Unmerited Favor

I havent blogged in a while, just been busy I guess with different things.  The yard is coming along nicely.  As I have said before we didnt think we would be able to afford to build our patio until next year, but I started search on Craigslist for patio pavers and found a great deal on some 6x6 gray stone pavers!  I got them for half price and its almost enough to do everything!   We havent started yet, mostly because we havent had time, but REALLY because we have no idea how!  I've researched online how to do it, and I've come to the conclusion that the hardest part to me sounds like getting everything packed and leveled... so... who knows!  We are going to plan on doing that in July maybe.

Last night our pastor preached some about having favor, and when you doubt or ask questions you pretty much are questioning God and the fact that he can do anything!  Nathan and I have been wanting to record some of our origional songs so we can get the word out and hopefully keep a little busier with our music ministry.  But we also want it to be good quality which = $$$  Think 2 or 3 songs for around 1,000.00 and thats low balling it!  Thats just with Nathan and I bare essentials...  We would like to record the songs with our band, and I am believing that soon we will!  But this leads my to my whole point.  This morning as I was getting ready for work, I was praying, and I was praying for favor for us and our ministry and marriage.  Then I looked around me and saw my beautiful house that we just bought this year, I thought about my new pavers outside and our patio project that will be completed a year sooner because of the good deal I was blessed to find, I thought about our new patio set, and all the landscaping we have done in the past couple months, and in that time I felt bad for even asking for anything else.  I thought to myself... I already have been blessed so much, what right do I have to ask for more?  He's already blessed me beyond measure, what more do I want!  What more should I expect?  So I stopped praying for a min. and continued to get ready and then that still small voice spoke..... His still small voice said...thats why they call it UNMERITED FAVOR!  I have to admit, I had forgot about this!  I had not been thinking that my father is the king of kings and Lord of Lord and his grace is unlimited and freely given to all who need it!  Deserving or not, its there continually flowing out of him!  PRAISE THE LORD!!!  You see, I can pray for favor because I am his child.  Just like a child really doesnt contribute to the household, but the parents love them so much they continually give even when they dont deserve it!  They can throw a tantrum one minute and mommy and daddy will give them a hug and a candy bar the next!  He loves us to much, he loves us unconditionally, he loves us more than we can even imagine!  In fact, thats why a lot of people have such a hard time with it, they dont understand it.  They cant figure it out in their heads!  They want to understand it.  But the awesome part is... thats not our job to understand it, its not our job to wrap our heads around it, its not our job to deserve it.  Our only job is to except it, and pass it along to others!  That agape love is what draws the lost to Christ!  Unconditional, undeserving love!  Thank you Lord for loving me unconditionally, even when I dont deserve it.  Thank you for your unmerrited favor, for just pouring favor out on us freely, just because we are your children!  Thank you for teaching us to love unconditionaly!