Not To Go Back

Conflicted whether to travel onward to our destination for punctuality sake or turn around to go back home and get the peppermint bark, I felt impressed to travel to the gathering and not to go back home.

To Go Back Or Not To Go Back?

As the holiday season was right around the corner and about to enter full swing, my Christmas shopping began, an unusually late start for me from past years, but this year was different from years prior, nonetheless, within the limited weeks ahead to finish before Christmas day, I was grateful I was getting started now over last last minute procrastination. 

Along with gifts, I was drawn to purchase several 24-ounce tubs of peppermint bark, one for our family and the others to have on hand in preparation for potential holiday gatherings up and coming. In route to one of these gatherings, I realized I did not have the tub I purposefully laid out to bring with me. As I pondered and contemplated, conflicted whether to travel onward to our destination for punctuality sake or turn around to go back home and get the peppermint bark, I felt impressed to travel to the gathering and not to go back home.  

I also considered the option that once we arrived and my family entered to attend the gathering that I would return home to get the peppermint bark and bring it back to the gathering, however, per the travel distance round trip, in addition to logic that it would not be feasible, for a significant portion of the gathering would be coming to a close not long after my return to rejoin my family, I also felt impressed it was important for me to remain present at the gathering and not to go back home. 

I was so looking forward to and grateful for the opportunity to share these goodies with others beyond our own family unit. As our family Christmas countdown was quite simplified this year, focused on one holiday experience together each day, I was also hopeful and desirous to share the peppermint bark with others outside our abode, the least I felt I could do as my current involvement outside of our home was none.

Though discouraged upon the realization I had not grabbed the peppermint bark, especially since I placed the peppermint bark purposefully with my other belongings going with me, to ensure the treats would not be left behind, and yet, they were still inadvertently left behind, my good intentions unfulfilled, it was a tender mercy I also felt confident and impressed there was another plan. Upon a desire within me to give the treat to someone, I asked Heavenly Father, “If not for this gathering, than for who?” 

On my way to the gathering, it was a tender mercy my disappointment was immediately replaced with acceptance for whatever other plan was in store and an encouraging personal narrative, a pep talk of sorts, internally ensued, acknowledging my heart and good intentions, comforting words entering my mind, “Give yourself grace. Your heart is in the right place”, and knowing the less-than thoughts I had of myself, Heavenly Father did not have the same of me. It was also a tender mercy as the thought about what I would say to someone if they felt as I did if they did not bring something and would not want to eat what others brought if they had not contributed anything, I’d say, “Don’t worry about it! Please enjoy what all is here. There is plenty!” As I would invite and encourage them to join in and partake, I gave this same message to myself. 

Upon my question to Heavenly Father, “If not for this gathering, than for who?”, it was a tender mercy I was impressed to take the peppermint bark to a funeral luncheon a few days later for a beautiful, active, gung ho, full of life, vivacious, 83-year-old dear friend I had not known for very long who had passed away a few weeks earlier. Perhaps the peppermint bark was one of my friend’s favorite treats and a happy memory would surface for those at the luncheon mourning her loss and feel of her presence, that she was near, and bring a smile upon their face and joy for her memory. Though I don’t know if this imagined possibility for the impression to take the peppermint bark to the luncheon was the reality and actual reason, I felt gratitude, peace, and joy for this opportunity to offer and share some holiday cheer during a time of hardship and loss.

When have you left your home and failed to take with you something you intended to bring with you, though conflicted, you felt impressed not to go back and get 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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@gmail.com.

Is This The End?

There are times that life hits hard and it is difficult to see through the darkness, when surrounded by struggle and hardship, and the question pops up, “Is This The End?”

I am an optimistic person by nature, but wow, there are times that life hits hard and it is difficult to see through the darkness, when surrounded by struggle and hardship, and the question pops up, “Is This The End?” 

On this particular occasion, as has come during other difficult times, when down and out and my health was ailing me, my thought was, why strive to maintain a positive attitude with a hope of getting better if there is no getting better and I may as well just allow the illness to run its course to my passing.

