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Let Mercy Lead

December 31, 2020 By Melissa Beene Ford Leave a Comment

Let mercy lead, let love be the strength in your legs, and in every footprint that you lead, there’ll be a drop of grace…

Rich Mullins

Rich Mullins lyrics have always spoken right to my heart, and I’ve been stuck on this song lately.

I even printed these lyrics out with my label maker and taped them right to my desk so I see them every time I sit down to work.

Events of recent years may have made me a little tougher, in some ways, than necessary… both on myself, and on the ones I love the most. ‘Toughness’ has been so necessary to endure what I’ve endured over the last few years, and to learn how to get back on my own feet, buy a house, get a job, figure out what I want out of life, and stop the hydroplaning.

Freeing oneself from a sociopathic narcissist will do that to you, so I hear.

It’s hard to know where the boundaries should be

It’s hard to know when to say yes and when to say no and when to enforce the rules for kids and when to indulge the kids because the rules don’t matter. I have no backup when it comes to raising kids; NOBODY who will back me up and tell the kids to OBEY YOUR MOM.

Quite the contrary: I have an evil idiot lurking in the shadows who cares NOTHING about the kids’ moral or spiritual upbringing and thrives on telling them NOT to obey me because I’m a liar and a loser.

Yes, that’s healthy for the kids.

Yes, I have saved all the screenshots.

It would be HiiiiLarRrRriouS (considering the source, who has never once kept his word… ) if it weren’t so damaging to my kids, and if it didn’t make it exceedingly hard to raise kids with character who respect and obey their mom.

I was praying about that recently, and the Lord reminded me of these lyrics, which I hadn’t thought about in years.

Let mercy lead

In every decision with my kids, make the choice that comes from a place of mercy.

Remembering that they’re just kids.

Remembering that we’re all doing the best we can.

Remembering that the deck is stacked against them because another adult, who should know better, throws his full body weight into making my life harder, even if it means damaging the kids.

Let mercy lead

… has come to my mind over and over lately.

When I have a family member suffering from an illness FOR WHICH I KNOW WHAT HE SHOULD DO BECAUSE I’VE BEEN RESEARCHING SINCE MY TODDLER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BRAIN TUMOR,

… but he didn’t take the actions *I* thought he should.

Be merciful to him because he’s doing the best he can.

In all the relationships

Let mercy lead.

When they mess up because their love language is not the same as mine.

Show them grace and mercy if their Christmas gift surprises you – and not in a good way – because his love language is Acts of Service and not Gifts, and if you made a list of the things this person HAS DONE for you, it would fill five pages.

Hypothetically.

In my day job as a recruiter

…remembering what people are feeling who are looking for a job, especially this year, when so many are unemployed and feeling desperate.

Because I’ve been in that spot – needing a job, not having one, and feeling desperate.

What mercy doesn’t mean

It doesn’t mean setting myself on fire to keep anyone else warm.

It doesn’t mean plunging myself into debt or financial stress or strain or turmoil to pay for things I’m not able to pay for.

It doesn’t mean continuing to give someone money after they blow the money you intended for food and tampons on sunglasses and junk jewelry at Target.

It doesn’t mean keeping YOUR end of a deal IF THEY DON’T KEEP THEIRS.

It doesn’t mean allowing a child to dishonor and disrespect you. Not in my home.

It doesn’t mean doing ONE THING that violates YOUR boundaries, or your own health or sanity or financial stability, period.

Grace and Mercy and Peace go Together.

And Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

Therefore peace is what I want in my home, and treating each other like we want to be treated, and all that.

I’m working on it.

And that’s my fifteen minutes for today.

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Hi, I'm Melissa! Texas Girl. Single Mom. Old house fanatic. Welcome to my corner of the internet! I hope to bring you all my deep thoughts about life, Jesus, health and happiness, and decorating my little home without breaking the bank. I will try my best to make you laugh. Or cry... but only for a minute or two. We'll see how it goes. Anyhoo, thanks for being here!! Follow me on Instagram (link below) to keep up with my daily stories. And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss a post.

