Amazing Grace

I woke up this morning, and couldn't fall back asleep, so I rolled out of bed, sat in front of the computer and out of nowhere a feeling of nausea swept over me. Yuck! Jumped back in bed, tossed and turned, got up, made toast and grits, now I'm a little better. I thought first pregnancy... morning sickness, second pregnancy... no morning sickness. I've been imagining James playing with a little brother, maybe sharing a bedroom a few years down the road. I will just rest in the fact that God knows what He's doing. All better!
I've had the Chris Tomlin "Amazing Grace" stuck in my head since yesterday. The lyrics in the song are so beautiful. Here is what's playing in my head:
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see
T'was grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone, I've been set free
My God my Savior, has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, Amazing Grace
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, who called me hear below
Will be forever mine.
You are forever mine.

I treasure this song, and while I can't exactly describe how it makes me feel, I can tell you that the grace and love of God has convinced me of His love. A few weeks back, I was speaking to someone who didn't share the same beliefs as I. Instead of saying grace, she said mercy. That made me wonder just what the difference was between the two words. They mean about the same thing. People use them all of the time and they seem interchangable. Then, one day last week, I was reading something that defined them. Grace is the forgiveness of the sin. Mercy says that there is no punishment. There not the same after all. Grace changed me. The love is what changed me. I've known most of my life to run from the wooden spoon, or "daddy's belt". I ran from the punishment. My thoughts were "I'm in trouble, time to hide." If they never found me, I escaped punishment. That's kind of how I think about mercy. I got away. Then grace came along. Wow! I'm forgiven. I have received the "ultimate" love. Let me tell you, it feels good to be forgiven. Now, knowing the grace that saved me, and the mercy that's been shown, I just want to share it with someone who doesn't know.

So tell me, do you know about Grace?