Gracious and Merciful God

Nehemiah 9:31

Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake

thou didst not utterly consume them,

nor forsake them;

for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

The children of Israel during Nehemiah's time just finished recounting the many gracious acts of God in their history and the failings of their people through the ages in forgetting the goodness of God and turning to idols.  We are so prone to turn from God.  There are so many things that can become a substitute for God or that can crowd God out in my life.  Despite my failings, He is still gracious.  How thankful I am for a relationship with a caring God who never fails.  I need to fall into His grace and mercy daily and to seek strength from the ONLY one who can sustain me.

It is a beautiful morning, and the heat is supposed to be back today.  Hubby is off to work and Thursday is my primary piano lesson day, so I will be "working" as well.  I picked peas this morning and it won't be too much longer before the pea plants are ripped out and the beans will go in the ground.  I need to be more diligent - the cut worms have already found my winter squash - ooh, they are so gross and so destructive.  Cucumbers are blossoming as are the tomatoes and I see some little zuccini on the way!  The damp, humid days have been good for the garden ... and the lawn.  I will need to mow again tonight or tomorrow morning.  Oh ... and all my cans of beets sealed ... Hooray!