Today, I Received Mercy

Dear Children,

I do not know if you have figured out that Friday is "Errand Day" in our household. I drop off your Daddy at school and then both of you and I accomplish some tasks together. Today was such a day.

Except for one unfortunate and beautiful moment.

With your Daddy heading towards the hallowed halls of learning, I take the wheel and start to drive. I'm tired. My mind is whirling over money issues and how I need to potentially fiddle with funds to repair a water heater and clean our carpets (two unrelated maintenance items, by the way). I press some buttons on the dash to listen to a worship song, a song that might be the closing melody of an anticipated Missions Event. I yawn, while thinking. Then, I see a couple of RCMPs stationed at a school zone speed trap. I stop at the octagonal red sign across from them and make a right turn. A cop car pulls behind me. And the blue and red lights are flashing.

"What did I do?" I moaned as I pull over. The officer comes to my window.

"Madame, you were going 48 km in a 40 km zone," he informs me in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Sorry," I say with shame.

"That is too fast. There are little kids out here," he glances into our car, "And you have kids in the back seat."

"Sorry, I know it's a school zone," I confess.

"License, please," comes the response.

A., by this time you are curious and ask, "Mommy, what's going on?"

"Mommy made a mistake," I respond trying to find the registration after handing over my license.

A., you laugh and say, "That's funny!"

"No, it's not," I disagree, shaking my head.

"Kids going to Daycare?" the officer inquires.

"No, I'm a stay-at-home Mom," I respond, close to tears.

The officer studies my cards and then remarks, "You can go."

"Thank you Officer," I reply with relief. With that, the officer drives off.

Today, I received mercy. I deserved a ticket for being too distracted to remember I was driving in a school zone. I deserved to pay hundreds of dollars for my infraction. Instead, God showed me mercy through this man. I am so thankful.

As I resume driving, I confess to you children, "Mommy was speeding. I am sorry. Will you forgive me kids?"

"Yes Mommy, we forgive you!" you, my daughter, respond enthusiastically for you and your brother.

"The Police Officer showed me mercy. I was supposed to get a ticket and pay a lot of money as punishment. But he let me go," I summarize while crying from the shock.

"It's okay Mommy!"

It is my prayer that this lesson will remind me to show both of you mercy in addition to grace. And ultimately, I pray that you will accept God's gift of mercy and grace through His Son Jesus Christ.

Penitently,
Your Mommy

(Yay! My 250th post!)

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