Grace and Gratitude

A light rain falls. The leaves glisten, soft pink petals unfold, blooms wait to burst open. A brilliant ray of sunlight peers through gray clouds, each fragile flower stretching toward the warmth. I see God. I see his exquisite artistry and His desire that I soak in the warmth of His Son.

I want to see. I want to see God in the everyday, the mundane. When aggravation overtakes, sibling fights erupt, one mess follows another, then another, and the laundry piles grow never giving way to completion...I want to see. Chaos fills the atmosphere, stresses soar, and exhaustion encompasses, I must breathe the oxygen of Gods agape love. I want to speak only words that will build and let grace do its work.

I mull over the day..... have I used words today that have torn down or strengthened? Have I exercised His life giving compassion? Do my husband and little boys know and experience God's love everyday?

Selfishness exacerbates. I forget....and then I remember.... God's grace. Grace when the ugly pierces through the stains of sin scarred. Grace... the breath of life to soul.

Have I spoken grace when a harsh word surfaces, acted grace when forgiveness necessitates, and thought grace when plans come to a crossroad?

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9

If I would just remember....... gratitude. Gratitude when "self" gets in the way. Gratitude in the monotony of day to day. Gratitude when I cannot muster up the strength to "keep on keeping on". It is when the blessing of everyday is stripped away that I remember the "gift" of the mundane and the ordinary becomes extraordinary.

Grace extends and gratitude replaces "self".

I will choose to walk in God's grace, extend God's grace and praise Him on this journey headed home.