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I love Saturday. 💕 Saturday’s my favorite. 😁 Projects going down today, starting with three gallons of white paint from @sherwinwilliams. What in the world should I paint first? 🤔 What’s happening at YOUR house today?
Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️ Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️
It’s a beautiful day if you’re solar powered ☀️ like me. It’s also a beautiful day for napping in the sun ☀️ if you’re like @sophiejunethedoodle. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel SO fortunate to get to work from home where I can sit by a window and even open it when the weather is right 👌🏻 even tho I can hear #goldendoodle snores from my home office... 🤔 Working from home has been on my #visionboard for years and it finally happened. 👏🏻What’s on YOUR vision board for 2021? 👉🏻Answer my poll in my stories! 👈🏻 #theresnoplacelikehome #workfromhomelife #iloveworkingfromhome
The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics ri The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics right here. I believe every word is true. After church this morning I decided these words needed to be added to my chalk wall. 👉🏻 In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out the cat houses made of all the Christmas boxes and blue tape, or do we have to wait for epiphany? 🤔 Wishing you ALL the blessings of a brand new year! 👏🏻 May the Lord crown the year with bounty so that even the wagon tracks overflow with abundance. Psalm 65:11 🌱
Instagram post 17875671470084040 Instagram post 17875671470084040
My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These all make me happy to look at ~ I do love this little home we have ~ but none of these represent my top moments of 2020, which would be memories I made with the people I love the most. 💕 It’s been a year of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but still, the person I am at the end of 2020 is better than who I was back in January in so many ways. Lots of lessons learned. Lots of figuring out what I want and what I don’t and who I wanna be and who I need around me. Can’t wait to see what 2021 holds but I know for sure there will be love and grace and mercy and peace. #topnine #topnine2020 #theyearinreview
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Find the Blue House on Instagram!

I love Saturday. 💕 Saturday’s my favorite. 😁 Projects going down today, starting with three gallons of white paint from @sherwinwilliams. What in the world should I paint first? 🤔 What’s happening at YOUR house today?
Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️ Snow in East Texas. It’s a big deal. ❄️
It’s a beautiful day if you’re solar powered ☀️ like me. It’s also a beautiful day for napping in the sun ☀️ if you’re like @sophiejunethedoodle. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I feel SO fortunate to get to work from home where I can sit by a window and even open it when the weather is right 👌🏻 even tho I can hear #goldendoodle snores from my home office... 🤔 Working from home has been on my #visionboard for years and it finally happened. 👏🏻What’s on YOUR vision board for 2021? 👉🏻Answer my poll in my stories! 👈🏻 #theresnoplacelikehome #workfromhomelife #iloveworkingfromhome
The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics ri The whole Christmas 🎄 story, in these lyrics right here. I believe every word is true. After church this morning I decided these words needed to be added to my chalk wall. 👉🏻 In the darkness we were waiting
Without hope without light
Till from heaven You came running
There was mercy in Your eyes
To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word
From a throne of endless glory
To a cradle in the dirt

Praise the Father
Praise the Son
Praise the Spirit three in one
God of glory
Majesty
Praise forever to the King of Kings

To reveal the kingdom coming
And to reconcile the lost
To redeem the whole creation
You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering
You saw to the other side
Knowing this was our salvation
Jesus for our sake You died

And the morning that You rose
All of heaven held its breath
Till that stone was moved for good
For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs
And the angels stood in awe
For the souls of all who’d come
To the Father are restored

And the Church of Christ was born
Then the Spirit lit the flame
Now this gospel truth of old
Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name
In His freedom I am free
For the love of Jesus Christ
Who has resurrected me
HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out HaPPy NeW YeaR! 🎉 Is today the day we throw out the cat houses made of all the Christmas boxes and blue tape, or do we have to wait for epiphany? 🤔 Wishing you ALL the blessings of a brand new year! 👏🏻 May the Lord crown the year with bounty so that even the wagon tracks overflow with abundance. Psalm 65:11 🌱
Instagram post 17875671470084040 Instagram post 17875671470084040
My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These My top nine pics of 2020. 🤷🏼‍♀️ These all make me happy to look at ~ I do love this little home we have ~ but none of these represent my top moments of 2020, which would be memories I made with the people I love the most. 💕 It’s been a year of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but still, the person I am at the end of 2020 is better than who I was back in January in so many ways. Lots of lessons learned. Lots of figuring out what I want and what I don’t and who I wanna be and who I need around me. Can’t wait to see what 2021 holds but I know for sure there will be love and grace and mercy and peace. #topnine #topnine2020 #theyearinreview
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