Category: Prayer

The Least Invasive Necessary Medical Treatment

The Least Invasive Necessary Medical Treatment To Heal A Wound Effectively And Adequately Was Applied

As I watched a loved one slip and fall and incur a gash just below one of their kneecaps while they were running in the airport, I prayed that the least invasive necessary medical treatment could be applied to effectively and adequately heal the wound. 

Our family was very excited to greet and welcome a loved one flying home for the holidays. Upon entering the airport, while some of us, including myself, began to head towards baggage claim, a couple of other family members, not knowing exactly where we were meeting the loved one, in competition with each other, took off and raced away in a different direction. 

The moment they split off from the rest of us, I stopped and stood in place dumbfounded by what I was observing unfold. On one hand, I considered their actions of “running” and leaving the group as foolish. On the other hand, I saw that their competitive nature with one another was in all fun and they were innocently enjoying themselves and bonding together. 

Despite the later thought, my look of dismay continued when one of them tripped and fell. While they struggled briefly to get back up on their feet, it was a tender mercy the other family member was right beside them and immediately reached out to help as the injured family member landed awkwardly. 

As I watched the whole occurrence transpire, though I was thoroughly frustrated, annoyed, bothered and upset, I did not say anything out loud to them. It was a tender mercy I resisted any urge to call them out for their actions, instead, I remained silent. I could see that the one injured was experiencing frustrations of their own for what just happened and there was no need for me to say anything at all as I knew my saying anything would make things much worse. 

Initially, when I first saw the bloody wound, the gash site appeared to me as only a scrape. Upon closer examination by myself and another family member after it had been cleaned up, it was realized and agreed that the injury was not just a surface cut but a deeper wound requiring medical attention. It was decided that the best course of action was to take the family member to an urgent care to have the gash looked at by a physician after picking up the loved one when they arrived and before returning back home. 

Despite the frustration I felt inside, especially it being the day before Christmas, I quietly attended to caring for them by bringing out wet and dry paper towels from a nearby restroom to apply to the wound as needed. I also calmly spoke to the reality of their possibly needing stitches at the same time concurring with their desire to not want them and encouraging them to pray as I was praying for the least invasive necessary medical treatment to adequately and effectively be applied to heal their wound. 

When the doctor examined the wound, he shared that though stitches were an option if we wanted to go that route, the bending of the knee while walking and such may cause the stitches to split apart. It was a tender mercy when the doctor also shared that the gash could just as easily heal by keeping it clean, applying vaseline so the wound does not crust over, bandaging it with a non-stick pad and a hurt-free wrap 2 to 3 times a day. Our prayer for the least invasive necessary medical treatment was answered. 

When have you observed a loved one become injured and your prayer for the least invasive necessary medical treatment to be applied for adequate and effective healing of the wound was answered?

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.*

A Desire To Spread Joy Was Derailed

A Desire To Spread Joy Was Derailed Only Momentarily

How can having a desire to spread joy become derailed?

For some time, day after day, I’ve observed a crosswalk helper hold out a stop sign for traffic to halt and allow pedestrians one by one to walk through a drop off zone to enter a building and not once smile or pleasantly greet anyone who was passing right by them. 

Earlier in the week, I had a desire to give this individual, who seemed very unhappy, something in hopes that their frown would turn into a smile. I narrowed that “something” down to a store gift card. I was really excited thinking about how it would brighten their day, however, as I was looking forward to doing this wonderful act of kindness, it didn’t feel right to proceed. 

I was confused and questioned why I felt like I shouldn’t follow through and pursue my desires to give them a gift. It didn’t make sense especially as over and over again a quote I heard a while back along the lines of, “never turn away from a thought to do a good deed” kept coming to my mind and I really wanted to share kindness with them, yet doing something so simple and generous didn’t seem right for some reason. “What?” I asked myself, “How can that be?”  

Right then, in that moment of questioning, it was a tender mercy that I came to understand. Sadly, the words that entered my mind was that no matter what I offered or gave to them, it would not change their disposition. They would not suddenly become happy over receiving a thoughtful and gracious gift. It would not change them. No external offering from me would alter their internal being. 

