Inertia, Paralysis and Grace

Grace is sufficient. (Humor is often optional, but in my opinion, really shouldn't be...)

No matter what seems to fly at me, it appears I always land squarely on the gift of grace, those sometimes huge and often small reminders to keep plodding onward through life that is often messy and difficult.

I wrote a post about inertia and paralysis the other day, but cyberspace didn't cooperate in the posting phase, and whoosh, it vanished. It wasn't inertia or paralysis that got the better of me and prevented me from starting over then and there, but time and frustration.

But then if I had, you wouldn't, as Paul Harvey says, have "the rest of the story."

It was a tough week, and Thursday, despite an earlier eleventh hour huge answer to prayer, I was hit with a scary bout of inertia and paralysis. I was stuck. Couldn't move forward or backwards; heck, I even had trouble parallel parking the car, twice, not once, in the course of going through my day.

So once again I found myself face down on the floor, pleading for help. A la Anne LaMotte, my prayers were fairly straightforward: "Please, please, please...help, help, help."

And help (Grace?) came the next day in delightful and unexpected ways, enough to find me once again face down saying "thank you, thank you, thank you."

Never underestimate the value of a card; especially if it comes from a totally unexpected person. I received one of those this week, and what the sender didn't know is I love to send just such cards, and have been told more than once that the card I wrote arrived at just the right time.

And a totally unexpected conversation at a Brew Pub that may lead to some much needed answers to an issue that I am facing that has become a real thorn in my side, although I hope it isn't with me forever. Now there's a sobering thought. But then again, even if so, there is grace.

And the week ended on a note that resonated not in stuck keys booming dissonant sounds, but in the harmony of all things working together for those who love God. With hope, joy and the promise of love in the big picture I cannot yet see.

Peace and grace to you.

Leaning on Our Own Understanding

There is one thing that has been becoming increasingly clear to me, and that is the truth of the advice that "we lean not on our own understanding."

And let's not forget the other part of the statement that goes along with it, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."

I must say, I prefer a straight (not necessarily narrow, but straight) path, one that gets me most efficiently from point A to point B without too many detours. Yet detours seem to be exactly what I get when I start leaning on my own understanding.

It is a bit arrogant, after all, to presume that my knowledge is more complete than God's. But it is so natural to lean on our own understanding, especially when we are, or have been, control freak types. I am currently in Recovery in the control freak department, but it not without relapse and daily challenge.

So when we lean on out own understanding, only what we see, we actually only get a narrow slice of reality. The big picture is not immediately visible; or perhaps not ever visible. But that is also part of the understanding part, that it is OK to not understand; we don't have the mind of God, although through life's lessons hopefully we do start to view things more like He does.

Leaning on our own understanding can actually be crushing. When confronted with only what we see and understand of circumstance we can become hard pressed from every side. The trick, though, is not to become crushed by such pressures, and if we rely only on our own understanding that is what is bound to happen.

Perplexed? For sure. Why? Why do lousy circumstances prevail (and why do we feel like we have to figure it all out and solve them single handedly , when God invites us to lean on Him?) So remembering that I don't need to despair.

But it is hard.

What you see is not necessarily the real deal or what you get for that matter.

This is all the more true, and increasingly difficult when we are faced with lousy circumstances. Job is my hero. Take a look at that poor guy's life. He was hit from every which way, but just didn't give up, and ultimately his faith and trust, trust in the belief (and reality) that there was a bigger picture purpose at work in his life was rewarded.

I think probably way too many people give up when things get too bumpy.

So today I choose to lean on God, and not my own understanding and take steps of faith. They may be very tentative at first, much like a toddler learning to walk. But with practice and persistence the steps become more confident.

Peace, as you pursue your own journey of leaning on God, and not your own understanding.

Every Day Grace

Part of my slow down approach to life is incorporating grace wherever I can. Face it, we can all use an extra dose of grace...

