Family Grace

There is no one perfect here on this earth, at least no one I know.  Each and every person I have ever met has their flaws and shortcomings and no one is more blundering than I, as evidenced in our mad dash out the door Sunday morning.

I was lounging in my robe, contented in thinking my Dad was taking my 2 big kids to Sunday school and I would follow an hour later with my littles for the Worship service.

It was then, approximately 30 minutes before Sunday school started, that my darling son deemed it worthy to tell me that there was a "special parents' meeting" this week and "you have to be there to help me decorate a bible!  They said you HAVE to bring a parent!"

I could have chosen to respond gracefully, but instead I raged.  I hadn't had my coffee or even a shower.  Daddy was in the shower getting ready for work so I had to do the best I could and get myself (and the babies) dressed and out the door in, oh, 15 minutes.

I raged.

I yelled.

I grouched.

I threw everyone unceremoniously into the car.  I whined.  I complained.  I scolded.  It was while I was buckling the baby in that my son told me "oh, we need to bring a new bible to cover."
"Where am I supposed to get you a new bible at 915 on a Sunday?!?!?!"

I drove through a certain coffee establishment on the way because I thought I at least "deserved" that.  I ignored it when my son said "You sound nicer once you've had your coffee."

We made it to the meeting.  We didn't need to bring a bible after all.  After the parent's meeting, we went into the 2nd grader room to do this special craft with them to prepare them for recieving a bible at next week's church service.


I walked in the room and his face lit up.

Despite how horribly I had behaved, he beamed at me.

As we worked on his bible cover, I thought about how long it had been since he and I spent time working together on something - alone.  In this family of mine, the little ones get most of the help and B, my big guy, is so independent and helpful that I don't realize how much he still needs me - my attention, my affection, my time.

We left his classroom hand in hand.  During the first song of the Worship service, I leaned over and apologized - and he forgave me on the spot.

I don't deserve it, but he gave it anyway.  And that, right there, that's grace.

"Love.. keeps no record of wrongs."

I Cor. 13:5