Upon a prompting I received to obtain preventive protection in the event of a sustained injury, trepidation set in as my mind contemplated probable “what if” scenarios I envisioned lie ahead for me. When a scenario I had never heard of before was presented to me and one that was not the anticipated probable “what if” scenario alternatives, my fear and anxiety dissipated.
A couple of days before my annual well-woman visit, out of the blue, I received a prompting to get a tetanus vaccination booster. To this unexpected peaceful impression, angst also set in as I wondered why I would need it and thoughts of painful, “what if” scenarios that may be in store down the road for me from stepping on a rusty nail or broken glass to being in a car accident entered my mind.
I knew I was given a booster within the last decade, however, I could not recall exactly the date. On the evening prior to my appointment, without any thought of the prompting, it was a tender mercy as I was casually organizing and decluttering a bin of papers, I came across my last tetanus vaccination record.
While at my well-woman appointment, I asked whether the office in-house lab gave vaccinations. Though they said no, I knew I was to receive it. So straightaway, following my appointment, I went to a CVS store.
As I walked inside, it was a tender mercy when greeted by a concierge, I was able to bypass an entrance line designated for those receiving the COVID-19 vaccination and alongside the concierge, they guided me straight back to the pharmacy. While I awaited to be set up to receive the vaccination from the pharmacist, it was a tender mercy that during a brief dialogue with the concierge, they shared a reason for the tetanus is to be able to be in close proximity to infants and month old babies, a why I had never heard of before and one that would not incur an injury to myself or others. All of a sudden, my trepidation for the anticipated probable “what if” scenario I considered a likelihood washed away. I was relieved.
Because of the prompting, though I do not like needles, I did not fear getting the vaccination, only the probable “what if” scenarios that would warrant preventative protection. And, because of the enlightenment from the concierge, it was a tremendous tender mercy that when the pharmacist indicated they were done, I didn’t even realize I had already been given the vaccination. I thought they were still prepping the site to administer it to me. Due to my relaxed state, the pharmacist described the needle like going into a sponge verses a rock. Not only did it not hurt when the pharmacist inserted the needle into my arm, my arm was not sore after either.
When have you feared an anticipated probable “what if” scenario associated with a preventative prompting and a non-injurious scenario shared with you dissipated your anxiety?
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.
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.
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.
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 #LightTheWorldcalendar. 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.
When faced with overlapping opportunities to separately bond with a couple of people I care about, I opted to multitask and interact with them simultaneously. However, as to a conflict of interest, I was not capable of effectively bonding with each of them individually at the same time.
During a call with one of them in whom I felt strongly impressed to reach out to that I had not phoned in a very long time, the other one followed up with me about a place they had asked earlier if I would take them to that was closing soon. In that instance, I was faced with a conflict of interest.
Both individuals are important to me. On one hand, I was not ready just yet to end the pleasant and engaging phone conversation I was having with the one and on the other hand I wanted to take the other, sooner rather than later, to where I had previously agreed I would take them. So, I decided to stay on the call with the one via earphones at the same time as taking the other where they wanted to go.
Not knowing the call would last as long as it did before saying our goodbyes, most of my undivided attention all the while out and for a time after returning back home resided with the one on the call while only split second moments of dialogue here and there were had with the one I was with in person.
Although it was a tender mercy I acted when I did on the prompting I received to reach out to the one per a phone call, I felt horrible that in my decision to multitask, I was not then fully present with the other. Internally, I felt such sorrow and remorse.
All throughout the call, I observed the countenance of the one I was with and sensed they had concerns. Upon the close of the call, I reached out to them and asked about their experience while we were out. The emotions they expressed I gathered as much. Though it hurt deeply to hear them verbally share them out loud, I did not hedge or skirt around my actions when called out for it.
It was a tender mercy that as I took personal accountability and ownership for my actions and apologized to them as well as expressed my own frustration and disappointment for not being solely present for them, a distance between us that was created as I tried multitasking was lessened.