The definition of grace I can rattle off the top of my head and off my tongue is
"unmerited favor" and all of us who are human beings need more of it, and Jesus is the teacher. I guess when things hit us a bit more in "thinking like Jesus" fashion we are weaving a bit more grace into the fabric of our lives.

Grace seems especially important to hang on to when things don't go our way or we are in a hurry.

This morning we all overslept--again...Howie had his alarm set to go off first, and ring it did and both of us heard it but chose to ignore it. Then Tianna's went off, but since she went to the band concert and out to get a snack after (mental note to self, not letting her do that again on a school night...) and slept very soundly through hers. Then Nicole didn't hear hers, and I didn't hear any of them.

So Tianna had missed the bus by a long shot, Nicole was moving slowly, and I was waiting for both of them while unloading the dishwasher. It would be a one morning run this morning.

Let me tell you, I needed lots of grace to listen to the bickering and they needed grace, too,which I tried to model by keeping my approach and voice calm. It was what it was, after all.

And by the way, they both got to school on time, and I didn't get stopped, no speeding, etc. and it was fine.

What does everyday grace look like? I think it is a calm and peaceful response when things don't go our way.
We can model it so many ways; mostly marked by that calm demeanor even when we may be anything but inside. And learning to be satisfied that there is only so much one can accomplish and be responsible for in a day.

May your day be filled with Grace, God's grace.

All Who are Weary...

I am weary. It is more than being tired; this is a kind of worn out, whooped feeling. Too many long nights without enough rest; too much doing without enough being, despite having traded in my running shoes for sneakers.

And some of it (perhaps most of it) can come from trying to figure out too many of the answers to life's challenges myself.

I have gotten much better at the "only show me the next step" approach to problem solving and support of those I love. And I am dealing with a couple of hefty servings of issues and circumstances needing attention.

But then I remember that I don't need to go it alone; there is one who will carry my burden, with whom I may be yoked who will give me rest. Now that's good news.

Why don't the felt boards in Sunday School promote Jesus in this way? He is the one who walks with me, and more often than not may also need to carry me, and does it willingly.

I am weary, and there are a couple of huge issues on the horizon that are best dealt with in the way of trust that they will work out as they should. I am just thankful to know that I am not alone, and if you are facing a biggie, you don't need to be either.

Peace.

Wonderful Service; a simple thing that meant lots...

Last night while Nicole was at swim practice I went to a Ladies Night Out event at a local restaurant that is closed on Monday evenings to the public, but opened its doors to host this event. Several local vendors gathered and had tables with their items displayed for sale.

Many of the vendors in the home sales party business were represented, and I have to say that the best thing that happened to me was the replacement of a pampered chef piece to a garlic press that had gone down my garbage disposal and gotten mangled. Go figure.

Now this isn't just any garlic press; this is a garlic press that presses cloves of garlic without the need to peel them. That's what the handy dandy plastic piece for $2.25 does. It magically removes the peel while the garlic is pressed.

This piece went down my garbage disposal about a year ago, and I have hardly cooked with garlic in the interim time, because once you press garlic cloves without peeling them first you are totally, totally spoiled, and I simply did without. That tells you a thing or two about my cooking priorities and abilities. That and the fact that I regularly overflow oatmeal in my microwave are huge domestic challenges for me.

Now I have tried several times in the past year to replace this little piece to no avail. I have called and left messages, emailed and been totally unsuccessful.

Until last night. I found out, in fact, that the little plastic piece is available as a replacement and the rep there proceeded to take the piece out of her sample and hand it to me, cash and carry, tax included and no shipping.

I was so ecstatic I almost kissed her feet. I never have been so excited about a little plastic gizmo that looks like a brush for My Little Pony in my life.

And that was just the nicest thing anyone could have done...and such a little gesture made a huge difference. And now she will be my Pampered Chef Lady for Life...

And I will once again cook with garlic...yum!

Is there some small act of service that you can offer to someone else that will result in huge smiles? It is really not that hard.