Trying to live the prepositional phrase

Reading along in the Bible and there are all the horrid things that are going on and how we all stumble and fall and fail...then two words happen.

but God

Every time I see "but God" I get excited to read what comes next. You see, God doesn't leave us there, forget us, forsake us.

We are sinful...but God forgave us.

We are sinful...but God is merciful.

We are sinful...but God is just.

We are sinful...but God is loving.

For all the falling down, messing up and tearing down I have done, I take the "but God" and refuse to hear the "but Shannon".

How often do I stop myself and grant the grace and mercy needed to the people in my life that need it most? If I am to be a "little Christ" I need to start every action and thought of my life with "but Shannon".

Oh how this hurts... to know that I don't live that little prepositional phrase.

How must if feel to my kids to know that instead of telling me of a mistake and recieving the reaction "but Shannon is merciful" they get a frustrated Mom who forgets to give the mercy that is needed.

How must it feel to my husband to not receive the peace of "but Shannon is loving" on those days when I decide that he didn't live up to the expectations I placed on him, ones he didn't even know were there.

Struggling to obtain this Little Christ heart means remembering that I am no better, no stronger, no holier than any that cross my path and striving to live a life that responds with "but Shannon...".