When have you experienced a conflict of interest that involved people you care about and your expression of sorrow and remorse to the one you let down by not being fully present for them helped heal a distance that had been created as a result of your actions?
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.
Breaking away from negative thoughts that came as I struggled to grasp the know-how to use a specific technology function on my device was put on hold until after my determination to first get the function up and running.
On this casual, laid back, rainy day as I sat down in a chair in a room looking out at the landscape just beyond my backyard with my device in hand, I was excited to implement the function. I thought it would be a simple and easy process. Unfortunately, it was not. Every so often while on my device working, I had inadvertently come into seeing the steps involved.
At first, I was confident I could navigate through what I thought I had recalled was the way to set it up. However, as time slipped by, I became stumped and baffled that the how to get it up and running was eluding me.
It was difficult to understand and know why this process to which I thought would be easy had turned out to be quite challenging. Discouragement started to surface and comparison of my weaknesses to the strengths of others on many fronts began creeping into my thoughts and lingering there. I questioned, “Why do simple tasks for others take me so long?” “Why can’t I figure out how to troubleshoot technology or complete supposedly easy processes in a relatively shortened period of time?” As I was bound and determined to figure out how to get the function up and running, comparing myself to others remained at bay.
After a long, arduous while of not giving up, I finally accomplished what I was trying so hard to do. In the end, I was extremely frustrated, irritated, unrelaxed, and on edge. As I acknowledged my heightened emotions, it was a tender mercy I was prompted to go and do something I enjoyed that was a no-brainer. Breaking away from negative thoughts of my many deficiencies came as I engaged in an activity that for me was fun and therapeutic. I made some yummy no bake cookies I had been craving earlier in the day and wonderful chocolate chip cookies that other family members were craving.
When has acting on a prompting to go and do an activity that for you was enjoyable and therapeutic after working on something that was really hard helped you break away from negative thoughts of your deficiencies?
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.
During a moment I was relaxing after an afternoon of running errands, suddenly, out of the blue, I received a prompting to look for my credit card. After searching intently and not being able to find it, I was willing to accept it was gone gone and ready to outright cancel my card.
Initially, I was taken aback by the prompting as I was so certain I knew exactly the whereabouts of my card. As a matter of fact, in the moment I received the prompting, I could clearly visualize myself standing outside of my car upon my return home from getting gas and grocery shopping with the card in my right hand along with my phone and purchase receipts.
Once inside the house, I placed everything that was in my hand onto a table before going back out to the car for the groceries. However, when I approached the table after receiving the prompting, apparently my recollection of what actually took place was inaccurate. The card was not where I thought I had left it. Up until I had received the prompting, I had been completely oblivious that the card was even missing.
Immediately, I began thinking of everywhere I had been since coming home and, one by one, I backtracked to each of those places. As I came up empty-handed after repeatedly checking each location multiple times, I then considered the possibility that the card was not even in the house.
My thoughts took me back to the grocery store. I wondered if perhaps after placing my credit card temporarily in the same back pant pocket as my phone while checking out, that when I removed my phone as I was getting into my car, the card may have fallen out in the parking lot. When I called the store and asked someone in customer service if anyone had turned it in, I was told no.
With each dead end, I then convinced myself of another scenario. I firmly believed that when I removed everything from my back pants pockets as I was getting into the car at the grocery store to leave for home, I placed my credit card in my lap. And then when I stopped at our mailbox along the way, it for sure fell from my lap onto the street as I stepped out of the car to get our mail. I was one hundred percent set that was what actually happened with the card, unfortunately, when I drove back to the mailbox and looked around, it was not there.
At this point, I had no idea where it could be or what happened to it. I determined that finding my credit card was a lost cause. I resigned to the fact that my credit card was gone gone and I was more than ready to cancel it. Even though I knew that by doing so, it would entail waiting several days before a new credit card arrived to which I would not be able to make any necessary purchases until then and all online payment accounts associated with the card would need to be updated, it was a tender mercy that if I were to cancel the card, I had enough groceries to last our family a little while and my car had a full tank of gas.
