Mercy and Grace

Mercy and Grace... Two terms that carry such deep meaning. As I was pondering the past eight years with my beautiful wife these two words kept coming to mind. First, there is a big difference between mercy and grace (forgive me if the following explanation is slightly flawed, it is simply how I differentiate the two).

1. Mercy - God's love manifest as saving us from what we deserve
2. Grace - God's love manifest as giving us that which we don't deserve

Obviously, using the two above definitions clarifies a significant difference between the two. For now I would like to focus on grace. In its simplest and most beautiful form, God's grace allows us to know Him as our Father, Savior, and God. But, God allows grace in our earthly lives as well. For me, God's grace has been manifest by blessing me with my beautiful wife. You know her quite well if you follow this blog and no further explanation is necessary. However, I would like to clarify.

I met Lauren many many years ago... I believe I was approximately 3 or 4 years old. She stole my heart from the moment I met her. Actually that didn't really happen until seventh grade. I remember sitting with my family in church and watching her sit down with her family. She was wearing a red dress and I was smitten. I actually believe I loved her at that moment as much as any seventh grade boy can love a seventh grade girl. Her feelings were not reciprocated until much later after many failed attempts at wooing her. However, she did eventually give in to my unceasing attention (first example of God's grace).

The rest of our time in high school was fairly storybook and quite sickening. She won homecoming queen and friendliest. I won most likely to date a girl way out of my league. The dream continued into college. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at things), I grew further away from God while she grew closer to him. Eventually this led to the demise of our relationship and was one of God's final steps in breaking me (actually God continues to break me, but he was using excessive force at this time ;).

During this period of getting broke, I lost my scholarship, damaged relationships with many of my close friends, and lost the vision of my purpose in life. However, losing Lauren was by far the most gaping and agonizing void. For the next two years I wrestled with God and my relationship with him. As I began to loosen my grip on the desires of this world, He let his grace begin to pour back into my life.

To make a really long story shorter, God mended the broken relationships, returned my scholarship, and granted me much clearer vision than I could ever deserve. And, yes, as you may have guessed, He allowed Lauren to come back into my life (God's grace #2). We have now been married for eight years and they have truly been the greatest years of my life. We have two precious daughters (God's amazing grace #3 and #4) and many amazing adventures to come.

Anybody who has had the privilege to know Lauren deeply understands just how blessed I am. First, she is the most beautiful woman I have ever known, but her beauty grows deeper beneath the surface. Her heart is warm and unfailingly dedicated to her family. She loves deeper than any human being I know. Second, she wants to suck the marrow out of life. God has blessed me with a partner who wishes to live this earthly life to its absolute fullest. What more can anyone ask for? Finally, I know that she loves our Father in heaven more than she loves me. This is the cornerstone of our marriage and our family.

Thank you Lord Jesus for your grace. You have poured your grace out abundantly upon me and I am overwhelmed! Thank you for my sweet precious Lauren. Thank you for the past and for the hope for the future. My heart yearns to grow old with my precious wife, but I will take each every moment with her as a precious example of God's unfailing grace.

I love you Lauren. You are the ultimate and constant reminder of how truly blessed I am.

- John

He will fight for you....

i've always wanted a life verse... it needed to be all encompassing. say everything about the love i have for Jesus and the love He has for me, the sacrifice He made for me, etc....a lot to cover. also, you can't use someone else's life verse, especially if they are a family member or close friend so that knocked out a bunch. well, in the past 2 weeks the Lord has shown me a verse that has spoken volumes to my heart and soul...

"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

this verse is tucked in a among lots of others describing the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and right before they crossed the parted Red Sea. a story i've heard and read a MILLION times, but i honestly could not remember ever noticing this little verse packed full of power. during vbs, i taught 3/4 year olds and this story was the first one we shared for the week and the kids were completely stuck on it. no matter how many days went by or stories were told, they always came back to this one. then, i started a summer Bible study with several other girls and this verse was highlighted during the first week. i think the Lord is trying to tell me something :)

fortney beach trip, folly beach

our first meal at the lost dog

got bottle, ready for the beach

bekah making mermaids out of the little girls

loving the beach

all the girls...poor caleb :)

heading out on a ride in the kayak with daddy

heading out to fort sumter

tradition...matching outfits, waiting to go on a carriage ride

boat ride

hanging out on morris island

morris island lighthouse

fresh local shrimp...nothing better!!!

"wink"

another "wink"

gorgeous sunset in the lowcountry

2 sisters on the beach

hanging out in the sandcastle

i'm outta here!

naked baby...had a swim diaper blowout!!

what's down there?

the sandcastle tradition continues

almost all the grandkids

they love grandma (and grandad) just a little :)

we had our annual fortney beach trip at folly beach after memorial day through the first week of june. it was awesome as usual! the weather was perfect :) we enjoyed days at the beach playing in the sand and water, trips into charleston, a carriage ride, toured fort sumter, ate yummy food, went on boat rides, played games, laughed a lot and just enjoyed being together. i think caroline could have played in the ocean all day every day. she LOVES it and her cousins bekah and caleb were always there to swim with her. susanna loved the water, too, and didn't understand why i wouldn't let her just crawl right into the ocean. reminds me a lot of big sis. my only compaint is that it was over too soon. why does that always happen? thank you to joyce and sonny for another wonderful vacation full of great memories!!!!