Grace...Simplified

This is Grace according to my favorite childhood Sunday School teacher...

 

A simple acrostic that makes beautiful sense to me.

 

The depths of His Riches for every need... supplied at the Hand of Christ in the most sacrificial gift of all time...for even me, wretched at my best.

 

Grace...it is such a glorious concept.  It just feels, well, so decidedly gracious... to imagine that God in His infinite Holiness would offer His Riches...to me?  And to you...

 

... a bow of the head and an open heart...accepting His lavish love when we know we deserve it the least.  Grace.  Riches Unexpected. A Savior's compelling Love... Beautiful Unmerited Favor.

 

And in my life, the Graces began even before I took my first breath...

 

 

 

This is mom and dad on their wedding day...

 

I arrived 5 months later.  And no, I wasn't premature...

 

 

Just one happy, little baby...grin...

 

50 years ago, the stigma of an unwed pregnancy sent shock waves through the community. Mom was urged to "take care" of it... Whispers in her ear that no one would need to know... it's the best thing to do... Horrified gasps that you can't possibly be thinking of having it...

 

My heart stutters to even type those words... Did they even know it was me growing in there?  A happy, little baby?  A somebody that so very much wanted to smile, to love, to live?

 

Mom and Dad chose to ignore the naysayers and got married.  They endured the "talk," the shaking heads and wagging tongues.  They nurtured their little "mistake" and I have lived in Happy Grace every moment since...

 

For me, Grace is personal.  Every breath I breathe is a lavish gift of uncomparable richness... It is Grace extended.  To me.  Not because of anything I had done.  Or because of some adorable little smile.  I was given Grace the minute Mom and Dad said Yes... to me... because they loved me...  (and please know my heart on this... I know there are many, many who are scarred by decisions made, of lives hollowed and hurt in the abortion battle, and I would never, ever want to add one moment of pain to your tender spirit.  Praying for Grace to be real this day to anguished hearts, and wanting you so much to know that there is restoration ahead...God's Riches for you)    

Grace. I am humbled completely to even imagine how good God is to those who believe.   I have been blessed to experience even the tiniest bit of this Glorious Grace and it makes me hunger for more...  That Beautiful Grace Gift that allows a soul to truly live...

And, what, may you ask, does this have to do with the Caregiver?!  Thank goodness you asked... and thank goodness we have 29 more days in this Challenge!  Because we're just getting started...

"Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus."

                                ~ Ephesians 2:7

There is so much Grace to come...