Why fight? If this is my time to go, rather than leave my loved ones with a financial deficit by seeking medical attention, if the projected outcome is ultimately, this is it, then why go through the fight? It is a hard place to be, unknowing in those moments if my situation will improve or “is this the end?”

But then, it was a tender mercy a promising thought came that I was not going to die and that the experience of my health ailing me was intended to help me be a better, stronger individual. As I have a desire to live and love life, what a relief it was given me that I was not going to pass away. And, it bolstered my ability to get through the trial with an upbeat attitude as I also have a strong desire to be an instrument in Heavenly Father’s hands, to help fulfill what he would have me to do, to be a blessing to and enrich the lives of others.

When have you been in a very difficult state of being, whether physically or in any other way, and not knowing whether your situation would improve or “is this the end?”, the promise was given to you that you would get through 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 which includes an audio version of the posts as well, please send your name and email address to tendermercymoments@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.

A Timely Approach

Prior to taking it on, a timely approach of a qualified individual came your way.

When have you wanted something done a certain way, so you did it yourself rather than the challenge and aggravation of explaining the what and how to someone else, and prior to taking it on, a timely approach of a qualified individual came your way and relieved you of the task that would have taken you much longer and perhaps less effectively done, if by you?

As my husband and I had drywall work being done in our home, though instructions were provided as to what we wanted done, after the contractors left and it appeared they supposed their work was complete, as the area had been cleaned up indicating such, my husband and I saw that a specific portion we were excited about was incomplete, to which we gathered may have likely been a communication misunderstanding due to a language barrier and instructions were not fully understood.

As we desired to have the task done before the painters arrived the following day to tape, mud, and paint, we decided to take on the incomplete work ourselves. Not having the appropriate tools for the job, we improvised. It was a tender mercy my husband had a pocket knife accessible which he used to carve away and remove a section of the sheetrock we wanted cut out.

The next step was to frame the area cut out with a metal wrapping around the edges. It was a tender mercy we found thrown out, leftover metal scraps that had been used for the sheetrock edges already completed. Problem was, we did not have a tool to cut the long metal pieces to size nor the specific staple gun nails to secure the metal framing in place. 

My husband and I decided we would make a trip to get what was needed to complete the project ourselves, an estimated three hour to and fro travel time to get the tools we hoped would do the job and the time it would take to complete the project.

Upon our departure, as we were walking out to our car, it was a tender mercy the contractor who installed the metal framing around the sheetrock edges, and was unaware of the instructions we had given the drywall contractor, pulled up to our home. They had left their ladder behind by accident and came to pick it up.

It was a huge tender mercy this specific contractor came when they did, a timely approach, and were able to take care of completing the project for us right then and there. In just a few minutes they cut the metal to size, framed it around the opening, and nailed it down.

When has a timely approach of a more qualified individual relieved you of a task that would have taken you much longer and perhaps been less effectively done if by 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.

Unsure Of What To Do

I was concerned. I had many questions and was unsure of what to do.

As I approached our cluster mailboxes to pick up our mail, lying on the sidewalk up against the mailboxes were two packages out in the open addressed to a resident I did not know. I was concerned. I had many questions and was unsure of what to do.

How long had they been there? Were they dropped off that way intentionally by the postal worker that left moments earlier or placed there by a resident for whom the packages were not addressed and inadvertently placed in their mailbox? Is it illegal to pick up mail that does not belong to me, that was not in my mailbox, and deliver it to the resident and leave it on their doorstep if they did not answer? Or was it best to leave the packages right where they were with hopes the intended resident would get them and they wouldn’t walk off with someone for whom they didn’t belong? 

For minutes, I paced back and forth trying to decide what to do. I was unsure of what to do. I wanted to do something. I just didn’t know what. 

It was a tender mercy the then thought came to my mind to go to the sales office in our community and ask if they could notify the resident and let them know of the packages for them sitting on the ground outside the cluster mailboxes. 

