This morning my adult son called me in a frantic fit because he couldn't find his wallet. He said he had looked and looked but still couldn't find it. I could hear the tension in his voice and immediately began looking for it myself. But, not before I gave him a well-crafted "mother" lecture on the importance of keeping track of such items. I lectured and lectured until I heard the heavy sigh on the other end of the phone. I figured I had done my job, so I hung up and began looking around the house.

As I pulled the cushions from the living room sofa I saw a debit card that looked a lot like the one I LOST LAST YEAR. It was the one I lost last year. Me!

My face felt hot with embarrassment.

It's so easy to forget our own shortcomings and "lecture" others on theirs. My lesson today (and consequently yours) is to remember to bear compassion, mercy and kindness when folks blunder. We know to do it, but often forget, especially when the "folks" are our kids.

The truth of the matter is we are often very guilty of many of the same sins in which we judge. The years may have dulled our memories or we just didn't get caught with the consequences. As my husband says there are two types of folks - the caught and the uncaught. Often our "uncaughtness" makes us forgetful.

Either way, grace and mercy are always the best responses. It is then we look the most like our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen?

I owe my boy an apology.