Mercy

When I was eight years old I took a road trip with my grandparents to Missouri. With us came my cousin Zack, he's almost exactly a year older than me and at the time we were buds. There's not a whole lot to do in the back of a minivan on a road trip from Southern California to Missouri so when the boredom would become too unbearable he would challenge me to a game of "mercy". Ever heard of it?

Each player must squeeze and twist the other's arm as hard as they can and get the other person to cry mercy. If your opponent calls mercy you win. I never won. Not once.

Currently in our home we have an infestation of gnats. Samantha has been running a fever for two days now. Juliana came home from school with a stomach ache. I sweep and sweep and sweep and crumbs are always present. Come dusk it is 80 degrees inside our home. Mercy!! Mercy!!

I feel pathetic. I'm calling mercy for my own comfort. There are people in this world, in this country, calling mercy for their lives and their truly unbearable circumstances.

Still today in my 80 degree home I had a feverish baby that wanted to be held, the school calling asking me to pick up Juliana and a relentless three year old asking me if it was 4 o'clock yet so that he could play kpbskids.org, oh and vomit on the couch that I hadn't cleaned yet...MERCY!!!

My wonderful mother-in-law picked up Juliana from school. Mercy.

We have great health insurance and an appointment with our favorite doctor tomorrow. Mercy.

My Honey headed home early so that I could work out with my sister-in-law and good friend. Mercy.

Sometimes I whine like a spoiled child. Yes, the Lord provided me mercy today but what he taught me was grace. He relieved me from some unpleasant circumstances, but more importantly he showed me that I don't need to cry mercy I need to cry grace. He's with me every step of the way. I don't need the relief of mercy, I need the grace to endure.

He has already equipped me with His Spirit and His Word. Precious precious tools that will give the grace I need to not just endure, but find joy and thankfulness regardless of the situation.

I am thankful we can afford to buy the fruit that the gnats come in on.

I am thankful that I get to be home holding my baby when she's sick.

I am thankful for family who will drop what they are doing to help me.

I am thankful for our hot house. It's our home. Full of life, full of love, full of joy.

I guess the life lesson today is this. Christ showed us mercy by dying on the cross, how we live that out is grace.

Oh yeah, and the crumbs. They represent that our home is being lived in and that is a gift.

{baby loves her babies and that makes my heart smile}