This was hard for me to take in considering having heard that when you have desires to serve and give to others, do it, yet here, I was not to give. I didn’t know their story. My desire to spread joy was derailed, however, only momentarily. It was a tender mercy my sadness quickly turned to joy when I realized there was a different, non-tangible gift I could give them from the bottom of my heart and that was praying for them. 

When have you had a willing heart to give someone a tangible gift and your desire to spread joy was derailed only briefly till you realized you could give the gift of praying for 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, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Concurring Prayers For Help Interconnected

A Loving Heavenly Father Orchestrated Separate Concurring Prayers For Help To Interconnect.

It was a tender mercy when I learned of my friend’s and my separate concurring prayers for help interconnected and I was an answer to their prayer as they were an answer to mine. 

For some time, I have been going to a weekly community Mindful Parenting class. Attending as a parent as well as coming in with a degree in Family Science, I have not only gained good insights and information from other attendees, I’ve also been able to share with the class, in addition to my experiences, knowledge and education I’ve obtained over the course of many, many years of continuous study in a field I love. It has been a rewarding and valuable class. 

Since its beginnings almost a year ago, the class has remained small. Though information about the class has been posted on social media pages, it is not known how many people have actually seen the postings. Recently, the Parenting Coach invited each of us present to expand the outreach and awareness of the class to anyone we knew and felt could benefit from joining the free group. 

I pondered and considered who I could invite. I really wanted to extend a personal invitation to someone, however, I had no idea initially who to contact. I reached out to Heavenly Father, who knows each of us individually—our cares and concerns, hopes and desires—and prayed to be guided to someone who could benefit from this amazing class.

It was a tender mercy that as I did so, a friend of mine I see occasionally in passing came to mind. The impression to invite them came very strongly and I acted in extending the invitation to them. They came to the next class and at the end they shared with me their gratitude for my inviting them as my showing up on their doorstep when I did came at a time they had been struggling and praying for help. 

As I sought in prayer to know who personally I could invite to the class at the same time my friend was praying and seeking help for the struggles they were going through, it was a tender mercy that our separate concurring prayers for help interconnected and we were an answer to each other’s prayers. 

When has someone else’s and your separate concurring prayers for help interconnected and you were an answer for them as they were an answer for 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.*

Putting Aside The “Cares Of The World”

Putting Aside The “Cares Of The World”

After a fast-paced experience to promptly get to the gate my husband and I would be flying out of for a mini-vacation, as we were sitting awaiting our plane to arrive, I was shouldering many “cares of the world”, concerned that all I was temporarily leaving behind would be safe and sound during our time away. Naturally, I am a “worry wart”. Before departing, I wanted to do what all was in my power to prevent, if at all possible, bad things that could happen from happening. 

In route to the airport, we stopped at a store to pick up a gift for someone we would be visiting after we returned. Shortly after leaving the store with a minimal cushion to get to the airport in adequate time, I missed taking the airport exit and had to go what felt like quite a ways out before being able to turn around and head back to the airport. 

When we got to the airport’s long-term parking garage, which was only a short walk to the terminal, we were rerouted to a parking lot further away and needed to be shuttled back to the airport. Before catching the shuttle bus that came soon after we parked, which was a wonderful tender mercy considering time was quickly slipping away, my husband hid the purchases as best he could out of sight. 

Even though they were mostly tucked away, portions of the bags were visible if someone looked inside the car through the tinted windows so to double blur a potential intruder’s vision, we raised the window sunshades attached to the rear passenger doors up. Although our car was locked and we were in a secure parking lot, I knew it was still a possibility someone could break into our car if they wanted.

While sitting in the airport after making it through security and awaiting our plane to arrive with a little bit of time to spare, I wanted to rush back to the car to further secure our possessions and take with us anything that had our address on it so if someone did break into our car, they would not also learn where we live and break into our home too. 

My husband tried assuring me that all would be ok. I knew I could not control nor did I trust the agency of others, but I did however trust that Heavenly Father could give me the peace I needed to not stay worried while we were gone so I prayed and turned my “cares of the world” over to Him. It was a tender mercy that I was able to let go of my concerns completely and go on to thoroughly enjoy our trip away. And, when we returned, all was well. 