Once inside the sales office, as I began to share with the employee at the front desk the name and address of the resident on the packages, it was a tender mercy an individual in the sales office heard the name or address or both as it was spoken and came over to the front desk. Amazingly, the packages were for them. They shared that they had been awaiting the packages and didn’t know of their whereabouts. The timing of my entering the sales office and the resident being in there also was amazing.   

When have you come upon a concern or a sensitive situation that you were unsure of what to do and guidance that came to your mind led to a remarkable happy ending? 

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.

Far Better Than The Fear Anticipated

What became, as I went for it with overwhelming trepidation, was an experience far better than the fear anticipated. 

Following this morning’s school drop off, as I set out to run a planned errand, I received a spontaneous, strong impression to approach a fear head on. What became, as I went for it with overwhelming trepidation, was an experience far better than the fear anticipated. 

Though I grew up with snow, and lots of it, I did not know the angst of driving on hazardous roads conditions, icy roads in particular, until I experienced it first hand. Ever since, the trepidation I feel on snow packed roads with the potential for black ice has become quite intense. 

Over the weekend, via a social media feed, I saw a clip of the first snow of the season in a location a drivable distance away. When the spontaneous, strong impression came on, accompanied with the impression, it was a tender mercy an acknowledgement that today, being a beautiful Fall day in my area, sunshine, white clouds, and blue skies, was a perfect day and a great opportunity, prior to a family snowboarding and ski trip this winter holiday season, to practice driving in the recent snowfall and acclimate to my surroundings while the roads up to where it snowed were clear and dry.  

Though our children have been desirous and very much looking forward to this long-awaited, infrequent, outdoor time on the slopes, I silently, on the other hand, had been petrified and anxious about going as I visualized in my mind treacherous roads along the way.  

As I headed towards the fresh snow, I felt overwhelming anxiety and fear that did not let up the entire way there. My hands tightly clutched the steering wheel. My face went pale. My focus on the road, my breathing, and maintaining my mental confidence overtook my ability to enjoy the Fall beauty around me. I was in full on panic mode, yet, my why—to feel less anxiety while traveling if the roads were snow packed and icy when the time came for our family trip—was my drive to act on the spontaneous, strong impression.

A quarter of the way en route, anxious that my safety and well-being on this solo adventure could be in jeopardy, I felt it best to make a pit stop and call my husband and share with him my plight, where I was headed and the why, so he would know of my whereabouts. 

Ironically, upon my arrival, there was no snow. The snow had melted. The stunning, Fall scenery before me was far better than the fear anticipated. Not only was it a tender mercy I acknowledged the spontaneous, strong impression as an opportunity, while the weather was favorable, to face my fear, without resistance, for a desire for lessened anxiety if winter driving conditions were treacherous, it was also a tender mercy that though I missed taking in the beautiful landscape on the way there, I was able to soak it up and fully enjoy it on the way back. 

When have you sought out to conquer a fear upon a spontaneous, strong impression within a favorable opportunity to do so and you were met with a scene far better than the fear anticipated?

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.

Do Not Panic

I held on to the comfort I felt as I heard these words, “Do Not Panic”.

Hearing news that naturally would lend to panic, it was a tender mercy as the onset of this emotion flooded and enveloped my being, I leaned into the words, “Do Not Panic”, that instantaneously entered my mind. Though worry and concern still existed, in each instance the panic resurfaced, I held on to the comfort I felt as I heard these words, “Do Not Panic”, reiterated. 

Upon leaving our residence, as I headed to the car to pick up one of our children from school, a 45-minute drive away, I listened to a voicemail message I missed come through just moments earlier from their school. At the time of day it came through, I thought it to be a general school-wide message, instead it was an auto-generated personalized message during their current class time indicating our child had been marked absent. 

With no known reason why they would not be in class, my mind immediately went into panic mode, consumed with the thought of where could they be and quickly concerned with the possibility that something terrible had happened to them. As I sought to confirm their location per a family shared Find My Iphone App, their last identified location was at home the evening prior. At a time when I needed to know exactly where they were, with their present location unknown, as panic surfaced, it was a tender mercy I received in that moment, words of comfort, “Do Not Panic”, followed with an impression there was a reasonable explanation and all was well. 

