Grace, Mercy and Influence

Grace - the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings - OxfordDictionaries

Mercy - compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm  - OxfordDictionaries

Influence - the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself - OxfordDictionaries

These are some of the words running through my brain this morning.   There are circumstances all around us - any of us - at any given time or day, that require us to consider each of these things.  What or who influences us, and what influence might we carry?  Where are people or places in time where I need to offer, or ask for mercy?  How do I accept the grace given to me, and extend that to others?

Consider these things for yourself. 

Where has grace been extended to you?  Here is a touching example...

Is there a situation where mercy is required of you?  A person that needs forgiveness?  Is there a place where you need to humbly request mercy from another?

Do you have an influence on those you come in contact with?  If so, how are you using that influence?  Do you recognize it as a sacred thing, or is it a tool to accomplish a goal?  Is your influence leading others in the right direction?  (Hint: it shouldn't lead to you...)  Are you following the right influences? (Hint:  Where are they leading you?)

These are all things I am pondering, reviewing and praying about.  There are so many places that aim to grab our attention... 

Pay attention.

And now what?

Yesterday things were found out that really shake up a community.  Perhaps some parts of the community more than others.  As I am sure is the case with any neighborhood or small town, we think these things happen other places, but not here, not in our backyard!

Is it a sign of our times; a time of moral decay, everyone for themselves? Or is it simply something that has been going on since just after time began, in different forms, different places, but all stemming from the same place. . . the human heart.  Is there anyone to blame?  Are we all to blame?

Does it matter? 

The question now:  where do we go from here?  How do we move forward, and care for the ones who need care, or the ones not involved directly, but still affected?

As parents or guardians, or caregivers we have a responsibility to those in our care.  We are the adults that need to confront, comfort, converse.  We are the ones who might not know all the answers and need to be honest about that fact.  But that doesn't mean we can't learn.  It shouldn't mean we can't listen.

My heart aches for those who felt the need to fit in, to be accepted, for whatever reason did what they did.  Consequences will play out from here.  I hope.  Not in a harsh or vindictive way, but if we don't receive and accept discipline we won't learn to change.  How many parents who have trudged through the trenches of toddler-hood don't know this?  How many times (or time-outs) did we sit, second-guessing our discipline, our temper, our bruised heart for these that wouldn't take "no" for an answer for the 200th time?

Maybe we still need to say "no."  Maybe we need to be available more often. Maybe we try to do everything we can, and our best still leads to this place.  However we got to this point, we need to move forward.  We need to take the next step, we need to love, to be the place for our children to talk, work out stresses, problems, fears.

Parents, guardians, caregivers, love your children, care for them as best you can, talk with them, listen to them.  You were given these precious souls to nurture and I pray we all are able to walk through this thorny patch stronger, more humble and with more compassion. . .

^{1 Cor 13:4} Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

In Everything Give Thanks...

Choosing gratitude in brokenness is not easy.  It requires sacrifice of self, of self-righteousness, of pride.   It might necessitate apology and forgiveness and humility.  There is an element (a rather large element) of trusting that God is present, even in this, even if He seems invisible.
He promises that if we put our trust in Him, He will never leave or forsake us. 

Today I hold to that promise
I hold to Him
I choose gratitude

What Pain can do

Some experiences bring pain.

Pain brings many things. It can bring more pain, infection, scars, even death.

But even if it brings scars, it can bring healing, new, life.

The difference in how it affects us is how we take the pain, what we do with it. Do we use it as a shield, and excuse, a hiding place to keep our self away from others?

Do we use it as a weapon to drive others away, to beat down the thing or person we feel caused the pain?

Do we use it as a door to take us into another place, on another leg of our journey, to learn new experiences? To open our self to hope and truth and life?

What and how we choose affects not only us, but those around us.

What kind of parent...

Watches
Checks on
Checks in
Checks out

Mends
Fixes
Breaks

Thinks
Remembers
Forgets
Forgives

Speaks to
Speaks out
Speaks of

Gives things
Gives thought

Gives regret
Gives anger

Gives hugs
Gives peace
Gives love

Am I...?