taste and see

"Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good"

1 Peter 2:3 (NIV)

"If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious"

1 Peter 2:3 (KJV)

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I love the word 'gracious'. It means merciful, kind, compassionate. I love that the KJV uses that word to describe my Lord, because my sweet Savior is so gracious to me. He has shown me so mercy and so much compassion in my life. He has graced me with immeasurable kindness over the course of my walk with Him. He is good. And I have tasted that goodness time and time again.

As I think about my close relationship with my daughters, I am so overwhelmed at the goodness of God. He has blessed me with precious girls whom I love with all my heart. And the depth of their love to me blesses me. It is so amazing to have grown daughters that want to be with their mother. I talk with each of them every day at least once but usually multiple times. I don't see Melissa often because she is living in Boston for this season in her life. When my other girls are home and not off working, we see each other almost every day. I consider them my very best friends and I am thankful to my Lord for gracing me with them.

As I think about my sweet mother, I am so thankful that she is the one God picked out especially to be my mom. I couldn't ask for a better mother. She loves me unconditionally. She always encourages. She always uplifts. She is never judgmental. I feel like I can tell her anything and I know that she will always be right there if I need her. For the past 18 years, she has fulfilled the role of both mother and father, since my precious daddy went home to be with Jesus. She has shown such strength and such grace since that time and I know that the Lord has been the one to do that through her. I am thankful to Him for gracing me with a fabulous mother.

I taste His goodness when I see my amazing grandbabies. Each one is so dear to me and each one fills my heart with such joy! I love being a Nana. It has been so fulfilling to me and has caused me to rejoice in that role over and over. I love being close to my sweet grandchildren and being able to be a big part of their lives. I love talking about the Lord with them. I love teaching them scriptures and hearing them recite the ones they are learning at home. I love reading bible stories to them when they spend the night, even when we read the same ones over and over again. I love saying the blessing multiple times at meals because they each want to say it. I love seeing the smiles on their faces even when those smiles are smudged with dirt and grime. I love getting hugs and kisses from them and I love to see the excitement on their faces when they see me drive up in their driveway. I love it when it is time for me to go home and they don't want me to leave. I just love them all so much and I am so thankful to God for gracing me with them all. He is so gracious.

I have tasted His goodness with the close relationship I have with my sister and my brother. I love them both so much. I am the only one in the family that doesn't live in Shreveport, so I feel out of the loop sometimes, but a simple phone call or text from them makes me feel right back in again. 

I have tasted His goodness these past few weeks as I have seen Him uphold my precious sister during her chemo treatments. He has made them bearable so far. He has protected her from serious illness. He has kept her fever from being high enough to demand an ER visit. He has filled her with Hope and is keeping her in the cleft of the Rock. He has carried her and he has shown Himself to her and He has been her strength and her shield. She has tasted His goodness and so therefore it graces me in abundance. 

I have tasted His goodness as He has so blessed me with a godly husband. He is my favorite preacher and I love spending time with Him. We go our separate ways a lot during the week as we go about our daily responsibilities, but when we make it home in the evenings, we enjoy each others company and he is always quick to take me to eat or even take me shopping if I ask him to. He is so good to me and has been good to me for 28 years. God has graced me with him and I am so thankful for that.

I have tasted His goodness this past week in the study of His Word. I have been blessed through the scriptures as I have found so many precious nuggets of truth in my searching these past few days. I love coming across a verse that I have read many times before and suddenly it is revealed to me in a new and fresh way.  Such grace for a thirsty spirit and such compassion for a hungry soul. 

God is gracious to those who love Him. He is so sweet and He is so gentle in His love for us. His compassion overwhelms me. His mercy astounds me. His sweetness amazes me. I have tasted and I have seen that the Lord is good.