When have you been able to put away the “cares of the world” you were concerning about before departing for a trip and go on to fully enjoy a wonderful vacation?

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.*

Joyful Moments Among The Chaos

A park is a place where one can observe joyful moments among the chaos of children running here and there.

I love teaching my young, energetic, and active Primary class at church. They definitely “keep me on my toes”. Some Sundays are more chaotic than others, yet, oh how my hearts swells and is filled with such joy being able to serve currently in the capacity and calling as their primary teacher. I am awed and fascinated by what all I gain from them and walk away with each week as they willingly help and participate in our class. Through countless tender mercies I have seen and received as a teacher, I have experienced many joyful moments among the chaos.

One that surprised me and I was delighted by was a week when the children were very talkative with each other and seemed disengaged while I struggled to efficiently and effectively articulate and communicate a particular principle and though I don’t know how well they understood any of what I shared, all 8 of the kids present on that day remained in their seats the whole time. Not one got up and ran around. That, to me, was an amazing tender mercy. 

Most recently, as I began a lesson soon after we entered our classroom together and everyone had quickly sat in a chair, one member of our class sat in the “teacher’s chair”.  I was super enthusiastic when I asked if they would be teaching our class that day to which they initially said yes and then declined, however, they gladly accepted the invitation to assist me. 

As they did so, being silly, they presented the material I had given them to share with everyone else in an opposite manner than what I had asked of them. Nonetheless, immediately, I took to their “out of the box” approach and saw that their method was totally awesome and I welcomed and encouraged them to continue. It was a tender mercy that their actions actually enhanced the presentation of the lesson, albeit different than how I had planned, yet, in a very cool interactive way. 

Shortly after this occurrence, as I continued the lesson with an inspired, impromptu, straightforward and simple object lesson, my presentation threw off one of the students and they were upset. As I squatted down to be on their level and lovingly asked about their thoughts and why they were so upset, I was enlightened as they expressed the reason they became distraught. It was a tender mercy I was able to see where they were coming from and communicate with them in a way that cleared up their concern and soothed and calmed them down. I have been edified time and time again as the kids in my class have candidly shared their remarkable perspectives and insights with me. 

Although I come to class well prepared, I never know exactly how the lesson or class time will go as the dynamics and energy level of each child varies weekly. As I continuously pray to Heavenly Father before and during class to help me teach His children in His way, I am ready to adapt and “go with the flow”. Even though class time can be hectic and crazy, I have received guidance and direction through one tender mercy after another and I have been able to experience joyful moments among the chaos. 

When have you experienced joyful moments among the chaos while teaching very active children and through their ups and downs you gained remarkable insights and valuable lessons from 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, 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.*

When I Went For The Deletion

Not long after installing a new application recommended by another blogger for the primary purpose of enhancing the visibility of my blog, I questioned whether it was actually beneficial for me to have done so or not. Once downloaded, the feature I was most excited about didn’t seem to provide the intended value I had envisioned.

As the tool was completely foreign to me, I searched different websites to figure out and learn how to use it. Even with finding supposed easy step-by-step instructions, I could not make sense of most of the technology lingo or terminology and I didn’t know anyone I could reach out to for help. After much effort of trying to understand and comprehend the tool but not getting the results I had anticipated when I assumed I knew what I was doing, I was ready to deactivate the application. 

With my limited technology know-how, I prayed to know if I should keep the application up and running or delete it. Not having a clear answer what I should do and being content to go back to the simple and basic way I had been publishing my blog, I decided to remove the application altogether. 

In the moment I was ready to go for it and shut it down, it was a tender mercy a friend with technology experience called right then and offered to provide me help later that day. During our conversation and in the process of waiting to meet up, I realized I hadn’t given this new tool adequate time to truly see its full potential nor was I using the functions effectively. Turns out the tool was more useful and better than I had expected.  

When have you been prepared to deactivate a tool that didn’t seem to be working in the manner you intended, and in the very moment you were going to press delete, support came to your aid and you realized the resource you had installed was valuable after all?

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.*