the remaining parts had come in to which they had. Later that same evening, I received a call from the service advisor returning my initial callback. I brought them up to speed that I had reached out to the parts department and was told the parts were in and that I would be coming in the next morning to have my car serviced.

Where the service advisor had been out of the office the day prior and they had not yet received an updated to date parts status report at the time of their call to me, they were unaware I was coming in the next day. They told me they would write up the paperwork that evening and everything would be in order to begin servicing my car upon my arrival the next morning. 

Through my active persistence, it was a tender mercy I was able to have the recall replacement part installed in less than a week’s time and before the anticipated news came from the loved one. 

When have you proactively set in motion the ball rolling to immediately care to a crucial matter that arose simultaneous to your awaiting a joyous occasion to occur and the crucial matter was resolved with swiftness before the exciting event you anticipated any day took 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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.