Category: Realization

Circulation Of Blessings

As communities around our city rallied around the needs of a couple families who tragically lost a loved one, a circulation of blessings occurred, for the grieving families and for each who served them in one way or another.

As communities around our city rallied around the needs of a couple families who tragically lost a loved one, a circulation of blessings occurred, for the grieving families and for each who served them in one way or another.

Though the intent and focus of the service rendered was for the grieving families, I was awed while I partook in one of the many opportunities to give a little financially to these families, and joy followed upon what I realized was a circulation of blessings, as giving to these families, in turn, resulted in individual blessings for all, myself included. 

It was quite a remarkable moment as I considered the circulation of blessings taking place, how giving to the grieving families also blessed, in a variety of ways, those who gave, no matter how small or great their proceeds. From fundraisers such as donut sales, truck vendors, GoFundMe, a carnival covered overwhelming financial expenses, thoughtful and personalized art given provided emotional support and strength.  

These gestures of kindness were given out of love. At the same time, as residents came together to help the mourning families, I observed beautiful benefits that transpired for the givers as well, which included exposure to community member’s gifts and talents, fresh eyes on new businesses, and also, character growth and refinement such as compassion, etc. 

The circulation of blessings for me personally as our family provided a little financially, included multiple tender mercies, very simple, yet, meaningful. 

For one, feeling immense gratitude for the generosity of a food truck owner giving all proceeds to the two grieving families and joy for my willing desire to help, when I approached a food truck window to pay for what I had ordered and handed the cashier cash for the amount I owed, they adjusted the amount for less. What I did not know before then is that the food would have cost more if I had paid with a credit card. It was a tender mercy I had paid with cash versus a credit card as paying a tacked on credit card fee would not have gone to the grieving families and would have removed more out-of-pocket from our family budget that could be applied for other essentials.

Also, not only was it a tender mercy I was on top of when the food truck would open and the convenience of having a meal already prepared and ready to eat, as I was not up to making something, but also the timing of the food truck hours coincided as an escape to temporarily step away from existing chaos in our home.

Additionally, as I have an appreciation for eating at food establishments that are new to me, it was a tender mercy this was a great opportunity and reason to not only help the grieving families, but also become acquainted and support a startup local business. 

On top of that, as I went to the bottom of a hillside where I understood the food truck to be located and found no one there, it was a tender mercy I was familiar with a road up and around to the upper hillside versus cautiously reentering and driving back home via the main thoroughfare, as along the upper path I fell upon the food truck. 

When have you observed a circulation of blessings that came as individuals rallied around the needs of another and the extension of kindness bestowed and what you could give to help, in turn, brought about blessings for you, as 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.

Say What?

Say what? How is it that doing good for another could adversely affect oneself and possibly others?

Say what? How is it that doing good for another could adversely affect oneself and possibly others? 

Unlike other impressions I have received for to take action immediately, on this occasion, I did not feel an urgency to right then and there stop what I was doing, rather, to go and do once I was dressed and ready for the day, at my own steady pace, and before an appointment I was scheduled to be at a couple hours later. I felt Heavenly Father was mindful of me that I not cut short or rush the care I needed to give to myself, of which was a tender mercy. His mindfulness of me, and the minimal window between said events and timing for the recipient, fell perfectly aligned.

I was impressed to deliver a very specific treat to a friend. It was a treat I would first need to go the store to get. I started out at one store that did not carry it and then onto another store. While in the first store, with the treat not yet in hand, I texted my friend to find out if they would be home during the limited timeframe I would be available to come by. As I awaited their reply, I was confident the treat would be at the next store and I trusted my friend would be home to receive it. It was a tender mercy both were affirmed, the specific treat was at the second store and my friend responded they would be home after having just finished running errands. 

Upon arrival at my friend’s home, I was invited inside. As a precautionary measure out of respect due to the prevalence of a COVID-19 variant, I sat a length apart from my friend on their couch. During our brief dialogue, they shared with me that they had recently been in contact with someone who had COVID. 

Slightly thrown off, “say what?” was my internal response and the following internal question, “How is it that I was impressed to bring my friend a treat if Heavenly Father knew they had been in contact with someone with COVID, that in turn, being exposed, I could get it and/or pass it on to another person?” It made no sense. I was not so much concerned for myself, however, concerned for an individual I was about to meet at my appointment who was headed a few days later on a trip to another country. 

Though it did not make sense why I would be impressed to bring them a treat if doing so would bring about potential harm to myself and others, it was a tender mercy I was eased with a realization that all around me were persons who had either had it, were exposed, or asymptomatic, no one immune, each susceptible, for which I felt a peace to not let the gravity of fear take hold and that all would be fine. It was a tender mercy the news did not set me back and I returned my focus to the joy of service rather than projection of the unknown future. 