Once inside my car, panic again set in as I noticed a bag my child had placed in the car that morning, with everything needed and important to them for an after-school function, was missing from its placement behind the front passenger seat. Concern that our car had been broken into, though everything, other than the bag, appeared to have been untouched, as my whole being began to sink with devastation that of all things taken, it was what meant a great deal to our child, it was a tender mercy the words of comfort, “Do Not Panic”, reentered my mind, along with a peaceful impression that my foremost thought a theft had occurred was not what it seemed. 

Along the 45-minute drive to the school, it was a tender mercy I did not deviate my focus away from the “Do Not Panic” words of comfort that entered my mind and I held onto and chose to trust and believe the impression that “all is well” and “it is not what it seems”.

As I arrived to the school and awaited for our child, who promptly entered the car, unaware and oblivious of what I experienced on my way to pick them up, in our dialogue about their day, I learned the reason they had been marked absent was that they had remained in their prior class longer to ask their teacher a question and the absence they had received would be removed. And, as for their bag, without my having noticed when I dropped them off, they had taken it to school with them. 

It was a tender mercy, All Was Well! Not only that, it was a tender mercy that despite my physical health ailing me, head pressure included, I heard the message, “Do Not Panic”. 

When have you experienced a worrisome moment and you heard the words, “Do Not Panic” enter your mind, and what on the onset got your heart pumping was not actually as it appeared and all was good and 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.

Heavenly Help For Guidance And Direction

I was confident as I sat in my car in the parking lot looking up at the temple that I would receive heavenly help for guidance and direction to know what to do in my situation. 

One trying evening as I sat on our family couch uncertain of what lie ahead in my future, I felt impressed to immediately go to the temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though it was a late hour and the temple was closed, I was confident as I sat in my car in the parking lot looking up at the temple that I would receive heavenly help for guidance and direction to know what to do in my situation. 

While in route, the darkness of the evening, along with the dark sky area I was in gave off an eery feeling and not the peace I thought I would feel per my impression to head to the temple. In addition, along the shortest path to the temple according to GPS, each turn I took, road construction had blocked the passageway. I was faced with detour after detour. 

As I was approximately a block away and could find no way to get closer to the temple, an unsettling feeling that was all encompassing, I decided to head back home. As I drove away, it was a tender mercy I was able to see the upper portion of the temple between a gate that separated the neighborhood I was in and the temple grounds a little way off and what then struck out to me was a long banner spread out across someone’s porch that said, “Let God Prevail”. Though I did not make it all the way to the temple, it was a tender mercy I was led to this banner, an answer from Heavenly Father. 

A separate unrelated occurrence within days of this experience, again heavenly help for guidance and direction came. As a Covid-19 letter from the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was issued, three things that stood out to me in the letter were the words, “urge”, “a very high” and the absence of a mandate/command from God himself. I was conflicted as to up to that time I had received clear direction for me from Heavenly Father what to do and this letter was in opposition of what I had received for me from Him. So, I took my concern directly to Heavenly Father and shared my conflict and how confused I was seeking once again heavenly help for guidance and direction to know what to do for me. 

I prayed that on Sunday our family Bishop would share something that would provide a clear answer for me. Following the talks and prior to the meeting coming to a close, it was a tender mercy the Bishop got up and spoke to the letter and shared the importance of personal revelation for ourselves and our family and asked whatever that may be for each individual, mask or not mask, vaccinate or not vaccinate, to not let our personally inspired direction divide our Ward family, that respect for one another and acceptance be shown one to another. 

Peace entered my soul and confirmation that the answer I had received prior to the letter had not changed. That confirmation was once again confirmed when I read a letter from a former Bishop of a congregation I had attended with a like message.

