Day 24

Now I can do perfect push ups! Not necessarily because I am stronger, but because I bought this product called Perfect Pushups. They're pretty awesome if you're into awesome things. I tried them at a friends house and felt the potential of a super great work out. I haven't used them yet today, but I certainly plan to and will let you know my assessment of the product when I'm done.

A crazy thing happened today. While I was at the coffee shop downtown for a meeting, there was a little disruption with a few of the guests. A young lady got my attention and told me that she thought someone had just taken her book bag which contained her wallet and other important things. She said that whoever took it, headed into the women's bathroom. I knocked on the women's bathroom door and said, "Hello, do you happen to have a bag in there with you that may possibly not be yours?" I think I heard the person say, "There's nobody in here." which is weird because there was obviously someone talking to me from inside the women's bathroom. I could tell it was a woman and that she was obviously not all there. When she slowly made her way out, she denied taking anything which was highly inaccurate because one of my loyal patrons, Keevan, searched the women's room immediately when she exited and found inside the garbage can, underneath the garbage bag, the book bag that belonged to the young lady. She immediately took inventory of the items that should have been inside the bag and realized that they were missing. The lady that had come in and caused the disruption had a young girl with her and was heading slowly toward the park attempting to go unnoticed. At that time we realized that this lady had obviously stolen the young lady's wallet and money, and had also managed to steal a Forza t-shirt and a chicken pasta salad on her way out. Another awesome regular to the coffee shop named Scott, ran to the police station to get an officer. All the while, the young lady followed the other lady and tried to talk her into handing over her belongings. She wouldn't confess or admit that she had stolen the items even though it was clearly obvious. She finally came clean when the police arrived and the young lady had her items returned to her. Here's the kicker.

Basically, after all was said and done, the officer came in and had me sign a trespass notification, and shared with me that the victim was taking the offender to buy groceries over at Safeway. That absolutely blew me away! To have someone wrong you, steal from you, and lie to you, and then to turn around and bless them for that...that my friends is GRACE!!! Grace, by definition, is getting what you don't deserve. What the lady deserved was punishment. What she received was compassion, love, forgiveness and mercy. God treats us the same way! No matter how many times we fail, no matter what sins we have committed, God is faithful to forgive us and to show grace! He gives us what we don't deserve, which is forgiveness of sin and eternal life, through faith in Jesus Christ! You see, when God looks at us, he doesn't see our filthiness, our deceit, our unworthiness, our sin, He sees Jesus! He sees all our wrongs made right because of the death and resurrection of Jesus! What a powerful illustration today of the mercy and grace of God!