When have you felt impressed to do something kind for someone, and with it, you learned, post follow-through, of potential harm that could come to you or others as an outcome, of which your “say what?” concern was replaced with peace of mind? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address totendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Almost Trashed It

I am so glad I realized I almost trashed it before it was too late!

Phew! Oops! That would have been bad to have thrown out my recently purchased dremel kit. I am so glad I realized I almost trashed it before it was too late!

In an effort to help one of my children with a interest of theirs, I purchased a small dremel kit. It is one I spent time to look up the closest store to me that carried one and compare cost and product capability before landing on the one to get.  

Upon my child attending an event to showcase and offer to others what they had designed and created, I put the dremel kit in a plastic grocery bag and placed it in the car to take with us, just in case, while there, it may come in handy. Unexpectedly, the date of the event was rescheduled until the weekend following. My focus then shifted elsewhere, thinking little about the kit that I had left in the car.

The next evening, after returning to our residence upon picking up one of our older children from their place of residence to then pick up one of our other children and my husband from home to then altogether attend a holiday venue, while awaiting for both to come out to the car, I cleaned it out to prepare to take it the dealership for an oil change the next morning. After I gathered up all the loose trash and placed it in a bag that was behind the passenger seat, my plan was to throw it in an outdoor dumpster for a garbage collector to take it away, however, as the child already with me went inside our residence, I too went with them and brought the trash in with me and set it in our kitchen trash can. 

At some point while out enjoying the holiday venue, it was a tender mercy I realized that I may have inadvertently thrown out the dremel kit I had just purchased. I quickly asked of my child who takes out the trash and my husband to not take it out before I had a chance to check the bag I thought was a trash bag, which may have actually been the dremel kit bag of which I had added to it the trash. It was a tender mercy they did not take the trash out or put it outside for to be taken to the dumpster and that I had not myself, as earlier planned, taken it to the dumpster, for sure enough, I did accidentally throw away the dremel kit and was able to retrieve it before it was unretrievable. 

When have you realized you may have inadvertently thrown out something you intended to keep and almost trashed it before it was too late? 

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.

Letting Up On My Self-Induced Stringent Schedule

In letting up on my self-induced stringent schedule, I experienced a peace I did not know I would feel.

Over the last several months, normalcy of life has changed. Even so, as I stuck to my same ongoing rigid schedule by when I have wanted a very specific daily task completed, I began to feel constrained and limited from what more I could be doing during the day. A focus on this task set for the same time each evening weighed heavily on my mind until I realized it was not necessary to continue to keep that time fixed so tightly. In letting up on my self-induced stringent schedule, I experienced a peace I did not know I would feel.

This set schedule originated as a result of my many hours spent carpooling, running errands, and attending meetings throughout the day while my kids were at school and being unable to complete the task any sooner. Yet, wanting it completed before our family returned home from school and work, I designated a certain time that was the same each day in the early evening by when to have it done.

When the stay-at-home order due to COVID-19 went into effect and my kids began distance learning from home, even though my activities outside of the home decreased substantially and my day was now not as filled up in the same way, I continued to maintain the same designated time for to complete the specific daily task. In doing so, I began to feel a heaviness weighing on me over the course of the day as I was constantly thinking about this daily action item I still had left to do. It was a tender mercy I realized I was placing this enormous weight and strain on myself unnecessarily and putting off for later what I now had time to complete sooner. 

As I let up on my self-induced stringent schedule and took care of the task at whatever time it worked to do so rather than wait for the designated time set by me, it freed up my day tremendously. I have felt lighter, more joyful and productive with the openness of what more I have thus been able to do each day. 

This moment brought me back to 24 years ago and reflecting on a set schedule I had in regards to marriage. 

Due to my parent’s marriage ending in divorce while I was in college, I was not anxious to get married very quickly as statistically the odds increased of my marriage ending the same way. I set a parameter for myself, which made logic sense at the time, that I had to date a potential spouse for at least nine months before even considering marriage. I felt that would be adequate amount of time to really get to know someone. Because I did not want the same thing as divorce to happen in my marriage, I was on the lookout for very specific red flags while dating.  

Within the first month of my husband and I dating, I had a couple of spiritual experiences regarding marriage for which I pushed aside and ignored because my plan was not to marry someone I had not known well enough within the timeframe I concluded was ideal. When he proposed to me six weeks after we met, I then understood why I had received the spiritual experiences when I did. It was to prepare me for a different plan than what I had set for myself. In fact, hours before he proposed, he was standing behind me in my college apartment while I was nonchalantly flipping through the pages of a bridal magazine on the living room coffee table having no interest and desire of getting married anytime soon. 