Again, approximately a week and a half following the above first and second experience, while attending a BYU Convocation, with a tender heart, a lump in my throat, and holding back somewhat near visible tears from flowing down my cheeks, I reminisced my experience over two decades earlier the heavenly help for guidance and direction I had received.

I felt intense emotions of gratitude for the privilege, blessing, and tender mercy it was for me to be able to attend BYU and how my life has been touched and enriched and in turn, my immense desire to bless and enrich the lives of others. “Enter To Learn, Go Forth To Serve” means so much to me and I become emotional each time I think of these words and see them on BYU Campus. 

As I felt the weight that so much depended on the essay portion of the application to be accepted to BYU, due to my struggle with writing, I reached out in prayer to Heavenly Father. Through the heavenly help for guidance and direction I received, it was a tender mercy I was accepted to BYU. I was a transfer student from Ricks College, a two-year school from which I had recently graduated and I applied to BYU prior to my mission to Japan for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in hopes of attending following my mission to which I am ever so grateful I had the blessed opportunity to do so.  

When have you experienced uncertainty, been conflicted, or had a desire of your heart and as you reached out to Heavenly Father, heavenly help for guidance and direction came?

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.

Undoubtedly Watched Over and Cared For

My ignorance of a traffic pattern I was unfamiliar with could’ve had a catastrophic, “did not know what hit us” outcome. Fortunately, it was a tender mercy that in my oblivion, we were undoubtedly watched over and cared for!

No! No! No! No! In my ignorance, one of my children and I were undoubtedly watched over and cared for!

While in route with one of my children for them to attend an activity in a new area, my ignorance of a traffic pattern I was unfamiliar with could’ve had a catastrophic, “did not know what hit us” outcome. Fortunately, it was a tender mercy that in my oblivion, we were undoubtedly watched over and cared for!

As I came off of a main thoroughfare to enter onto another main road, two turn lanes veered off to the left in a snake-like manner. As I remained in the far right turn lane with my eyes fixated towards the intersection lights up ahead, I was unaware that off to my right side was another signal light specific to a small section I had not recognized as a break in the through traffic that stopped occasionally for oncoming vehicles prior to proceeding onward up to the intersection. 

I was oblivious to this light, having not noted it until out of my peripheral line of sight as I was midway into this unrecognizable intersection of sorts, did it dawn on me that I may have gone through a red light. As a traffic-abiding citizen, I was stunned and shocked that I may have done just that, run a red light. In that moment, I felt panic as I quickly scanned every angle around me, left, right, front, and back for cars coming towards me from either side or head on. 

As I looked in my rear view mirror, I saw the car that had been to my left had stopped, confirming I had indeed run a red light. In that split second, my mind processed my options, back up or continue forward. I continued forward. To me, what was thought to have been a straight shot from one major intersection to another became apparent in an almost catastrophic way that was not the case. It was a tender mercy that during the time of day I traveled along that roadway, it was not rush hour traffic. Additionally, due to it being summer, traffic was light. In my oblivion, my child and I were undoubtedly watched over and cared for and protected. 

And to that, stretching a bit the concept of watched over and cared for, upon meeting a new friend in this area, in our dialogue, they shared an amazing authentic food establishment recommendation, for which it was a tender mercy this named place, Sol Agave, only in a few locations far and wide, was in close proximity to our temporary residence. 

The food was excellent and being such, as my husband raved to the owner of our very much liking the food, per their gratitude, it was a tender mercy we were unexpectedly given a specialty virgin drink, on-the-house, to top off a super all around rewarding eating experience from the presentation and quality of the food to the ambiance and service. As simple as it was, I felt watched over and cared for as I appreciate when eating out, trying new places, and being that this place, not located everywhere, came up in the dialogue and was close by our temporary residence was a tender mercy. 

As a side note, another incredible restaurant my husband learned of while we were on a cross country road trip weeks earlier that came as a tender mercy after spending the night in a hotel off the side of the road in a town with no place open to get food that evening or breakfast served in the morning due to COVID was “Hidden Cuisine”.

When have you been undoubtedly watched over and cared for whether via protection during moments of oblivion to an unfamiliar traffic pattern, recommendations for services when new to an area, or in any other way?

