Mercy...

Why on earth does God think I need to learn this lesson? Have you ever asked yourself that? You know, when you feel like you're maybe being picked on? by God? What a dreadful thought!! Some days, when I'm particularly draggy, down, over the whole gotta-get-up thing, i wonder why i'm being picked on. Mostly, I'm ok. I'm not of such a victim mindset that I actually believe God is picking on me, but I am capable of seeing when God is working on me! This broken knee-cap thing--while I don't think God threw me down on the sidewalk (that was a scooter left by a hapless kid)I do believe God can and IS using this experience to teach me. I am learning just how difficult life can be when you lose one little ability--like bending one knee. How hard can it be ? You ask. Try doing laundry for five people in a two story house and putting clothes away and folding clothes etc. w/o bending one knee--ever. Try going to the bathroom while not EVER bending your left knee at all. Try putting a sock on your left foot. Try putting on underpants. I'm not kidding. I'll wait. Just try it. Now think about that elderly person down the road who lives alone. I can guarantee they are suffering from reduced mobility--the kind a hover-round cannot fix. Try running for a screaming, hurt toddler without bending a knee. It breaks your heart. Think about that person down the road who's hurt or just had surgery. Do something nice! Do all those things "church ladies" do. Even if you're not a church lady. Sometimes I get mad at people who say "I don't 'do' organized religion" because I wonder if maybe they prefer "disorganized" religion and I think about church and say, Hey! They really HAVEN'T been to church lately! There's not a thing organized going on here this morning! LOL! Sorry. anwyay, but for those of you who have had bad church experiences...I know you exist, I know bad churches exist, I've even been to some. You can be Christ's body in your community. Take a meal to a neighbor with small kids, just because you can. I can tell you, food is frequently a great way to make friends. Take cookies....just go visit! sometimes being a stay-at-home mom is lonely! New people in your neighborhood? Go visit. It's hard to make friends in a new community. Show the world Jesus' love. Let His light, His love, His concern, His mercy--show through you. That's what is meant by being a "witness". You live it daily. If you're not doing it well--you may just be giving a "bad" witness. No wonder people get mad at church folks. Aren't we often "clique-y"? Don't we have our little groups, and meetings, and studies, and ways we do things and we really DO NOT want that new person messing up a good thing, right? She dressses funny....her kids are loud...That is why we're here. God loves every single person the same. THE SAME!!! Can you believe it?? That's just incredible to me. I can name right many people He should love more than me! Afterall, I'm frequently unfaithful in following EVERY command. I get cranky. I don't love my neighbor as myself...hey, she's cranky too! RIght? No. That's not right!!!! Well, she may be, but have I asked why? Maybe she needs someone to talk to who won't judge her or her grown children for whatever....maybe she's scared....maybe she doesn't really believe the Lord is gonna heal her husband...or her...who knows. We really have to be careful to think of every HUMAN--born or unborn--as someone God dearly loves. Equally.
I love you guys. Keep us in your prayers, we need them.
J