A quick click over to Merriam-Webster, and you must scroll down in order to see all the many ways to define grace.
Unmerited divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration or sanctification.
A virtue coming from God.
Ease and suppleness of movement or bearing.
A short prayer at a meal, asking thanks.
The list goes on ...
While I'm grateful for God's grace, and while I acknowledge that without God I am graceless, and while I hopelessly strive for elegance and poise (with clumsy hands and feet) and while I have trained up my kids to thank God for each meal ... that isn't the grace I'm pondering today.
The grace that I want more of in my life will be played out in the face-to-face and heart-to-heart interactions of my everyday moments that fill this coming year.
The courtesy shown to the unsmiling check-out lady who has been on her feet all day.
The good manners shared with the waiter who needs to be reminded. Repeatedly.
The respect shown to the staff at school, those in authority over my kids. And those who clean up after them.
The kindness for the grumpy lady mumbling behind us in the line at the deli.
The laughter for my kids when they are acting like kids. Boisterous, bouncy, burping kids.
The consideration for my husband after a rough day and his need for "down time".
The acceptance of what my children have to offer as their best and remembering that they are still learning, still training, still growing.
The forgiveness offered when my feelings are hurt or my heart is wounded.
The generosity toward myself to make mistakes and try again.
The grace given to those in my life ... to miss the mark and still be loved.
That's the grace I want to cultivate in the next 365 days. Gratefully, God's grace is new every morning and with His grace, there is promise that in the coming days, I just might have the hope of being more courteous, mannerly, respectful, kind, considerate, accepting, forgiving, generous ... and grace-filled.
As for the nimbleness and finesse ... I'm not going to hold my breath.
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Prompt #1 - Choose a word to live by this year.
This is such a wonderful list and I am sure my husband would appreciate that one, too
ReplyDeleteLove you list of grace examples. Grace can be a buzz work people use without any idea what it might look like. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOh, when I saw your smiling face on Mama Kat's I just knew I had to come see what you wrote.
ReplyDeletethanks so much for this.
I needed to hear it.
This is lovely. I, too, usually define grace as God's outpouring unto us humans. But I like the way that you define it for resolution's purposes. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking lately about how courtesy, kindness, decency and manners are in such short supply in our culture. I wish you well in your pursuit this year. I hope your efforts encourage people around you to join you in similar behavior. And I hope to engage in behavior like this myself.
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