Grace

I'm not particularly good at resolutions, goal setting, or even following  through on my own plans, but after last year, I realized I need to make some small changes to be able to get out of survival mode.

First off, I've chosen one word to focus on: Grace.

Defined as "generous, free, totally undeserved and unexpected" and "the spontaneous, unmerited gift of God for the salvation of sinners", I was overwhelmed at the thought of how I can give grace to myself and others all the time. Maybe I should have picked a different word, or skipped this silly thing all together.

But the more I thought about it, giving grace doesn't have to be a great big huge thing that has to be checked off a daily list. Maybe it just looks like not cursing my gray hairs, or pausing to gather control before chewing out my kids for making yet another mess. Maybe it looks like forgiving people when I'd rather hold a grudge, or just learning to let things go when I'd rather dwell on other people's mistakes.

I'm human, and admit that I spend as much time gossiping and whining and bitching about the problems of this life as much as the next guy. For what? I like people who forgive a lot better than those who hold my mistakes against me, and I sure like people who believe in me more than the people who pull me down.

I want to be the kind of person who is kind to others even when they don't deserve it. I want to be a more loving mom, and a more present wife. I need grace more than anyone and firmly believe you get what you give. If I can just give grace to those around me more often than not, well, we'll all be better off for it. 

If God's grace is sufficient for me and all the mistakes I've made in my life, I can certainly extend a sliver of His unending and unmerited grace to others along my journey. 

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10

❤️Richelle