Since becoming a mother my perspective on a lot of principles have changed. As a child mercy meant forgiving me and letting me out of a punishment. As a high schooler it meant mom would stay up to put my clothes in the dryer for me. In college it meant an extra day to do an assignment. I was comfortable with mercy.
Now mercy is different. As a mother it no longer means that my heavy burden will be taken from me. It no longer means that the stretch and pain of growth is eliminated or that responsibilities are temporarily lifted. The dishes are not magically done, my clothes are not dried when I am too tired to do it, the kids are not extra good because I am extra tired, my pre-pregnancy clothes don't fit just because I had the baby. Mercy comes to me more in the way of opportunity.
My husband will have the opportunity to work over time on a busy night for me. Both kids will take a nap just in time for me to mop the floor or fix an early dinner. The forecast will clear enough that I can still go for a run. I will gather the energy to finish my day from some unknown reservoir. A sick child will be better in time for us to attend a social function.
Mercy also allows me a second chance to get it right. My children are always allowing me this mercy. They are so good at forgiving and understanding. They let me try to make it right and then they let the rest go. This is the sweetest mercy, a second chance.
Mercy no longer avoids work or growth or growing pains. Instead it gives me opportunities to become better, to do more, to fulfill responsibility.
Now mercy is different. As a mother it no longer means that my heavy burden will be taken from me. It no longer means that the stretch and pain of growth is eliminated or that responsibilities are temporarily lifted. The dishes are not magically done, my clothes are not dried when I am too tired to do it, the kids are not extra good because I am extra tired, my pre-pregnancy clothes don't fit just because I had the baby. Mercy comes to me more in the way of opportunity.
My husband will have the opportunity to work over time on a busy night for me. Both kids will take a nap just in time for me to mop the floor or fix an early dinner. The forecast will clear enough that I can still go for a run. I will gather the energy to finish my day from some unknown reservoir. A sick child will be better in time for us to attend a social function.
Mercy also allows me a second chance to get it right. My children are always allowing me this mercy. They are so good at forgiving and understanding. They let me try to make it right and then they let the rest go. This is the sweetest mercy, a second chance.
Mercy no longer avoids work or growth or growing pains. Instead it gives me opportunities to become better, to do more, to fulfill responsibility.
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