Category: Thought

A Sacred And Special Place

Enjoying every moment of my short time on the grounds of this beautiful, sacred and special place.

With the spread of the coronavirus still ongoing, a sacred and special place, the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints closest to me has been closed and not fully operational in months. During a brief time the gates of the temple property were open for a drive-by viewing to pay respects to an older gentlemen in my ward congregation who had recently passed away, I had the opportune blessing of being able to leisurely walk the grounds around the temple.    

This well-regarded church member was a former Temple President and Sealer in this sacred and special place. In lieu of a public memorial service that could not be held due to coronavirus health measures in place precluding large gatherings, prior to his passing, he requested that his funeral procession travel through the temple parking lot en route to the cemetery where he would be laid to rest.  

Upon receiving the news of his passing and the invitation to attend his drive-by viewing at this sacred and special place, I was unsure I would be able to make it. It was not until the day of, at the very hour I would need to head out to arrive right at the time of the drive-by viewing was I certain it would work for me to go. Being the time had already past for to arrive the recommended fifteen minutes before the viewing, I questioned if it was worth it to go. As I thought about staying home instead to take on a weeding project that was long overdue, it was a tender mercy a General Conference talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled “Of Things That Matter Most”, a quoted reference in his message in regards to that which is good, better, best entered my mind and I knew that attending the viewing was best and the weeding could wait. 

I quickly changed into a skirt outfit and off I went. I arrived at the intersection of the temple lot three minutes before the scheduled drive-by viewing, which unfortunately the hearse had already driven through the temple parking lot, however, it was a tender mercy that the light at the intersection was red and from where I was in the line of stopped traffic I was able to see the hearse exit the intersection and travel away from the temple.

Moments later, I pulled into the temple parking lot just as church members and friends were departing. Though I missed the full drive-by viewing, it was a tender mercy I arrived when I did as I had the opportune blessing to park and enjoy a quiet and peaceful walk around the temple. I soaked up and enjoyed every moment of my short time on the grounds of this beautiful, sacred and special place.

When have you had the opportune blessing of being present on the grounds of a sacred and special place during a time it was temporarily open?

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.

Almost Burnt To A Crisp

The cookies were expected to be almost burnt to a crisp after being forgotten about while they were baking, however, once returning to the oven after being reminded of them, the cookies were only slightly overcooked.

It was a close call. The last batch of cookies I was baking almost burnt to a crisp when I stepped away for a time and completely forgot about them.

What would normally be a structured, planned out day gathering together with a congregation of families, just like that, due to an unprecedented turn of events, the day became very casual and laid back.

As Spring Break was coming to a close, I received word that not only would school be out for another week as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but also that all church worship and other activities held in our church building would be cancelled for sometime to come.

With the hype of the virus spreading and crowds of people going to the store for supplies, it seemed a great opportunity to assess where our family stood with what food and nonfood items we had on hand.  

As I organized our fridge to better see what all we had in it as well as to rearrange and place all fresh items in the back and any older food items to be used up first in the front, I came across a couple of ready-to-bake cookie packages to which the sell-by date on them had recently passed. Not wanting to waste what I considered was still good food, I baked up all the cookies.   

Minutes after placing the last batch in the oven, per my desire to have myself and our children join my husband who was outside prepping our seasonal vegetable garden, I observed how much time remained till the cookies would be done and noted that I had plenty of time to help some before the timer went off. 

I stepped away for what I intended would be only for about 15 minutes. But, as I became fully engrossed in planting seeds with the family, I lost track of time and completely forgot all about the cookies. And, being that I was outside, I unfortunately never heard the oven timer go off. However, it was a tender mercy a random thought reminded me that the cookies were still baking. 

As I quickly ran back inside to remove the cookies from the oven, I was prepared to see the entire batch almost burnt to a crisp, but it was a tender mercy that when the timer went off, the oven automatically turned off as well and the cookies were only slightly overcooked. 

When have you completely forgotten about food you had in the oven as you became engrossed in another activity while it was baking, yet before it almost burnt to a crisp, a random thought reminded you of the food and upon your quick return to the oven, the food was only slightly overcooked? 

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.*

It Was Tasty Nonetheless

Although the consistency of the fudge did not turn right, it was tasty nonetheless.

