Category: Safety

Several Close Calls

“Stopped The Car Before Impact”

As I pulled into my driveway and began gathering things to take into the house, I did not realize I had not put the gearshift in park. It was a tender mercy I looked up just in time to see the car rolling forward toward our garage door. I was able to brake quickly to avoid any impact and was happy my response was immediate.

When have you experienced a moment when you realized your car was rolling forward as you were prepared to get out and you stopped the car inches from structural impact?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

“Narrowly Missed The Other Vehicle”

On this day, for some reason as I was backing out of my garage, I did not bother to look around or use my mirrors. I drove straight back while conversing with my children. Once out of the garage, it was a tender mercy I looked over my shoulder before leaving the driveway and realized I was within inches of almost hitting our other vehicle.

It was so unusual for me to not look around first. I suppose I felt so accustomed to maintaining a straight line when I back out of the garage, I didn’t pay any attention to the other car that was there. As I think about it, the difference on this particular day was that my husband was working from home. Typically, the driveway is empty. That experience was so alarming to me that I am sure I’m going to pay better attention to looking around when backing out of the garage. It usually only takes one scare for me to learn what I don’t want to happen again.

When have you been casual in your driving and a close call helped you become more alert?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

“The Horn Works”

When we first purchased our car, weeks and months went by before I had reason to use my horn. I had wondered if the horn worked, but never tried it. I don’t randomly press my horn without cause and so I wasn’t sure if it worked or how quickly I would respond in the event that I needed to use the horn.

Well, today was the day and it was a tender mercy the horn worked. The sun was bright and I barely caught a glance of a car backing out as I had just turned the corner to go down an aisle in a parking lot. The visibility was minimal and the fact that I saw the driver backing out was an incredible tender mercy considering the glare. I responded immediately by pressing my hand on the horn. She stopped and I was able to get around her, narrowly missing getting hit. It was a crazy experience and I am grateful it ended well.

When have you wondered if something in your car would function properly in an emergency and were unsure how quickly you would respond; and you were grateful when faced with danger, your car and you responded well?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

“Looked Up Just in Time”

While at a school dropping off some paperwork, I briefly stopped to chat with a friend that arrived when I did. When our dialogue ended and I was walking towards the school, I looked down reflecting on our conversation while also reviewing the form in my hand and it was a tender mercy I looked up just before taking another step that would have led me face on, right into a metal gate bar. I was not paying attention to what was in front of me. I am grateful I looked up when I did.

When have you been one step from running into something and grateful you looked up just in time?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

A Healthy Distraction

Two of our children had plans to go to the movies, just the two of them for the first time together. I was particularly concerned about the younger one staying with the older one and maintaining the buddy system.

I am a natural worrier. I recognized my concern was more fear-based rather than trusting and having faith in the older one to watch over and care for the younger one in the same way I am vigilant of the safety and well-being of each of our children. The night before, the “what ifs” crossed my mind and by the next morning I felt all would be ok because I changed what I was telling myself.

Safety measures were discussed with each child and a protocol for a Plan A and Plan B were acknowledged in the event that they were separated. I knew it was important for them to have this bonding time together and allowing them to go would create cherished memories they will always have and share with one another.

My husband and I have taught our children how to make right decisions, to be wise in their choices, to be alert, attentive, and mindful of their surroundings; and they have learned tools that will help them when they find themselves stuck. It is important that I let them go and allow them to grow, particularly, when there is nothing stopping or blocking their personal development except my own worries for them when not based on anything other than fear. It was not an impression or prompting to say no. It was me and when I got past that and saw what good would come from the opportunity, I was ok.

To that, we said a prayer together, I said I Love You, I watched them leave and then I preoccupied my time with things that I enjoy so as to not consume myself with worry. I am grateful that I felt ok about it enough to say yes and I recognized it was my own fear that could’ve held them back.

