MERCY!!!

I took an unintentional break from blogging, but ready or not I'm back! So much going on as of late reminds me of arm wrestling as a kid with friends! We'd wrestle even as girls until one of us couldn't take the pain anymore and yell "MERCY!!"

That's what I have felt like yelling out to God in light of certain tragedies....someone I highly respected, admired, and loved committed suicide. I have tried and tried to make sense of it, but I can't and all I can do is yell for his family "MERCY!!!" as I think of his wife and 2 children he left behind.

A senseless murder of a young pastor in Texas who's wife grew up in my home church. Again, can't make sense of it and all I can do is yell "MERCY!!!" for his young wife.

Friends who have loved ones with terminal illnesses -just heart breaking as they are young and have young families and again "MERCY!!"

An earthquake and tsunamis in Japan and watching the videos of the devastation~ "MERCY!!"

A little less grim is this time of the year in Michigan. Always a time of testing for me. The rest of the US is preparing for spring, flowers are blooming, flip flops are being worn, and while it's finally above freezing here, it's still in the 30's with occasional flurries and long days of gray, fog, and dirty snow on the ground. The lack of sun takes it's toll on a mom who spends her days in the isolated company of a strong willed 2 year old. It's hard. Granted, not as hard as the previously mentioned circumstances, but day to day living in this dreary season is HARD! There are many days when Margaret fights me on everything from getting dressed, to food, to taking naps where I feel like looking up and crying out "MERCY!!!!"

I'm so thankful God's mercies are NEW EVERY MORNING just like HE SAYS! They are new for the weariest of the wearied because GOD IS ENOUGH! He brings laughter just when I need it. He plants an ounce of cooperativeness in Margaret just when I need it. He inspires a husband to make his wife a pot of coffee on a Saturday morning before going to an early basketball game, just when I need it. HE gives me a good hair day just when I need it! He knows what I need even when I don't and He gives me just enough to live each day as it comes. How could I possibly look anywhere else to fill a void that only HE can fill! He is a merciful God and I cling to that as He has proven himself faithful to me time and time again! For every hard day I have, he replaces them with good ones! So, I can cry out "MERCY!!" and He'll answer back "My peace I give to you and leave with you!" I LOVE that about Him. Not only does God say it, He means it and He does it! He is so GOOD. Even in the midst of all the gray, fog, and bad news, He is still good.