When the consistency of my first batch of homemade fudge this holiday season did not turn out right, it was a tender mercy an idea to add the overcooked fudge to a hot chocolate beverage came to mind. Although the fudge was dry and crumbly, it was still tasty nonetheless especially when added to the heated drink as it enhanced the richness and yumminess of the hot chocolate. 

It was a tradition in my home growing up to make fudge during the holidays and it had been years since I last made it. For whatever reason, the nostalgia perhaps, I decided to make it once again this year. The recipe I used from an inside label of a can of evaporated milk seemed simple and easy enough, which it was, other than the fact that I overcooked it even though I stirred it for no more than the 5 minute boil time indicated per the recipe instructions. 

Not wanting to waste and throw out the remaining evaporated milk, I went on to make a second batch and decreased the boil time by 1 minute. This batch came out better, yet being concerned it would set too fast while stirring in the final ingredients after removing it from the heat, I did not allow the marshmallows to fully melt before quickly scooping the fudge out of the stove top saucepan into a dish. Even so, this batch also was tasty nonetheless. 

On to batch #3 only because I still had remaining evaporated milk that I wanted to use up completely. There was just enough to make another half a batch. This time I only boiled the fudge for 2 minutes since I was making less fudge in the same saucepan as washed and reused the prior 2 times and it too came out dry and crumbly, yet, as with batch #1 and #2, it was likewise tasty. 

Despite my inability to make fudge that looked good, it was a tender mercy each varied batch was edible and tasty and the idea to add the dry and crumbly fudge to a hot chocolate beverage came to mind.

When have you made a dessert that did not turn out right, yet not all was lost as you realized before dumping the entire messed up batch that it was tasty nonetheless and could be added to enhance another fabulous treat? 

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.*

On The Spot Parenting Turning Points

On The Spot, Parenting Turning Points Bring Harmony Back Into Family Life When It is Disrupted

Here and there, I’ve experienced various, different on the spot parenting turning points. Meaning, in the midst of having an aggravating parenting moment with my children, it has been a tender mercy when an ingenious idea, thought, story, analogy, phrase, etc. has come to my mind and when shared with my kids or input received from another is implemented, it has improved the immediate or recurring moment of discord.

Four of my most recent, individual, on the spot parenting turning points have been—First, when bringing up “hard” topics, my children are frequently pleading that I not lecture them. I feel it is important to talk about all kinds of important matters with my kids, but not sure exactly how to present it to hold their interest or for them to want to stay engaged in a discussion. Ironically, as I had been pondering to know the “how” to go about further addressing these topics in a way that is non lecturing, while listening to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints General Conference over the weekend, words I heard during a particular message by Hans T. Brown echoed my children’s plea.

Following that session, I shared with my family the thoughts that came up for me related to their request. It was a tender mercy that as we were all talking about it together, a light bulb went off and I asked my children, “What if I asked you, what do you know about such and such…pornography, sex, human trafficking, etc…and you then share with me your thoughts, feelings, or knowledge rather than my starting off the discussion with what I have heard and know?” Everyone was on board and agreed it would be a better approach, as well as prefacing the conversation with, “I would like to bring up a hard topic. What do you think about…such and such….?” 

Second, one late evening as our family gathered together to play a new board game recently purchased by one of our children who was excited to play with everyone as well as be in control of the way it was played, the manner and level of intensity in which they were introducing it and going through the rules was getting on everyone’s nerves to the point all family members no longer desired to stay, even though we all wanted to play.

Before we each got up to leave, it was a tender mercy an ingenious idea popped into my mind to set a timer to only play the game for 30 minutes and for every time they spoke with harshness and demanding authority, I would reduce the clock timer 1 minute. Though several minutes were lost, our experience altogether was much better.   

Third, on another occasion, when one of my children applied minimal effort to one of their chores and I encouraged that they give more, they felt hurt and perceived that I was saying their work was not good enough when in fact I was referring to the overall chore lacking full attention, not just the small area they quickly, in no time, cleaned up. The section they covered was great, yet there was more surface area untouched.

As they struggled with my ask and I was struggling to know how to effectively communicate my appreciation for what they had done to assure them I was sincere, in addition, wanting to see them further apply themselves on a larger scale, it was a tender mercy I recalled right then and there the “Story of The Five Dollar Lawn” I heard years ago depicting exactly my sentiments in a more clear and understandable way. 

As I shared this story with my child, it was received more or less as “food for thought”, at the same time it provided a clarity that, in essence, among a myriad of take aways, the outreach and level of work completed is quantifiable and each individual job by itself is recognized and valued with thanks and gratitude. 

