MERCY!

MERCY!  I find myself pleading "Mercy" quite often.  Almost every time I go to my weights class--at some point---and often at MANY points when we finish a body part--I exclaim loudly, "MERCY!"  The instructor is VERY gifted at ignoring my pleas--and off we go to the next body part.  In fact---sometimes I seem to intensify her efforts to drag my sorry excuse for a body back into shape.  Often I wonder if I wore my age on a tag around my neck if she would cut me a little slack---that would probably backfire on me too!

The sun is shining---the temperatures are warming--and ONCE AGAIN--I decide I need to hit the road.  My idea of hitting the road these days is walking.  Interestingly, this part of Fort Worth is VERY hilly ---very similiar to Ruston.  If you head to the western edge of Fort Worth--it flattens out and stays flat until you fall off the edge of the road into New Mexico.  Perhaps on a really clear day--you can see all the way to New Mexico from here--it is that flat!  I diverge---this seemed like a really good idea---I began walking at the Y on the treadmill (YUCK!)--and now I have hit the roads again.  As I climb those hills---I manage to restrain myself until I crest the top---but at that point---I plead "MERCY"!

I love having my sweet little grands over---BUT after a couple of hours and them pulling EVERY thing out ---and strewing it from one end to the other and eating every loose morsel in my kitchen--with a trail of crumbs throughout the house---I often exclaim "MERCY!" as they walk out the door and I survey the damage.

Are you seeing the pattern?  I am pleading for mercy AFTER the fact---NOT when I am in the midst of the moment!  AFTER I have tried to handle the moment of struggle/crisis/pain myself AND failed, THEN I cry out MERCY!

I am so thankful that God has poured His mercy over me---before I make my mess.  As I walk through the day---struggle with my inadequacies--face lonely moments---veer off the path----His mercy covers me.  Jesus---OH JESUS---He provided the cover---He supplies the mercy.  What a wonderful gift!

"The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works."

Psalms 145:9