if you have ever forgotten your lunch or have a child who has forgotten their lunch, you know what a hassle it is for everyone!!  with 7 kids in school and all the forgotten things, i have run plum out of patience.  reagan had forgotten it one too many times this year when i told her, "if you forget it again, don't call me.  you will just need to do without."....well, she remembered very well.....until friday :(  she called me and hung up....called again and i could tell she was SCARED.  she said she forgot it and the teacher made her call me.  i told her i would take care of it for her.  as i was walking out the door with her lunch, God prompted me to put in some strawberries (that she had been eyeing all morning) and a little love note. when she got home from school, she had the biggest grin on her face....God then downloaded (that is the best description I have) a lesson in this...i told her...reagan, this is what grace and mercy look like.  grace is NOT getting what we deserved...in this instance, a forfeited lunch and hunger.  AND, mercy is getting what we DON'T deserve....again...the extra treat of strawberries and a love note.....

isn't that JUST what God does for us???  He shows us His grace by not giving us what we deserve and giving us what we don't.....day after day!!!!  I am so grateful for His love~grace and mercy......

what about you?  What are those times that you have NOT gotten what you did deserve and when are those times when you have been given what you didn't deserve?????