Lastly, it was a tender mercy when listening to a specific episode of The Virtual Couch Podcast by Tony Overbay, the guest Ralphie Jacobs shared her top positive parenting tips, one being the phrase, “Try Again”. This phrase has been an on the spot, parenting turning point many a times. It has been super impactful as an antidote for when my children project blame onto another family member for their unwise choices or speak poorly to one another. 

When have you had those on the spot parenting turning points in which an ingenious idea, story, or phrase, etc. has come to you during an aggravating moment with your children helping you best respond to an immediate or recurring frustration? 

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.*

Applying Ice To The Strain Did The Trick

Ice in home refrigerator freezer box

Somehow I strained the bottom arch of my right foot. I didn’t know how, but wow it hurt a lot all throughout the day when walking around from place to place. I could not trace back what may have caused the injury. I wondered if I had run into something or if something had dropped on my foot. To no avail, I could not figure out how and when it happened. There was no visible swelling or sign of bruising, just excruciating pain. 

As I massaged my foot to release the soreness, I was not able to locate the exact spot or the source from where the pain was originating, however, when standing on it, I could feel an intense amount of sharpness. I tried stretching out my foot, hoping it would help to decrease the pain, but that didn’t seem to work either. 

Later in the evening while out on a date with my husband and not knowing with certainty how long I would experience the prolonged sharpness, I was concerned about training my foot to walk incorrectly if I favored staying only on the outside edge of my foot away from the pain, so I tried hard to walk on it normal and endure the discomfort.

In the evening as I headed to bed, I had a thought to apply ice to my foot. As I elevated my leg slightly, resting it above my blankets, I set a double layered ziplock sandwich bag half full of ice to my foot. In doing so a couple of times throughout the night, it was a tender mercy that when I awoke the next morning and stepped down on my foot, the strain was completely gone with absolutely no indication of it ever being present. An amazing miracle! It was baffling how out of the blue the onset of the strain came on and just as incredible how overnight, after applying the ice, it went away altogether.  

When have you had a body strain that came on out of nowhere and being unable to stretch it out or massage the soreness away, it was through applying ice that the sharp pain dissipated altogether as if the strain had never been there at all?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

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

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

A Much Shorter Distance Away Than Anticipated

As the time drew near for me to promptly take one of my children to their school’s season opener football game a distance away, I felt so overwhelmed and anxious due to my still being on an important phone call well past when we needed to leave.

I prefer to focus on one thing at a time, yet, not knowing how soon I would be off the call, I began to multitask. From striving to stay attentive and engaged on the call and simultaneously realizing the distance away and time required to get my child to the game before it started, taking into account the path and presumed tail end, heavy rush hour traffic we would be in along the way, I was both working on maintaining my calm and frantically gesturing and motioning to my kids to rush out to the car. It was a real struggle trying to mentally be in two places at the same time. 

Once in the car and no longer on the call, I began to wind down, to relax and take some much needed deep breaths all the while driving on automatic for a good portion of the way, knowing with assumed certainty which stadium the game would be played at based on my recollection of where I had taken one of my other kids a time before. 

Although I had been thinking the football game was on one far end of the city, it was a tender mercy that before we reached a highway split to go eastbound or westbound, it dawned on me that the game may actually be playing at a different stadium in the opposite direction of where I was about to go. Initially, I was planning to branch off to the east until I asked the child I was taking to the football game the name and location of the stadium and they confirmed, with a surety, that the game was in a stadium to the west of us. Pleasantly, the correct location was substantially closer to home and rather than being late, we ended up arriving a few minutes before kickoff. 

When have you left late on your way to an intended destination and being prepared to head one way at a highway split, you realized before branching off that you actually needed to go in the opposite direction to get to the correct location, which pleasantly was a much shorter distance away than anticipated and you arrived early? 

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

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

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

Alert And Attentive

I had a remarkable experience on this bright and sunny, 100 degree day that involved several tender mercies that culminated into one big miracle.   

While my children and I were driving a relative distance from home to take one of them to EFY also known as Especially For Youth, we had hopes that we would get to the campus location within the check-in time frame. A third of the way there I recognized on my dash the tire light had come on and I felt a need to stop and check the air pressure in each of my tires. 