And yet, at the same time, although I had retraced my steps several times to no avail, I was still hopeful I would find my credit card so I kept looking more thoroughly in every place I had already checked throughout the house as well as inside the car.
After nonstop looking and not finding it, just before I was prepared to move forward, fully willing to accept it was gone gone and cancel the card, I again went out to the car and slid the driver’s seat back to search the floor one more time. When I again came up empty-handed, I decided to offer a prayer.
I prayed that if the card was still in my possession I would come to know following the prayer exactly where to find it, otherwise, I would straightaway cancel it. Right after the prayer, I had a thought to look again on the floor in an area where many things have fallen through a slim, narrow gap between the driver seat and the middle console. It was a tender mercy that it was there I found my credit card.
When has your credit or debit card turned up missing and though you were willing to accept it was gone gone, before canceling the card, you found it?
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.
Although I acknowledged a clear, yet minuscule thought that entered my mind, I quickly reasoned why not to act on it, essentially, ignoring a subtle prompting.
While on a mini vacation, one evening as I opened a ziplock bag to remove one of many alike loose and unpackaged bathroom items from it before placing the bag securely winged underneath one on my arms momentarily to occupy my hands with something else real quick, I had a subtle prompting to seal the bag closed. I reasoned why not to as I was pretty certain I would not drop it, therefore, I ignored the subtle prompting.
Well, what do you know, sure enough, the bag in fact, without initially realizing it, had slipped out from under my arm. And everything that was in the bag fell out onto an unsanitary floor. As such, non of the items were now useable, at least per my OCD mindset I did not feel comfortable using something that had touched an unclean surface. Therefore, I tossed all of the contents completely emptied from the bag into a trash can.
I was so upset and disappointed in myself that I had ignored the subtle prompting, especially being that it was such a simple thing to just seal the bag before placing it under my arm. In the moment I removed my focus from the bag and placed it elsewhere, without my awareness the bag slipped out from under my arm.
Even though I was very frustrated with myself, it was a tender mercy I had also fortunately brought with me several more of the somewhat similar item, individually packaged. And though I was not happy about resorting to what I had brought as a backup, nonetheless, it was a tender mercy I was not without having them with me.
In addition, as I have many times wondered and asked myself whether I recognize if I have truly received a prompting or not, contemplating on this experience, it was a tender mercy I was able to see that I indeed received a subtle prompting to which I actively and consciously ignored. When the subtle prompting came, I acknowledged it, had a brief conversation with myself in my mind and confident I would not let the bag fall, I opted to not act on the prompting resulting in the loss.
When have you ignored a subtle prompting to act on doing something so simple and as a result the loss of a useful product occurred, yet fortunately, you had another somewhat similar item to use in its 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, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.
As much as I did not want to go to the grocery store this evening, I was grateful for the deliberate focus I had on what all I needed to get and that the menu items for the meals I had planned out for at least the next couple of days all fit in a mini shopping cart. As I was ready to check out, I felt impressed to go all the way to the back of the store in the cold section and get some raspberry lemonade. I did not know the reason for the prompting and though it didn’t make sense, nonetheless I went ahead and followed through with it.
Typically it is not a food item that I purchase on a regular basis, only on a rare occasion if there’s a coupon or it’s on sale. Remarkably, in conjunction with the impression, it was a tender mercy that the lemonade happened to be on sale. As I purchased two bottles along with our other groceries, brought them home and placed them in our fridge, one of my children noticed and they were pleased. I wondered if maybe it was meant for them, but it didn’t feel like it and so again I still didn’t know the reason for purchasing the raspberry lemonade.
The following night, it seemed fitting to have one of the bottles of raspberry lemonade as just part of our family meal. It tasted delicious and was enjoyed by everyone, however, there was nothing significant that stood out answering the why I felt impressed to specifically purchase the raspberry lemonade and so I was still curious as to the reason.
Later that evening at the close of the night I received a text message from a friend expressing concern about a mutual friend who was struggling and reaching out for connection.