Upon him asking me to marry him a few hours after that moment, I reflected on those spiritual experiences and I said yes. We were married 6 months to the date after we met. Although the length of time from our first meeting one another to courtship to proposal to marriage was short, I knew that the timing of our marriage was right. We have been married almost 24 years now and all throughout as the bumps and hardships have come and gone amidst scores of bliss, I have continued time and again to feel the same peace and know that the timing for us was right. 

When have you let up on a stringent schedule you set for yourself and you felt a peace in doing so as well as it opened up wonderful opportunities 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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Was I Truly Coming Down With Something Or Not

Following a quick trip to the grocery store during the Covid-19 outbreak, I began feeling that I may be coming down with something. Was I truly coming down with something or not?

Up to this point, my family and I have all remained healthy and well throughout the COVID-19 quarantine. However, following a quick trip to the grocery store I began feeling that I may be coming down with something. Although the physical symptoms I felt were real, head pressure and queasiness, I wondered if they were manifesting from a false sense of reality or if I was legitimately getting sick. Not wanting to get overly worked up about the possibility of the latter, I stayed levelheaded as I processed through whether I was truly coming down with something or not. 

Since the quarantine began several weeks back, I have become so used to staying home. When it was time to go to the grocery store to get milk, I was not the least bit in a hurry. In fact, I dragged my feet and delayed as long as possible. It was not until the evening of the following day after we ran out of milk that I made an effort to go buy more before the store closed. 

It was my first time out with my makeshift fabric mask covering my mouth and nose since the mandate to wear them while in public places. Upon my arrival at the grocery store, I took the available precautionary measures to stay healthy by using disinfecting wipes supplied by the store to wipe down not only the shopping cart but also my hands after opening refrigerator and freezer doors and picking up packaged meat. 

As I walked inside and was surrounded by other shoppers wearing face masks of differing variations and some also wearing protective gloves along with noting the existence of clear plastic dividers at the registers between the cashier and customers as well as decals on the floors throughout the grocery store for to adhere to the required spacing of physical distance between patrons, an icky feeling overcame me and continued even after I returned home. 

While lying in bed after settling in for the night, my head felt out of sorts and my body was on the verge of feeling achy. Though I allowed myself to feel what I was feeling, I wondered if my body was merely responding to the visible awareness I observed at the grocery store of society protecting themselves from catching the coronavirus rather than my actually coming down with something. 

I considered the experience similar to feeling like having earphones in my ear when I don’t have them in anymore or feeling like I am still wearing roller skates/ice skates after no longer having them on my feet or when hearing about others having lice and worrying if I too have lice when my head starts to itch. 

With the uncertainty of whether I was truly coming down with something or not, I consciously decided to redirect my thoughts away from the possibility that I was, as I felt that if I continued down that path I would probably very well become ill, as the saying goes along the lines of, “If you think you are, you are”. Instead I focused on my body actually being well as I thought about what I do to care for my body and the foods I eat that are healthy. To this thought process, I fell asleep. 

The next day it was a tender mercy that the symptoms I had the night prior were gone. I rested on the fact that the measures I saw in place to protect employees and shoppers was what brought on the symptoms and not that I was actually coming down with something. Phew!!

When have you wondered if you were truly coming down with something or not after being in an environment to which you felt icky and you came to realize that your physical symptoms were in response to external stimuli and not that you were actually coming down with something?

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 post as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

No Longer A Means I Could Rely On

When the bathroom scale was no longer a means I could rely on to check my weight, I felt confident I had a handle on my weight without a scale due the years I had been consistently regulating and maintaining it on a daily basis.

When the battery in my bathroom scale stopped working after years of routinely standing on it to check my weight, it was no longer a means I could rely on to keep myself accountable to my health. 

A few years back, my metabolism plummeted and within a brief period of time my weight skyrocketed. After much research, an ultrasound, blood tests, going to my doctor and hearing of other’s experiences, it was a tender mercy the solution for me that reversed these sudden adverse changes my body was going through came down to a few things— eating breakfast, drinking enough water, and not exceeding a regimented calorie intake relative to my age and activity level. 

As I began doing these overall 3 things consistently, throughout the course of several months my weight gradually dropped down to my ideal goal weight and I gained back my metabolism, albeit not to the same degree as my younger years, but to the degree my feeling constant fatigue dissipated. Since that time, my weight and metabolism have remained stable. 

