i love the word grace.
i love the reality of grace.
undeserved favour. unmerited kindness.
God is grace-filled – His grace overflows to us and through us to others.
though its so undeserved His grace welcomes me into His arms, into His heart, into His salvation, into His presence.
His grace to me means i can extend gracefulness to others, not so much overlooking, but covering their sin, understanding the process and growth of life, and encouraging them to live in forgiveness, truth and love.
God’s love to me should make me graceful.
to my husband.
to my children.
to my friends.
to strangers.
and do i need to say how it is often more hard to be graceful to those first two categories.
husband and children.
we can often paint on a graceful face for the world.
lip gloss and mascara and a touch of grace.
dress right, smile right, the right labels, the right look, say the right things and we portray “togetherness”
we can overlook and cover the mistakes of others in our world with more grace and kindness.
but how often are we graceless with those who should be the closest, those who should have the largest grace account in our lives.
i am often reminded by the Holy Spirit when in a grump, with a bad hair day, uncaffinated and overtired, to hold my words, to take a deep breath and count to ten, to refuse to snap and speak without thinking, to have grace. because i should be demonstrating His love and grace to those whom i love the most. just as they extend love and grace to me. family is real. its mornings and pmt and date nights and cuddles and tantrums and tears and spills and triumphs. we can make it so conditional.
my flawedness wants to be ungracious because mistakes and disobedience and *stuff* interrupts and disorganises my day. or is it just me.
oh i so need the grace of God to be to me and through me.
grace upon grace upon grace, written in my heart and through my life
#FiveMinuteFriday free write time! <—click to tweet this!
Five Minute Friday is a feature over at Lisa-Jo Bakers TALES FROM A GYPSY MAMA blog. i first read about it on my friend Fee’s blog and thought it sounded fun!
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..
OK, are you ready?















10 comments
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September 7, 2012 at 4:37 am
Julie Jordan Scott (@juliejordanscot)
Beautiful. Offering grace to strangers: today I chatted with a guy who has been out of prison since March. Paroled. He said he has basically been institutionalized since 1995. He went on to say in May he got shot. He has four bullets still inside his body. We had quite a normal conversation, like I always talk to parolees about their horrifying so different than mine life. I loaned him my cell phone to call his girlfriend. He walks with a cane because of bullets to his knees. I hope he felt the grace I offered him. Your words, “grace to strangers” brought this all up in me. THANK YOU!
September 7, 2012 at 4:38 am
Dolly@Soulstops
Love your photo with the words grace upon grace upon grace…completely agree with you …oh how we need to especially show grace to those closest to us, and how often it is the hardest, so I am reminded daily how much I need to depend on Him…linked up behind you at FMF…Nice to meet you
September 7, 2012 at 4:39 am
Missindeedy
You are SO not alone in this! I find it most difficult to extend grace to my husband and children first, as well. I love the depiction of their “grace account” and that it should be the largest. Yet isn’t. And I loved the graphic you used up top of grace upon grace upon grace. Wonderful words!
September 7, 2012 at 4:43 am
fireball3316
wow that is a real grace moment julie! that is so beautiful to be able to help in a practical way and to show kindness! blessings, claire
September 7, 2012 at 4:45 am
fireball3316
lovely to meet you! depending on Him is such a day by day thing eh – one day i think i’ve got it right, only to blow it the next day. so glad for the grace of God and the grace of those around me!
September 7, 2012 at 4:46 am
fireball3316
thanks missindeedy
) i am glad i am not alone! and that God’s grace account for me is as far as the east is from the west! blessings, claire
September 7, 2012 at 5:20 am
lonistel
Ahhhh, yes – the snappy grumpy un-caffeinated mornings I share with you – and HIS mercy is new every morning – and His grace too!
September 7, 2012 at 1:58 pm
wynnegraceappears
So beautiful real and penetrating. A prayer of confession and thanksgiving. Such truth here, sister. Thank you for a sacred time of worshipping the GraceGiver.
September 9, 2012 at 1:38 am
Samantha Livingston
My thoughts-your paper. Been thinking I get more excited to serve up grace out of doors than in. In need of change..
September 9, 2012 at 10:20 pm
fireball3316
love that samantha – my thoughts to your page! beautiful!