When have you been worried about your children and you preoccupied your mind and your time with things that you loved and enjoyed to distract yourself from those concerns and it helped to more quickly pass the time away until you were reunited again?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

Saved By The Light

Early in the morning, before heading to bed just after midnight, I went to the kitchen to get a cup of water.  On the counter was the cup I had been reusing throughout the day with a paper towel over the top.  As I removed the paper towel and took the cup to the fridge to begin filling it up with water, the water light came on and I saw a spider on the rim. Immediately, I took the cup to the sink to dump out the water and rinse out the cup in hopes of also dumping out the spider. It took a few times of dumping and rinsing before the spider fell into the sink at which time I just got myself a new cup. Had there not been a light on the fridge when I got the water, I would not have seen or known that the spider was there. I am grateful for the light to have spotted the spider.

When have you been grateful that you saw something concerning to you before putting in your mouth (moldy bread, a spider…) or stepping on (a scorpion, spider, snake, fire ants, broken glass…) what was alarming and a danger to you?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

Ran An Unseen Red Light

Navigation is no easy feat for me even with GPS and especially on roads I have never before traveled.

When I entered a large downtown city with our family to find our way to our hotel, understanding the path I was being guided to follow was confusing.

With our hotel in sight, I turned left, crossed a bridge overpass approximately the distance of about 20 feet and didn’t realize there was a traffic light before leaving the bridge. My husband was a passenger at the time and shared with me that I had run a red light.

In trying to get to our hotel and not knowing how exactly to get there, I completely missed seeing the light. Fortunately, no cars were coming at us, at least I didn’t see any. And, what could have been a very bad collision if there had been, it was a tender mercy we made it through the intersection unharmed.

I was grateful we made it safely to our hotel that was less than a block away. Looking back, I am struck by how I missed an important light and also thankful for the protection we had in that moment.

When have you had your sights on a destination while driving and a critical sign was completely missed because of your unfamiliarity with where you were and you were protected with what could have been a tragic moment?

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.*

Task Completed

I was not looking forward to spraying the interior of my house, however, the spiders and bugs are entering in as Spring is here and Summer is quickly approaching.  I am most concerned that I may step on a scorpion and with a family trip coming up, I do not want to return home to an unpleasant surprise as we did many years ago watching a live scorpion scurry across our kitchen floor. I made it a point to take care of the spraying today.  It took a couple of hours to prep (sweep and pick up dead bugs and trash along the floorboard) and spray the interior rooms.

It was a task needing to be done.  I was grateful to be able to do it while my kids were in school and the house was empty allowing the spray to dry undisturbed.  Although is is a task I do not enjoy, it was worth the effort to have peace of mind that I can walk around in my house and worry less about stepping on a scorpion or a spider or crush a bug.

When have you felt gratitude for a task completed, not one that you particularly wanted to do, but in doing so felt a peace of mind?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

A Rubber Band

While shopping, the bottom of my shoe separated from the top. I sought for a solution and considered a rubber band. I hesitated asking a store employee. When I decided to ask, they had one just the right size to double wrap and hold my shoe together. Awesome! I was grateful to continue shopping wearing my shoe intact.

Why did I hesitate to ask? I am one who is self-reliant and struggles asking others for help when I need it. I also did not want to receive something without paying for it first and at the same time I did not want to pay for a rubber band I had at home. I was essentially stunting myself. As I considered the logic behind my initial decision to not ask, I pushed my reasoning aside and asked an employee who happily found one and gave it to me at no charge.

Have you hesitated asking for help when you have needed it, holding yourself back for whatever reason, and then when you did ask, you were grateful for the blessing you received?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

The Strength Of The Youth

The Strength of The Youth Comes By Following Heavenly Father’s Loving Guidance And Direction.

The strength of the youth to stand for truth and righteousness is admirable. When one of my children came to me to let me know that they broke a rule while my husband and I were out on a date night, it was a tender mercy as I listened to them take accountability and accept responsibility for a choice they had made. Recognizing their wrong doing, as they approached me and addressed their actions, the comfort and safety they felt coming to me was warming as a mom as well as their desire to be honest and truthful.

