Grace

This is a week full of dates to remember.... St Nicholas Feast Day,  The Attack on Pearl Harbor, The Treaty of Paris, the birthdays of many friends, my cousin's birthday, and my sister's birthday.  But there were two dates that ate away at me all day today, the day my mom had surgery for cancer and the day I finished my Masters.  Those two dates are oddly connected in my mind.  One difficult, one celebration.  One the beginning of a journey, the other the end of a journey. They intersected the same year, at the same time.  I had one final paper the day my mom went into surgery.  My procrastination had won out, I thought I would have it done, but instead I sat in the hospital cafeteria typing a paper.  Six years later I'm not even sure what it was about, but the memory of sitting, typing and watching the snow fall is still fresh in my  mind.  Tonight I went to put on the necklace my husband gave me for graduation and every fear, every worry, every unknown came flying back at me.  Fear I had laid to rest, worry that had passed its expiration and unknowns that had become known.

Its in those moments that I can get lost in the past unless I hold on to the promise

 ~ "You will never be alone" 

Its in those moments when I want to seek comfort rather than Christ 

~ "I will be your rock"

  Its in those moments that I want to be grumpy rather than grateful 

~ "Rejoice in everything"

Its in those moments when I need

~ Grace

Grace has come.  With time grace has been poured out richly.  The more I watch for it the more I see ~ Grace!  Grace in the snow falling, Grace in the wind speaking His name, Grace in the presence of friends and co-laborers, Grace in a child's smile, a tween's look and teen's sarcasm, Grace in a husband who knows just how to reach my heart.  Grace.  Grace has been the fruit of the journey.  Grace is the reward of entering into the hard places.  It doesn't matter what happened a year ago this week, six years ago or centuries ago, God's grace hasn't changed.  May God pour His grace out on you and May you receive it and cherish the wonder of it.