Ironically, the day prior as I came out of church I had a fleeting and subtle thought to check them, yet it came and went without a second thought and I did not act on it. Just looking at the tires, they appeared fine, however, in using a tire-pressure gauge, one of the tires only had a 20 psi reading so I knew there was a slow leak. When I examined the tire, I found a nail puncture in the tread.   

As I processed my options and what to do in my situation, not knowing with certainty how I should precede forward, the idea came to my mind to 1) place duct tape over the nail puncture, 2) pray and have faith that we would make it the latter 2/3rds of the way up to EFY safely, and 3) seek help to change out the tire once we got to our destination. I shared my plan with Heavenly Father and asked that if it was not ideal to continue in that manner that I be guided otherwise. 

Simultaneously, I was thinking about a scriptural account I had just recently read in the Book of Mormon of the brother of Jared who presented stones to the Lord that became a light source for the Jaredites as they traveled in barges to the Promised Land. I believed the duct tape would prevent the tire from going completely flat.  

It was an incredible tender mercy that although we did not have any duct tape in our car, we had clear packing tape that I used and the adhesive stuck well. As we were ready to get back on the road, it was another tender mercy when I was impressed to call my husband to which he recommended I stop at the nearest gas station to fill the tire up with air. 

Immediately, I went into laser focus mode and actively kept an eye out for any place that had an air pump and this prepared me to not miss and pass up an ideal stop a short distance up ahead that wasn’t available again along our route for another 50+miles.

Within minutes, it was a remarkable tender mercy that 4 mile markers or so further up the road there was a car dealership that serviced our specific car’s make. Amazing! I was immensely grateful for the convenience, ease, cost-effectiveness, and timeliness of the dealership being in our path. A technician filled up the tire at no cost, exceeding slightly the recommended amount, and then advised that I stop and look for a place to keep it filled up if the tire light came back on again, which it never did.  

Upon our arrival at the campus location, it was a miraculous tender mercy that the packing tape was still intact and the air pressure held steady overall, with a loss of only 2 psi, but still resting above the recommended amount and it continued to hold steady the rest of the day. Before our departure home, I went to a nearby dealership, like the one earlier, and the small amount lost was restored.

Throughout our entire drive back home, the air pressure stayed constant even after the tape had melted away from the scorching hot pavement. And, with a reapplication of the packing tape, the air pressure continued to remain steady still into the late afternoon of the next day when I was able to get our car into the shop to have the tire repaired and patched up. 

My prayer was more than answered. We not only made it safely round trip, it was also not dire for me to have had the tire fixed while on the road or swapped out with a spare prior to our return home.   

When have you experienced car troubles while driving and not knowing exactly what to do, your move to action on your first thoughts, prayer and faith, in addition, following sound recommendations and advice from others helped you get to your destination safely as well as to a place to have your car repaired?

tendermercym❤️ments~jld

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

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

Time Saver

As I was walking out of the supermarket and almost to my car with the mini shopping cart of groceries I had just purchased, it was a tender mercy an item I had not thought about earlier that I needed for the following day’s holiday dinner came to my mind. 

I debated waiting until the next day to return to the store to buy the particular item, but upon weighing the pros and cons of doing so, it made more economical and logical sense to save time and gas and go back inside and get the item while I was already still at the store rather than holding off until the next day and trying to fit in another trip to the grocery store with all the other festivities taking place. So, after placing the food I had just bought into my car, I briskly walked back inside right then and there for the additional one other item. 

I figured that although it was somewhat inconvenient, it would have been more so if I had made it all the way home and then had the thought of what was needed.

When have you thought of an additional item you needed as you were exiting the store and you were grateful you thought of it while still at the store in the parking lot versus getting all the way home and it coming to your 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, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.*

Impromptu Lesson

On this night as our family began our “Family Home Evening”, I didn’t realize it was my turn in our weekly rotation to give the lesson. I was definitely unprepared. I almost didn’t do a lesson and was ready to skip past it, however, the opportunity to share a lesson during this special time together is a privilege, I feel, particularly as a mom. So I prayed asking Heavenly Father what I could teach that was pertinent and could bless our family right then. It was a tender mercy that I was immediately inspired with ideas and thoughts for a simply amazing impromptu lesson.

When have you experienced a time when it was your accountability to perform an action and you realized in the moment that it was to be done you were not prepared and ready to do it and after a quick prayer, an inspired impromptu means of accomplishing it immediately came to your mind and you were able to follow-through and fulfill your responsibility?

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.*