I felt impressed that there may have been an unawareness of the correlation of our house rule to counsel that was given from a loving Heavenly Father through His Prophets to us. I reminded this child of the blessings associated with keeping Heavenly Father’s commandments and how following His loving guidance and direction we are able to always have His Spirit with us to help and bless us in times we need comfort, strength, protection, guidance, direction, answers to prayers, etc. and that we have agency to choose if we will follow Him or choose a different path. That decision is ours individually to make.

I shared that the house rule still stands and what they choose to do—to follow it or not is up to them. I expressed my thanks for their coming and talking with me. It was a very loving moment between the two of us as the Spirit of truth was spoken and felt.

When have you had a “strength of the youth” experience similar in which one of your children trusted coming to you to disclose a wrong doing and they felt of your love and the Spirit even as counsel was provided?

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.

Overflowing Abundance Of Blessings

I met up with my youngest child and his school class today to tour a cavern. I was grateful for simple directions to the location. It was a tender mercy I did not get lost or turned around. How many times do you rely on GPS for directions and you find yourself in a completely different place than where you intended?  I’ve had that happen to me time and time again. Today, I was grateful that was not the case. I had a little bit of familiarity with where I was in the beginning to navigate with more confidence in myself than in GPS, and then I relied and trusted in the correctness and assistance of GPS the rest of the way.

It was a beautiful, scenic drive along a route with little traffic and my steering wheel had no pulling and tightness. I am not a fan of congestion or traffic and so the smoothness and easy flow of the drive was a tender mercy! My steering wheel for the past couple weeks has, on and off, tightened while turning. This morning, it happened briefly; but the entire drive to the cavern and back, it was a tender mercy there were no issues.

Preceding the approximate 45 minute drive, one hour before leaving, my right leg was acting up and was very restless. When I experience this discomfort, napping relieves it. After I dropped my children off at their respective schools, it was a tender mercy I had time to take a nap, resting my body before making the drive and I had no further problems with my leg.

And, it was a tender mercy there was a discount on the ticket price for school chaperones! I was happy for the discount. It was still pricey, but less, by several dollars, than an otherwise very expensive entrance fee ticket to the cavern.

A highlight of the field trip was the tender mercy of being able to spend time with my son at the cavern, particularly right now as he enjoys having me join him on his field trips. It was a fun and memorable experience with him!  He was very loving, kind, and considerate of me. He alerted me and kept me safe from bumping my head while passing through a tight place. He saved me a seat on a bench a couple of times in areas where we could sit down and listen to the tour guide rather than remain standing. He saved me a place next to him at a picnic table with his friends at lunch time. He expressed and showed his love for me throughout the tour and gave me hugs. I am grateful I was able to join him and share this special time together.

I had been to this cavern two years earlier with one of my other children. I wasn’t thrilled about returning with the mindset, “been there, done that”, but I wanted to be with my youngest and have the experience of being with him. In the end, I enjoyed very much the tour and was grateful I had returned as there was a lot I had forgotten. It was a fabulous afternoon, even if a bit cold and windy. The time with my youngest was valuable and priceless and worth the pricey ticket to revisit the cavern with him.

Yesterday, I was experiencing a lot of doubt, fear, and concerns and it was a tender mercy those doubts, fears, and concerns were lifted on my way home as I chose to listen to a CD, “Say Love” by my favorite music artist, Hilary Weeks. Her music spoke to my heart and provided a strength I was lacking yesterday. Today, I felt the Spirit and a renewed calm and peace.

It was all in all a very pleasant drive to and from the cavern and an all-around very good day with multiple tender mercies and I am truly grateful!

