Grace through Faith

This week was a rough week. I have been stressing about things. My house isn't clean, it is so disorganized that I feel sometimes like I'm losing my mind. I swear, sometimes I've already lost it. Not the Momma will surely attest to that. This week was one of the weeks where you'd think I'd lost it.

I take that back. YOU, who see me on the Internets or in real life out walking around, you might not have known that. At the end of last week, I retreated into my home to deal with sick children, laundry, cooking, and organizing. And at the beginning of this week -- it's all done. The house is a mess again, the organizing is gone, there is more laundry to be done. Sometimes it feels as if I'm in it all alone. That's why I need my Tuesday mornings. Tuesdays I'm reminded that I'm not the only woman out there trying to take care of all of this. I get together with women who believe the same things I believe, and we sing, fellowship, and learn more about God and his Word.

This Tuesday, though, things didn't go my way. I didn't get to stay for the entire lesson, because Little Monster wasn't feeling well. I tried to stay as long as I could, but he was getting restless, and would not stay in child care. So I left early. When I returned, I returned to a house that was in shambles. The trash was taken out, but no liner was replaced, dirty dishes were in the sink, the floor desperately needed a sweep and a vacuum, the dogs would not stop barking outside, but inside, they were under-foot, tripping me at every turn. Little Monster calling "mom, mom, mom, mom, mom" wanted to finger paint, and I.... I admit that I wasn't a very good person. I spent a lot of time yelling. Yelling at the dogs to SHUT! UP! Little Monster ended up in time-out because he wouldn't sit in his chair.

I realized that I needed help. It wasn't help that I could get from a person, either. Because really, my house wasn't in terrible shape, I just needed to spend a few minutes tidying. Little Monster wasn't really being naughty, he was just tired of sitting in his high chair. He's ready for a 'big-boy' chair. The dogs, well, they were just being dogs. I didn't need to yell at the dogs or put Little Monster in time-out. I was the one throwing the temper tantrums. I needed the time-out. So I did it. I put myself in time-out. Little Monster went into his room to play, the dogs were busy sulking in their beds and I went to the living room. I prayed. I picked up my bible, and opened it. I had written down some verses to be read months ago. I had lost it inside the Bible, but I found it. The next one that wasn't crossed off was Ephesians, Chapter 2. You can read it below:

1"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the songs of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the
exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. 8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lets anyone should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

The words that I needed to hear, were right there. Right there, waiting for me.

8For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9not of works, lets anyone should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.


For BY GRACE you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the GIFT OF GOD, not of works.

Suddenly, the dirty dishes in the sink, the disorganized dining room stacked with books, the laundry that needed to be folded, they became a little easier to tackle. The To-Do list on the fridge didn't get any shorter, but the items on it didn't seem so daunting. I was a bit humbled. We were put here to do good things, not in order to get on God's good side, but because, even if we make mistakes, even if we're not perfect, if we believe, we're already there.

Each Sunday I will post a 'Sunday Message' with the intent of sharing something the Lord has taught me during the week.