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.

Why Did That Have To Happen?

An unfortunate occurrence caused me to wonder, “why did that have to happen?”

During a cross country road trip as our family was traveling in two different vehicles, my husband and one of our children in the lead vehicle and I and our puppy behind them, an unfortunate occurrence caused me to wonder, “why did that have to happen?”

Approximately three hours into the first day of our three-day journey, as the skies darkened, loose gravel rocks kicked up by a passing diesel pummeled the top of our car. Per the sound that incurred as a result, I thought the upper half of our car top carrier had separated and flown off. I envisioned our luggage wind lifted out every which way from the car top carrier and randomly scattered along the roadway behind us. 

As I slid back our moonroof headliner for a quick glance upward to assess the condition of the car top carrier, it became apparent, as I observed the shattered center of our moonroof, that a gravel rock had ricocheted from our car top carrier down into the moonroof.  

Upon immediately closing the headliner to prevent any shards and broken glass from falling into the interior of the car, a rattling noise ensued. Concerned and not knowing in the darkness the condition of the car top carrier, I pulled over. Initially, my attempts to reach out and alert my husband up ahead of my situation failed due to no cell service. Fortunately, aside from the shattered moonroof, the car top carrier was intact. 

Once back on the road, as the unsettling rattling noise grew louder, I continued to try to get ahold of my husband, now a distance up ahead of us. It was a tender mercy that a couple miles up the road, the lack of cell service was short lived and as he found a place to pull over, I stopped with him. 

It was a tender mercy that at the time the moonroof shattered, we were long past a grim and heavy downpour we had driven through shortly after our journey began, which driving visibility was very limited and the window wipers could barely keep up. Once out of the storm pocket, though the sky was clear and the stars were out, a beautiful temperate summer night to open up the moonroof, it was a tender mercy the moonroof and the headliner were not opened for our puppy would have been in harm’s way as she had been lying on the middle console directly below where the moonroof shattered.

With a couple hours remaining till we reached our rest accommodations for the night, it was a tender mercy dry conditions remained. In addition, though I could not change what had happened and I did not want to dwell in the past, rather focus on what to do now—given pause and reflection if another diesel drove by me, would it be best to drop my speed to keep a distance between us with a hope to not get pummeled again with loose gravel and a thought of possibly placing a tarp or plastic bags taped atop the moonroof, along the two hour stretch, briefly here and there I asked the question, “why did that have to happen?”

As we arrived a late hour at a well lit gas station near our first night’s stay location, it was tender mercy I was inspired to ask my husband to check if the service station sold duct tape. They did. The inspired solution was a super great sealant and waterproof protectant that held up through the night. 

The next day, our journey onward started off smooth. As highway speeds increased, the duct tape over the shattered area of the moonroof caved inward and separated an area of the overlapping tape. The air gap altered the aerodynamics of the wind flow and created the return of the unrelenting rattling sound, an awful turbulent shaking noise. 

It was a tender mercy that not only was there a Supercenter not far ahead along the road we were traveling, but also that my husband received additional inspiration on how and what to do to temporarily remedy our faced situation. He was inspired to place several empty 16.9 oz. plastic water bottles between the headliner and the duct taped shattered moonroof and two plastic bin lids side by side atop the moonroof taped down with duct tape.

Problem solved. The unrelenting rattling noise ceased. The waterproof covering held up the remainder of our trip and weeks beyond, even during a couple of thunderstorms prior to the arrival and installation of our new moonroof. 

To my ask, why did that have to happen? Why did we have to experience that fluke shattered moonroof incident? Though I don’t know the reason why or if there was any reason, it was a tender mercy our puppy and myself were protected and my husband and I were inspired immediately with problem solving solutions for a temporary means to keep the shattered moonroof covered till it could be replaced.  

When have you had an unfortunate and unknown, “why did that have to happen?” incident occur to your car while on a road trip and you received inspiration on how and what to do until it could get fixed?

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.