Do you have days that are complete flops and you feel depleted, lacking energy, strength, and stamina and then you receive an overflowing of blessings that give you renewed faith and courage to face life’s challenges? How do you work through those difficult times? I tell myself to put one foot in front of the other and keep taking baby steps forward, one step at a time, even if it is a shuffle and I can barely pick my feet up. As I serve myself (like brushing my teeth), and others (making a simple family meal heating up a can of soup), I am actively doing something to keep myself afloat. What do you do to keep yourself up and going between those not so good and good days?

I am grateful for the knowledge that each day is a new day and there is “light at the end of the tunnel”. The amount of time in darkness may be unknown, but the light will come if I keep moving forward. It is this knowledge I have preceding the hard times and a hope I hang onto during really hard times that helps me get through the bleakest of moments. If I did not already have that belief prior to the challenges, getting through the challenges would be even harder.

tendermercym♥ments~jld

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

Should I Shower Now Or Not

I was, no doubt, in need of a shower. I had hoped to have had one yesterday and that didn’t happen, so most certainly,  I needed and wanted a shower today.  As I was preparing to get in the shower, my daughter sent me a text message that she was heading off-campus for lunch. I worry when she is out driving. I want to be accessible to my children in the event that they need me in an emergency situation, so I was debating whether to shower then or wait till my daughter returned back to the school.

There are so many things that consume my mind with worry regarding my kids.  It is not unusual for me to put off doing what I need to do for myself when I’m concerned about their well-being.  I considered the unused time delaying what I could do for myself if I waited 20 to 30 minutes in limbo until I heard word that she had made it back to school.  As I contemplated and offered a simple prayer to know if I should shower now or not, I felt impressed to shower and take care of myself and everything would be ok.  I felt comforted and a peace of mind.

I am grateful today that a prayer I had in my heart asking Heavenly Father a question, “should I shower now or not”, I felt impressed to go ahead, shower, and everything would be ok.  In fact, everything was ok. It may seem small and silly, yet Heavenly Father knew it mattered to me and an answer right then and there was a blessing.

Have you ever been consumed with worry, so much so, that your taking care of yourself is halted for a time? What have you done to work through your worry and still care for yourself?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

Delayed Flat Tire

One Saturday evening, our daughter attended a Latter-day Saints (LDS) Stake Youth Dance approximately an hour from our home. Although she would be driving out when it was daylight, she would be coming back home when it was dark. As she would be traveling alone, I was concerned about her being by herself if she had car difficulties or a flat tire, staying vigilant and aware of drunk drivers, paying attention and being mindful of her surroundings and her speed.

I was worried. At the same time, my daughter really really wanted the experience of driving the distance on her own. My husband did not feel uneasy or uncomfortable about her going. Through the phone locator app connecting us to our children’s physical location, he shared that if she got a flat tire or had other car troubles, then he would be able to go and assist her.

I considered my personal feelings and fears and whether or not the feelings were strong enough to say no or to give her the opportunity to drive by herself. I set aside my fears and provided my support. I felt confident she would arrive safely to her destination because she was traveling while it was still light, however, I was more concerned about her traveling alone at night and was nervous when I noticed the dark, windy, country path she was on when returning home. I prayed she would be ok and was relieved and grateful when she arrived home safely.

The next morning, I left for church a few minutes ahead of everyone else as I needed to be their 15 minutes earlier and I would be staying longer after church while one of our children attended a meeting. In route to church, I awaited their call when they were heading out to join them over the phone in family prayer. When I arrived at the church, I had not yet received a call that the family had left so I reached out to them and learned that when they came outside, they had noticed that the back rear tire of our daughter’s car was flat. Upon further examination, they saw a nail in the tire causing a slow leak. It was a tender mercy that the experience did not happen while she was driving on the dark country backroads the night before. I was grateful for the huge blessing that the tire did not go completely flat until in our driveway after she was home.

When have you been grateful you or a loved one were in a safe place, out of harm’s way, when car issues occurred?

tendermercym♥ments~jld

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