the gift of grace...

***Disclaimer***Can I just say that grace-giving isn't one of my strengths? I so often times find myself missing the opportunity to extend grace to others.
I don't know if you know what I'm talking about here, but if you have a newly potty trained little boy... this one will be up your alley.

Recently, E has been having... ahem... let's say "challenges" with getting to the potty fast enough. Not sure what it is with little boys, but they wait until the LAST.POSSIBLE.SECOND. to go potty. (i'm not terribly sure they outgrow this) There are days that it DRIVES ME BATTY! Afterall, "How many times do I have to say this?" or "Are you seriously doing this again?"
Yesterday, I heard a scream coming from the bathroom followed by crying... and sure enough it was E. I opened the door and he stood there... half dressed.. and soaked! The bathroom floor was a puddle. His face was covered in defeat, once again.
For some reason, I was overcome with GRACE. I closed the door, wrapped a towel around him... sat him on my lap (he's still crying pretty good here) and I grabbed his face and just said "I love you." over and over again. And in just a few seconds he stopped crying. His eyes went from fear to relief. He saw that my love had NOTHING to do with his ability to aim. ;) He grabbed my face back and said "mommy, i love you."
I could have missed that. I could have responded in harsh judgement or frustration. Honestly, I'm surprised I didn't.
God used that moment to teach me about HIS GRACE. When i find myself in a mess... spirituallyemotionallyphysicallyrelationallyHe grabs me, wraps me in HIS love, and says "I LOVE YOU."
I'm so thankful he doesn't say "seriously, you are struggling with THIS again?"
When I mess up, He gently brings me back in with His grace. He brings me back to relationship with Him. His purpose for discipline is right relationship. And thus... my response to others requires the same.