My Dress Criteria Was Met

On Mother’s Day, it took me 45 minutes to figure out and settle on what dress I was going to wear to church. As I was glancing over several different options and trying to decide between a variety of blouse/skirt combinations and dresses in my wardrobe, I was having a hard time coordinating an outfit that felt right and one that would hopefully fulfill all three of my desired criteria. 

First, knowing that after sacrament meeting there would be a special luncheon provided for all the women and girls over 12 years old and assuming we would be sitting on chairs set up in a large circle facing each other with our food plates on our laps, I wanted to wear a dress or skirt that fell below my knees. My second criteria was that I wanted to wear a seasonal spring dress. My third criteria was that I wanted to wear a dress or shirt with long sleeves as the days prior had been cool outside and I tend to feel cold in an air-conditioned building.

It was a tender mercy that after some time searching, I found a dress, initially unseen and hidden among my clothes, that fit all three criteria. The dress went below my knees, had accented roses along the midsection sash, hem and along either side of the v-neck, and, although it was short sleeved, I had a 3/4 sleeved cardigan that went nicely with the dress. 

When have you found in your wardrobe an outfit that met all of your desired criteria as you were getting ready for a specific occasion? 

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.*

Pushing Through

Between an unusually stormy and wet spring along with mold, pollen, and ragweed allergies, I had become very sedentary, spending more time indoors for several weeks not expending a lot of energy sufficient to be considered real exercise. After one beautiful, sunny weekend, my friend and I tentatively planned a day later in the week to go walking. As the day drew nearer, it appeared possible we would need to reschedule when in the early morning hours of the night it had rained intensely. Although the forecast showed rain expected to continue throughout the day, it cleared a few hours before we were scheduled to meet up. 

Even though I was ready to enjoy the outdoors and I love walking, it had been a long while since I had been physically active. Concerned with my lack of stamina, I saw the iffy weather as an easy way out. In addition, although I was mentally motivated, I didn’t have much vigor so if the day and time had not still worked for my friend, I would have been alright that our plan to walk didn’t pan out. As she was still available and the weather was nice, we stuck with our plan. 

Doing what was good for my body was oh so hard. I was quite sluggish. Even though I was unable to maintain my same typical and natural fast pace, I recognized the health benefit and value pressing forward would be for me.

Being so out of shape, it was a tender mercy that walking with a friend beside me, I was better able to push through the challenge and struggle of what normally would’ve been a really simple and easy walk for me. While walking and talking with each other, going up and down and around several streets in a neighborhood was doable.

When have you tackled an activity that was good for you, but extremely challenging and the struggle was more manageable with a friend together by your side?

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.*

One Thing At A Time

I had a lot of “to do” activities I was looking forward to accomplishing throughout the day on my mind at the same time I was searching to find a particular seasonal decoration bin from our attic. I was unsuccessful in quickly finding the bin and walked away. As I one by one cleared my “to do” list, I returned to the attic to try once again. Only, this time, I was focused purely on locating the bin. It was a tender mercy I spotted it immediately. Turns out, it had been right in front of me all along when I had been distracted and bombarded earlier by all that was on my mind. Without even realizing it, I had been standing next to it. Once I had isolated my attention to finding the bin and my thoughts were centered on one thing at a time, I was then able to see it. 

When has a singular focus on one thing at a time, among the myriad of competing thoughts and plans on your mind, allowed you to locate an object you were trying to find and that item ended up being right in front of 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.*