New mercies

Lamentations 3:22-23
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases

his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

I love this scripture.
I love the idea that the Lord gives me a clean slate every day. That no matter what I did wrong or how I blew it , or what I failed to accomplish I get a fresh start.
Sort of like a heavenly chalkboard.
He washes my sins as far as the east is from the west- & most days I need to be reminded of that promise.
I feel like the older my girls get, the more days I need a clean slate. I wish as far as raising a teenage daughter there was such thing as a pre-test.....a little refresher course before the real time comes along. There are those days where I wish I could just get a "do-over"....some days it may be as little as "oh i wish i had baked brownies for the carpool kids" all the way to " i can't believe i just said a cuss word in front of my 11 year old " .

gasp....yes I did.
I visualize how I wish to parent, the type mom I'd love to be yet when I look back I realize how often I fall short of that image. No its not even a perfect image for I know that's impossible. Never the less, that 'mother' is often out of my grasp.
sigh

For several years the girls attended a private christian school. We have also been attending an absolutely fabulous church with an amazing childrens up through high school ministry. Bible based grace filled teaching at its best. During the christian school days, I knew my girls were memorizing scriptures weekly , often times large passages at a time. Unfortunately , since moving to a public school I have failed to continue encouraging them to memorize bible verses. I would love for them to have God's word hidden in their hearts.
When Caroline was about 3 or 4 years old I began quoting scriptures to her before bedtime. We started with the Lord's Prayer. She would repeat the lines after me...she called these "copy prayers". As I would say Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done......she would repeat each line but instead of 'thy' she would say 'my'. so funny. so it would go.......hallowed by my name, my kingdom come, my will be done....cracked me up. & how poignant as we often do believe its our will & our kingdom--could easily be called the all -about -me -prayer instead!
The other night she said mommy can we do our copy prayer. She obviously now, as an almost 7 year old says "thy" correctly. But that little copy prayer was a reminder to me that while I may have failed or dropped the ball here & there, His mercies are indeed new every morning. and yes tomorrow is a great day to start over.....
again.

ps- these are oldie pictures from almost 5 years ago but went well with my thoughts today.