The CURSE of Mercy...

Sometimes pain comes from many places at once. Hurts of loved ones, many and intense.

I am a person who absorbs pain. I ache when others ache. Grieve when they grieve. It is a curse and a blessing.

"Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted" Matthew 5:4. Sometimes I cry when others share their hurts or when I feel it deep down and share a need. I used to apologize for this until a friend said to me,"you have the gift of mercy, do not ever apologize for this."

So now I have decided to utilize this gift and hopefully, some of you who also empathize with others will too.

It has been a difficult month. There have been big blessings and lots of fun visits with family but also tough things with friends dying, a child dying and loved ones struggling with life. It is hard to watch people hurt so deeply. And sometimes the words we give sound so very trite. They are not meant to but they do all the same. I heard at a ladies conference once to take peoples words in the spirit given. I think this is often hard but I have come to really try to understand that those who try to encourage are wanting to help and are not being thoughtless. And I have tried to be more careful in my words to those who are suffering. Weighing my words, sometimes just listening or doing something helpful. I want to always show Christ's love to those around me. I may fail. But I try.

So a kind word, a letter, a meal, or a listening ear. And many, many prayers.