As my eating lifestyle shifted for the better, I desired to maintain the above adjustments ongoing. The key factor that kept me accountable to my health was checking my weight various times throughout most days other than resting from doing so on Sundays. My reliance on the number on the scale became routine.

Eating breakfast is hard for me. Drinking enough water is hard for me. If I saw that my weight increased when I missed eating breakfast and lacked drinking enough water, I knew I needed to improve at both so as not to return to my metabolism shutting down and my weight rapidly increasing again. Stepping on the scale often helped me to stay on top of doing what was best for my health. 

During the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, the battery in my scale stopped working and I did not have a replacement on hand. With my trips to the store becoming less frequent due to the order and not knowing where to get the exact battery for the bathroom scale, I did not foresee myself replacing it anytime soon. 

For years I have remained focused on regulating and maintaining my health on a day-to-day basis. As such, although I have come to rely on the bathroom scale to keep me in check, it was a tender mercy that the scale now being no longer a means I could rely on was not earth shattering. In fact, upon not having a replacement battery, it was a tender mercy I realized and felt confident I could continue to consistently and diligently maintain my healthy weight even without the scale. 

When have you relied on something that was no longer a means you could rely on and in its absence you realized you could still go on just fine without 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.

Same First Name “Problems”

The realization that you shared the same first name as someone else in a small group with you that was picking up something and you were about to receive what was theirs and they were about receive what was yours.

Though I have a very common first name, it never occurred to me nor did I realize while in a small group enjoying a fun adventure with our family over the holiday break that of the four females in our group of ten participants, two of us had the same first name. 

I assumed when we signed up for the adventure, our family would be in a group of our own, however, upon our arrival at the designated time, we were combined with another family whom we had never met. Though we cheered and supported each other as one by one we took turns flying with an instructor, we never introduced ourselves or interacted as we sat on separate benches facing the wind tunnel where all the action was taking place. 

Following the completion of the adventure, certificates were handed out. As I heard my first name called, it was a tender mercy I saw the certificate, inadvertently so I thought, being given to one of the other participants in our group. When I approached the participant and asked about the certificate they had just received, assuming it to be mine, I learned they shared the same first name as me.

And then, when picking up the video of my flight, it was a tender mercy I was able to view it on a screen first before accepting it as I noticed that the woman in the video was not me but rather the other person in our group with the same first name.

In paying attention both times, it was a tender mercy that before leaving I had the certificate and video that was mine in hand.

When have you been in a small group with others you did not know, picking up something in your name, and you came to realize through paying attention that one other person in the group shared your same first name and you were about to receive what was theirs and/or they were about to receive what was yours?

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 Was Not Taken By The Realistic And Believable Story

I Was Not Taken By The Realistic And Believable Story Which Turned Out To Be Fabricated.

In the excitement and joy of being out Christmas shopping, I was filled with the spirit of the season and oblivious to the ploy of those who go up to holiday shoppers in parking lots and fabricate a sad story to request money until it happened to me. Fortunately, I was not taken by the realistic and believable story. 

As I was putting groceries into my car, a supposed fellow shopper approached me when I only had two items left in my shopping cart and asked if they could take the cart for me. I was thrilled and happily accepted their kind gesture as I did not want to leave my personal belongings unattended in the car or take them with me when returning the cart to a designated cart return area. 

Prior to his walking away, he began to share with me a very sad and sobering story which, in part, was similar to an experience one of my biological family members recently went through a couple of weeks earlier. I expressed compassion and empathy for his situation. He then proceeded to request of my generosity for an exact amount of money. 

In that moment as I had been considering what I could do, it was a tender mercy that instantaneously a quick thought entered my mind to offer a double box of cereal I had just purchased. Upon his turning it down and refusing to accept it, though he expressed deep appreciation for the offer and a hint of emotion was seen in his eyes, it became apparent and very clear to me right then and there through an impressionable feeling that his story was fabricated. 

Not only did I offer him the boxes of cereal, I also offered him the bananas that were in my hands or any other food I had just purchased. He graciously accepted two bananas. Immediately following, as a couple of people were walking near us towards the store, he offered the cart to them and then headed in a different direction away from the store. 

When I came to realize that his “down on his luck” occurrence was fabricated and the tender mercy it was that I was not taken by the realistic and believable story, the experience left me vigilant and cautious of the potential that it may happen again while I continued to shop at other stores.

When have you almost bought into somebody’s sobering experience before receiving an impressionable feeling that it was not true but rather a ploy for money and you were grateful you were not taken by the realistic and believable story?

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 Failed To Follow The Effective Advice

I failed to follow effective advice and when I did, messages on Dove chocolate wrappers remind me to give myself grace.

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?”

*If you would like to receive an email when new posts are published, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*