Day 1 Getting Started

I admit, I am not really into blogs.  I don’t really spend much time reading them other than checking out an occasional post I found on Pinterest.  I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be writing one myself.  Somehow, in my mind I thought it was too worldly.  Then recently President Uchtdorf said we should use our technology (even mentioning blogs, twitter, and face book) to spread the gospel and reach out to others. 

So a few weeks ago I was mowing the lawn, and (I’ll admit it) wallowing in a little self pity.  My guess is that every mother of young children has some of the feelings that I experience daily (although I wouldn’t know because in my Mormon culture no one will admit it).  So as I was feeling a little under qualified, underappreciated, and underpaid, I had a strong feeling.  “Write a blog about the Tender Mercies you experience every day!”  I mean, how many lessons have we had about gratitude and how it changes our attitude.  I have tried the gratitude journals, jars, doors, walls, etc.   But, just like so many other things in my life, I have not “finished” any of them-or got very far for that matter.  So I thought…well, I think this might be a prompting from a higher place and maybe I should give it a try. 

A few days later one of my dear friends invited me to read her new blog (she has another great one about marriage that we want her to turn into a book).  This friend has been instrumental in teaching me about the Spirit, how to feel it, how to know when I’ve lost it, and how to invite revelation.  Needless to say, this friend (and her dear hubby) have taught me some extremely life changing lessons and I am forever indebted.  We don’t live close to them anymore and I miss their insight dearly. So when I saw she was at it again I felt I needed to gain greater insight.  I mentioned to her that I was thinking of starting a blog and she commented “well, I would read it.”  I am not writing for anyone else to read…but I guess maybe it could help others to see the Tender Mercies in their daily lives.

This is the start of a journey for me…A journey to get closer to my Savior and Heavenly Father.  A journey to understand my own worth (He must love me a whole lot if He will bless me daily with small and simple things to show me He lives and loves me).  It is a journey to be more grateful and hopefully have a change of heart and attitude.  I hope that through this process I will learn to love more deeply, appreciate the simple things, recognize the gifts from the Lord, and begin to recognize the Spirit's presence in my life. 

That said, my posts may be short and sweet, perhaps even just a sentence, or a novel, but will allow you (and myself) some insight into how the Lord blesses me.

Day 1 (Well actually day one was several weeks ago and since then I have been thinking almost daily what my Tender Mercy would be).  A popsicle.    We have been really struggling these past two weeks with the weather (it’s been really hot here) and the smoke (we are surrounded by wildfires) and lack of sleep.  It seems since the smoke settled into our little valley my kids have been having health problems.  Their eyes got really red and goopy, they started coughing, then throwing up, constipation, diarrhea, infections…the list goes on.  With the holiday and all, we have been getting less sleep and more sun (not a good combination).  I have let things get behind inside and outside the house.  So today in anticipation for hitting the road again tomorrow, I was mowing the lawn.  It hadn’t been done for two weeks.  I sent my kiddos inside because it was quite warm and asked the oldest one to put on a movie for the younger ones.  Half way through the yard, once again wallowing a little, I saw my new and cute little neighbor (he’s a widower in his 50’s or 60’s) walking toward me holding a a root beer popsicle.  Of course root beer is my favorite!  I wanted to cry.  All he said was “You look like you could use this.  Oh, and thanks for the cookies.”  The Lord loves me and wanted me to know that someone recognized what I was doing and knew I needed a small act of kindness.  A popsicle.  Who knew?  God knew! 

But oh, how quickly I forget.  It didn’t take long for me to get back into the “Why the heck did I have kids?” mode.  So now, after a bath, a shower, some sugar and now some contemplating, I am remembering again!

What was your popsicle today?

Elder Bednar "The Tender Mercies of the Lord"