What's so amazing about Grace????

"I do not understand the mystery of grace--only that it meets us where we are, but does not leave us where it found us."

Anne Lamott

Grace...

We use the word so freely,

"let's say grace"

"saved by grace"

"but by the grace of God"

"graceful"

Churches use it,

people use it,

and

all of us experience it from time to time--sometimes we just don't realize it.
I don't think I really understood it myself,

until my son was born

and

then the refresher came with my daughter.

The moment that each of them

were placed in my arms for the first time...

waves of uncertainty rushed over me

crashing with thoughts of

"not knowing what the hell i was supposed to do with them"

and

then realizing after looking into their clear blue eyes...

there was something...

this thing..

this mystery of sort that

somehow bound us all together.

I remember touching their cheeks,

stroking their hair,

holding them close to my breast

and

thinking,

oh dear baby of mine

there is nothing,

absolutely nothing

that

you can do

that would make me love you any more than I do right now

and

there is absolutely nothing you

can ever do

to make me love you any less.

It was that moment,

that tiny fragment of a second,

when life was

incredibly Holy and rich,

Sacred if you will

and

I myself could barely take in the wonder or 

 even a portion of the awe and amazement that wrapped around us.

Grace continues

to be woven in and around my life...

it's what happens when we

fall face first into the unknown,

or jump off a mysterious

place not knowing how

or what might catch us...

but

if we trust,

move,

and

dive

right into it...

something catches us,

moves us into a cycle of love and forgiveness and hope

it moves us

from

hate to love,

fear to faith,

hopelessness to hopeful...

God Grace,

this

invisible under girding of ours

lifts us

floats us if you will

enfolds us in a cloud of love

It catches us when we fall,

or if we mess up,

 and

 we are as human as any of us can be...

and

we need it...

Grace that is

Grace...

God's Grace

Humanities Grace

It steps in

and

gives us the love power to

raise up

Truth is...

I don't understand how it works,

don't really know

what part of the brain it derives itself from ...

but

I'm glad it exists

glad it lets me be human

and

falter and fail

and grow...

thankful that it

under girds us,

carries us,

Graces us if you will....

brings us

up

keeps us from drowning in our own

sloshy sea of given-up and let down...

Come on...

feeling bad today...

done something or

said something you regret...

lay back in it,

speak your truth,

relax into it and be...

so to

allow the wonder of

GRACE...

Amazing Grace

to raise you up to the threshold of

Love

where

we

are

empowered

to

begin again....

What's so amazing about it?

Just that...

a fresh start...

new day,

new time..

same bat channel...and we begin again.

fall on into it..

I double dog dare you!!!!

Happy Wednesday and

Hugs to all of you!!!

Riding in the car with mama!!!

 I need to believe, that something extraordinary is possible!

from A beautiful mind

My poor son....

he's learning to drive, you know.

Seems, I should re frame that if you

were to hear him tell it...

"He knows how to drive."

"He's a better driver already than me.."

(it could be true but I'll never confess to him)

Faster than a speeding bullet,

or at least that is what it feels like when he turns the corner,

able to leap tall building as he misses a pothole,

(or at least my stomach feels like we've jumped over the empire state building and entered a free fall)

Good God, mom....I can't drive with you.

What are you screaming about?

Did you really think I was gonna hit that kid on the bicycle?

(yes...I did)

Why are you grabbing the handle?

OMG mom...just chill out...

okay....I am not the best driver...

yesterday, I was screaming for him to slow down...

next think I knew i had said in some not so ministerly like

language some really bad things about a man walking on the street that I thought he might hit.....

Afterward,

my son said, "Gosh mom...I know you're upset because

I am making you late for your appointment.

Now that wasn't even nice what you said about that man.

Tonight, you are going to go home

feel bad about how you screamed and yelled

and then your gonna write on your blog

about how sometimes you should just breath

and enjoy the ride."

so I didn't write the post last night...

today after I thought he might hit a car,

a boy on a bike and a kid running across the street...

I made a decision..

I mean what can I do really

if he is about to hit a car

or a house

or a kid...

I probably can't do anything...

the brake is on his side..

he doesn't like me grabbing the wheel..

so for now

what I've decided to do and

yes I have tried it.

I get in

buckle up

and shut my eyes..

occasionally

it feels  like I am on a roller coaster

when my stomach hits the floor..

but all

in

all

it is a better way to ride...

So B.  I'll try to do better...

I'll close my eyes and my mouth..

and

let you drive..

so

riding in the car with mama might

just be a bit better...

you really are a pretty decent driver..

I'm just a poor rider.

keep practicing

and

before long

You'll be driving in the car with Ms. Mama!

I love you.

Mom.