Words in print...

When I was wearing my Micah 6:8 necklace and friends saw it for the first time, they all immediately commented and asked. So I shared where it came from and why Micah 6:8. And it had dawned on me as I had been wearing it and I shared with them that when you wear scripture around your neck...and it's your husband's verse...it's kinda hard to be irritated, aggravated, frustrated, or have anything other than super loving thoughts about your husband. Not that The Bob would ever do anything to irritate or frustrate me ;) As I am a self confessed moody person, I was having a moody moment this past Saturday, and I giggled and said, "I think I need to go put on my Micah 6:8 necklace." After the bear of a stressful day on Tuesday, I was thinking I just needed to take a rope and wear the Bible around my neck. Seriously.

There is just something about words in print. I have recently noticed I can sing worship songs all week long. And I do, in fact, listen to worship and praise music on my iPod almost daily. But put the words in print in front of me on an overhead at church or just looking at lyrics on the computer along with the music....seeing it and verbalizing it...it seeps down into my heart in the crevices that are dry or hurting...and it hydrates and heals...And as I type, I think about reading scripture out loud or just looking at the words meditating....and yes, there is just something about words in print...especially His Word...

For the days in between...

I surely hope I never come across that I think I have arrived or that I have it all together. Because goodness knows, I don't. I. do. not. A good number of posts that go up are my "happy" and "let's make sure I remember this" posts. But there are the days in between. And some of those days are just so ordinary that they are unbloggable. And then there are those days like yesterday. A day that tears run down a good bit of the day. Struggling with the the burdens and weight of life, the consequences of sin that are far reaching in ways you'd never imagine, and struggling with offering grace for that sin. A day of feeling the weight of knowing that I know that Grace personally and why can't I offer it as freely as He offers it to me? Trying to hard to get there.

I read a quote today by Emily Freeman that said, "Grace doesn't balance out...or marry law. And that can be uncomfortable. If grace doesn't in some way and on some level offend you, then perhaps you haven't met Jesus." I had to think about that for a while. I had to let it sink in. And I think maybe I get it now? Grace isn't always fair. Actually, grace may never be fair. Extending grace is hard and uncomfortable. Particularly the kind of grace that Jesus extends to us...to me. But Jesus doesn't call us to comfort. And sometimes we are just plain ole going to have the days in between...the days that hurt...the days that are uncomfortable. And His Love and His Grace are in those days, too...and He will get me to the point that I can extend His Grace to those as undeserving as me.

Yes. His Love and Grace are especially for the days in between.

Micah 6:8

(Isn't that the cutest and sweetest? I got it yesterday, and I wore it for the first time today. I LOVE it. And I got this one for a gift. The Adpot Shoppe on Etsy. Go browse her stuff!)

After browsing The Adpot Shoppe site, I knew immediately I wanted this. Right after we were married, Micah 6:8 became The Bob's verse, his "life verse". I remember him saying, almost 16 years ago, "You know it's really simple what we are supposed to do. All the Lord really wants from us is Micah 6:8". We had it framed and years later when it was broken, I had it newly printed and framed for him for Christmas. And it still sits there on his side of the dresser today. So, I got the necklace/pendant out of my love for Him and for him.

I picked it up and rubbed it all day today. I had to go into work as we are extremely short handed at the office. So, it was just me and The Bob there today. And our service techs, but they aren't IN the office. Today, when we had a disagreement over an employee and an excessive amount of time taken off (long story) and I being irritated and down right put out with the employee and him ever patient...and when I went through some statements to send out and came across one in particular he wanted redone so that it did not show a past due notice...even though it is past due...I just started to giggle, and I thought about the level of mercy he has. And then as I was working I remembered him telling us, me and the kids, not too terribly long ago...."I would rather be the one who is taken advantage of. I would rather be the one who comes out on the short end. I would rather be the one put out." He would rather make himself less...to make others more. And for this Christlike quality, I am most grateful.

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" ~ Micah 6:8