Mercy . . .

I blogged earlier about being more positive in life. I have been trying to speak positive to influence my own attitude as well as others around me. I have also been trying to quell my complaining . . . things like, "boy, I'm tired" and "wow, I'd like this day to be over" do nothing to help you through the day. It makes you focus on the bad instead of the postive, so I've been trying to eliminate those comments from my conversations. It's not easy!

We have also had a change in our schedules recently. Dustin's school starts an hour early since he is in middle school and his bus gets to the house at 7:00! Yikes! That's early for us! Last year Robert got Dustin up and the littles and I sleep until we absolutely MUST get up and rush around and leave the house in a giant "flurry of hurry". Well, I decided this year we would all get up wioth Dustin and enjoy our morning together like a normal family (LOL). I was prepared for some resistance, mostly from myself, but it has gone swimmingly! The kids are also going to bed a lot earlier than they usually do which is a huge bonus . . . if you've read any of my blogs about their bedtime habits you know that is a feat in and of itself.

So anyhoo, I have adopted saying "mercy" instead of "crap" or "shoot" or any other negative expletive. Today when I came down the hall at work and sighed a big sigh and said "mercy" it also made me smile. It reminds me each and every time that I say it that God has MERCY on me. He not only saved me with his son's sacrifice, but also saves me daily from my despair and heartache. His mercy is abundant in my life and I need to remember that when I get down and caught up in daily toil. Mercy rescues His children from our difficult situations. Mercy heals the sick. Mercy saves those who are powerless. Psalm 145:9 says "his tender mercies are over all his works" I claim that mercy in my life as I go through my daily routine.

Your thought for the day:
It is the grace of God that he gives us what we do not deserve, but it is His mercy that withholds the punishment that we do. God's mercy endures forever and extends to us an invitation to be his child. Lamentations 3:22 says "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not."