a day redeemed!

Boy, this mommy-ing gig is hard work, humbling and sometimes downright hideous (well, talking about my own heart)

It was a rough night. Night terrors are not fun.

So, mommy was grumpy at table time that morning for school. SO SO grumpy.

I’m talking, “I am going to let each child know why they are the reason I am grumpy!” kinda grumpiness.

(ugh) (sigh)
**not my best moments**

but, let me tell you a story of how we were rescued from “grumpy mommy”.

So, during this time of Advent we choose a slip of paper from a box. It’s our Christmas gift box to Jesus.

Each slip tells about a random act of kind service to do for someone, somewhere and with joyful and giving hearts.

We choose randomly because we want to see what the Lord wants us to be doing that day to serve HIM.

We want Him to sovereignly decide!

It’s always a surprise to see what we will be doing.

Well, God is so awesome to give me exactly what I needed that day. And, how amazing that He opened my eyes to see His hand in it.

The specific slip of paper read: “pick up trash at a park”

This meant we were going outdoors today, we had an excuse to leave the icky morning behind us and start over.

Well, after struggling to get through some math, and reading pages with the kids…..we shut the books and took back our day!

Thank you GOD for “giving to us” when we were trying to “give to you!” He is so awesome like that!

That’s His loving character.

Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, My lips will praise You (psalm 63:3)

See, it goes like this.

We were there to pick up trash.

But, God wanted to show me the trash in my own heart.

I am going to praise God for yucky mornings when my sin and icky-ness is so apparent, because how can I experience and know His love, grace and mercy when I don’t see my need for it????

I needed his gentle reminder that I was loved….even though I snapped at my kids, and lost patience with them and blew it with them in the “gentle-mommy” department.

Even though these amazing offspring of mine forgive and forgive so quickly, I still felt pretty beat up.

But GOD redeems.

He doesn’t let you stay where you are at….ya know, all rolling around in your own guilt and shame,

Nope, He gives grace…..

HOW WONDERFUL IS THAT!?

and, you know what….it is SO SO SO refreshing!

His gift of grace is so freeing.

He offers forgiveness and new beginnings.

So, I don’t miss these gifts.

and he gave me beautiful warmth and sunshine to show His mercy.

So thankful that my Jesus is merciful, slow to anger and gracious.

His love points out my sin, but then he so beautifully makes me new by wiping it away, making it NO MORE.

And therefore, He allows me to experience the beauty of a day at the park with my kiddies, with no ick holding on to my heart and chaining me to a day that had the label of “BAD DAY”.

FREEDOM.

He showed me freedom.

And, had I not felt HIS freedom, I would have missed the awesome moments of a park day.

I’d miss the beauty of sibling love and joy

…..the beauty of smiles

….the beauty of watching my older kids watch our little Tolly-pop like a hawk while she plays in the sandbox, I LOVE their protective, watchful, and hovering hearts!!!!!