Forgiveness

It was a rough weekend filled with too many highs and lows. The good parts - very nice family time, time to catch up with my very busy Hubby, fun family swimming, wonderful church service. The bad parts? Well, I just want to move on. Ladybug did a lot of button-pushing this weekend, especially when Hubby wasn't around. I'm sure she could sense that I was tired and on my last nerve, so she decided to push boundaries.

I admit that I have a short temper. Combine that with a 2 year old, and I have to ask for lots of forgiveness for losing my cool. I am not always the calm, patient parent that I want to be.

Thankfully, we have a God whose grace and forgiveness knows no end. I find myself more and more turning to the Psalms when my own words fail me.

For Ladybug's memory verse with letter C, I chose one of my favorite verses from the Psalms. "Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me." (51:10) From David's prayer asking forgiveness after he committed adultery and murder. While I know that I haven't committed "big" sins like that, I know that my sins are just as serious to God. Any transgression separates me from His presence. And I need to practice repentance so that I can be in His presence again.

I often find myself repeating this verse in my head as my temper starts to soar. Not only does it give me pause and calm me down, I feel God redirecting me, almost as if He will not allow my temper to get out of control because I am turning to Him for guidance. I love turning to God's Word, knowing that He can and will speak to me. I love knowing that He is just a prayer away.

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:10-12