Earlier in the week, I felt prompted to message the struggling friend prior to coming to know that they were going through a hard time, but received no response back. As this friend continued to be on my mind for days, I prayed for them and asked Heavenly Father what I could do for them. I was impressed to place their name on a prayer roll inside one of the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so that not only myself, but others as well could pray for them too. However, that would have to wait a couple days until the temple was open to be able to do so.
In the meantime, when I received the text from the friend about our mutual friend, I once again reached out and asked the struggling friend if they would like to get together. Despite their desire for connection, they replied back that per what they were going through, the timing was not good. I then asked what would help them the most right at that time. They quickly responded that they were in much need of prayers to which I replied that I would definitely do that and at the end of the text message I added a hug and a prayer emoji.
After our correspondence, it became clear to me that the other bottle of raspberry lemonade was for this struggling friend. However, a part of me felt a little uncomfortable giving them the raspberry lemonade as I was concerned that their perception would be that I was sending a message for them to turn their “lemons into lemonade” and to just get over what they were going through rather than the pure compassion and empathy I felt for them.
That concern was short lived as I knew I was guided to specifically get the raspberry lemonade for reasons I did not know as well as the thought that when food has been brought to me, I have felt comforted and happy that somebody had thought of me and took the time to bring something to me especially at a time when I’ve been hurting.
The following afternoon I stopped by their home and though it appeared they were there as their family cars were in the driveway, I did not expect them to come to the door. After knocking and waiting a short couple of minutes, I placed a grocery bag with the raspberry lemonade inside on their door knob and texted them to let them know I left it.
Although I didn’t know anything about my friend’s circumstance or situation, only that they were struggling and going through a very hard time, I knew there was a purpose in getting the raspberry lemonade and though initially it didn’t make sense, nonetheless as I acted on the impression, it was a tender mercy I was able to bless them during their time of need.
I learned later through a thank you text from the struggling friend a couple of primary whys behind the raspberry lemonade in particular, one being that it is a favorite drink for most of the family members in their household.
When have you received a spontaneous prompting to purchase a random item, which at the time it didn’t make sense, nonetheless, you acted on the impression to go and do and later came to know of the inspirational reason why?
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.
Earlier in the day I was inspired by a video message I listened to about mourning with those that mourn, however, several hours later when an opportunity came up to be a “doer of the word, not just a hearer only”, I failed to follow the effective advice.
As I called a loved one, I recognized right away they were down and said, “it sounds like you are down”, to which they replied that they were and they then preceded to share with me the why. I initially listened and validated the struggle they were going through and then I moved into the natural tendency of offering suggestions by way of relating other’s experiences in situations similar and providing educational information. Not long after, the call ended abruptly to which I sensed right then that what I had shared had not been comforting or helpful at all.
I reflected immediately on my error of not fully mourning with them. It was a tender mercy I was able to give myself grace and not go into a hole myself for messing up and failing to follow the effective advice I had just heard hours prior.
I trusted Christ would go before me and after me (Doctrine and Covenants 84:88) and make up the difference where I lacked offering adequate and effective compassion and empathy. And, I prayed for my loved one that my lack of providing what they needed would not cause them to go into a deeper funk.
I then felt impressed to send them the below text message as I did not want to leave them in the dark, feeling all alone, but rather provide them hope by acknowledging and apologizing for my lack of adequately mourning with them, expressing empathy, and extending, through words, my love, care, and concern for them.
“I am sorry! I recognize now my call was not beneficial and uplifting at all and I apologize for that. Though I meant well, it is not what you needed and I am so sorry! I am sorry for the lack of comfort I sensed you felt when you did not want to continue the call as a result of what I shared to which, in hindsight, I realize was unhelpful. I am very sorry! I am sorry you are dealing with all that you are going through and the lack of help you are receiving! Sending hugs 🤗 and love ❤️.”
When have you realized in hindsight that you were not present for someone in the way they needed help and support and as you failed to follow effective advice such as mourn with those who mourn, you were able to give yourself grace and act on a prompting to reach out and mend your error?
tendermercym❤️ments~jld
“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”
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