Thank God for Mercy

At the beginning of the year I started an exercise class. I love the teacher's playlist and I love that at seemingly the exact perfect time a certain song plays. A little over half way through the class when I am breathing the hardest and my muscles are burning the most, I glance at the clock to see how much time is left and the song Caught Up In Yourself by Third Day starts playing. You know, the one that goes:

"Thank God for mercy
Thank God for His grace
Thank God for everything you’ve got
Before it’s too late"

It is really the "Thank God for mercy" that I am focusing on at that point in time since mercy is what I need to get through the rest of my exercise class. But, I know that it is SO much more than that.
I am always thankful for God's grace and mercy but never as much as I have been lately. I haven't been myself. Garrett has only recently started sleeping well at night again since before my last post on that issue. I haven't been carving out much needed quite time with the Lord. I was getting in a little devotion time daily but sometimes that is not enough. I was beginning to turn into a grouchy mother and a grouchy wife. Then, I start to feel guilty and become even more grouchy. It is a vicious downward spiral. I lose sight of the most important things and I start to become discontent with everything. I was writing in my prayer journal the other night crying out to God and made a list of things I need to do:
-I need to spend more time with God
-I need to respect my husband more
-I need to be more patient and gentle with my kids...
and the list goes on. When I was finished with the list I was reading over it and asking God for some practical steps to take to make it happen. What I heard was not surprising but something I had also lost sight of. "Submit to Me and I will take care of everything else".
I am so humbled to serve a God who showers grace and forgiveness on my many mistakes. He has always been so faithful to answer my cries out to him. It is always I who don't cry out to him often enough or when it is quite enough for me to hear his answer. I am so thankful for mercy for my heart when I have to see the hurt look on my kid's faces when I yell at them. I am also thankful for his mercy that will comfort their hearts. I know that it is only God that can take my mistakes and turn them into a burning desire to become more near to and like Him. Thank You, God!