Grace and Mercy

When I was little (and even up to this day), my dad would always say this at the beginning of his prayer before dinner: "Father God, we thank You for Your grace and mercy in our lives through Christ Jesus..." I had heard it so often, I think at times my mind kind of glossed over, much like when reciting the pledge of allegiance in grade school. I think if you asked any of my four siblings if they could recite Dad's prayer, they could do it on command. How ironic that just recently, I was told that I needed to show more grace and mercy.

When I think of grace and mercy, immediately images of mother-like, beautiful and demure women come to mind. And they're always smiling and beautifully dressed in these summer-like floral dresses. They are clean and bright and lovely- in the perfect posture to give all the grace and mercy you could ever want. But these women are my emotions talking.

"Father God, we thank You for Your grace and mercy in our lives through CHRIST JESUS..."

I am quickly reminded that grace and mercy was borne on a cross. It wasn't clean and bright and lovely. People mocked it, and many still do today. Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me." See, I want the cross that looks like those women in the flowery dresses. That's when I'll REALLY be able to show grace and mercy. I need to shower and dress and do my hair and clean my apartment...then I'll be ready to....impress. To gain favor. Then I'll be able to give favor and grace and mercy. I am, of course, speaking tongue in cheek.

Jesus loved us while we were still yet sinners. We are commanded by Scripture to love those who persecute you. We are told by Scripture that "anger of man does not bring about the righteousness of God."

"Father God, we thank You for Your grace and mercy in our lives through Christ Jesus..."
God's truth does not return void. He blesses fathers who are faithful in bringing up their children in fear and admonition of the Lord.

Thanks, Dad.

Here goes...

I have no idea who will be reading my posts. I'll probably email my family, as they have always been the most faithful of fans. I have been after my husband, Nick, to start blogging. I think he is still attempting to perfect his first entry after starting it about a month and a half ago:) Apparently, there is an ongoing debate as to what a blog should be. Some feel (and also think, for you manlynonfeelingmen out there...:) that blogging is a sort of free, safe cyberplace to express random thoughts...a kind of an open-ended start of a dialogue for all who wish to comment or debate. The other blog theatre thinks that blogging should be meticulously thought out and presented as one would present an article for the American Journal of Medicine. I have to say, I am rather sympathetic to this view, although none of my blogs will look close to these esteemed entries. The argument for this view is something like, it used to be, in order to have one's thoughts, research and/or compiled data published, one would have to refine his logic, creative writing skills, and rhetoric in order to be worthy of being "published.."...you know, those hard bound, sometimes paper bound little rectangular things called books? To put it crudely, aimless blogging tends to celebrate "diarrhea of mouth" instead of the beautiful discipline of restraint and patience and hard work to be heard. Maybe I'm a little off the mark or not even close.

Anyway, I was inspired to begin blogging because of bloggers like Anne Wegener and her daughter, Kara. Anne is the mother of nine children and wife of husband, Tim, who is an elder at our church, Church of the Good Shepherd in Bloomington, Indiana. Kara is her daughter, who is a freshman at Purdue. Their entries have been a refreshment to me. Anne talks much about raising up her children to be godly...she has home-schooled all nine of them! Well, her youngest, Ben, is too young yet, and perhaps Paul is, too. Nonetheless, I think she is pretty amazing and her daughter, Kara, is wise beyond her years. Mrs. Wegener can be found at http://nonniesnotes.blogspot.com. Kara can be found at http://karassoapbox.blogspot.com


Someone else that I enjoy reading is Tim Bayly, who is the pastor at my church. He and his brother, David Bayly (pastor of Christ the Word in Toledo, OH) share a blog owned by worldmagblog, a sort of cyber-hybrid of World Magazine. It seems that Pastor Bayly may be of the opinion that blogging should be thoroughly constructed. He eloquently covers topics from abortion, academia, and inerrancy of scripture to grace, fatherhood, politics and weddings. Pastor Bayly has been a real father to me in the faith. His entries are challenging, intending to spur the reader to mature in truth. I highly recommend them: http://timbayly.worldmagblog.com/timbayly (Uncle Glenn, if you are reading this, I often think of you when I read Bayly. Check it out sometime.)

Please feel free to comment!