Guess What's Coming!

I am SO excited about the upcoming (in)RL conference (?) / beach house experience!
I have enjoyed the blogs from their various authors, co-workers, and have learned so many lessons in grace, that I am looking forward to meeting with them on April 28th!

Sometimes, our lives become so clogged and cluttered with non-grace stuff, that we fail to look above and beyond it all to the grace extended to us!  I have found that - at my very fingertips - there are other women who

• struggle like I do
• have daily frustrations with friends and family
• search for God's best, while trying to do it all ourselves
• are perfectionists, who long for order in a chaotic world
• who long for the comfort of God's grace to envelope us in a peaceful 'somewhere' that we can just sit and soak it all in!

So, in light of all this, I am looking forward to meeting new friends, getting new ideas, learning more about my walk with God.

Would you join me?  Just reply to this blog and let me know if you would be interested!  I assure you, you won't be disappointed!

Merry Christmas?

Well, the time has come.  Christmas is just a few days away.
How does that make you feel? 

• Lonely?
• Depressed?
• Tired?
• Forgotten?
• Afraid?
• Overwhelmed?

I have to say, I have felt most of the above.  While I have been on a Journey of Grace, I have also been on a rocky road of experiences that has left me panting for breath and wondering from where the next whammy will come!


It has been a year of ~

• Excitement - at the birth of our beautiful granddaughter in March
• Frustration - that she lives so far away
• Personal loss - of friendships 
• Disappointment - in the lack of integrity of those we love
• Despair - when finding little or no transparency in the world around us.

I am learning that God's grace, extends to all of us, and gives us the peace and strength we need for each moment - even though we feel forsaken, alone and despondent.
I long for His Presence, this Christmas, and I am looking - diligently - for the 'Merry' in 'Merry Christmas'!
Care to join me?

A Little Further Yet. . .

Sometimes trips just take a while. We can't seem to snap our fingers and - BINGO!- we are there!

Many miles we traveled with our children while in evangelistic work, countless times we were asked, "Are we there yet?" Or, "How much longer?"

We shared their sentiment, as our seats had had much more than we could endure! Hour after hour, mile after mile, episodes of exasperation and weariness, but yet, we knew there were people waiting for us to arrive!

And when we pulled into the parking lot of the church where we would be staying, how relieved we were! (Although the work was just starting!)
Set up.
Hook up.
Settling in for the duration.

Each of these miles I am traveling has seemed to have its own set of hindrances.
My mind wanders.
My house screams for attention.
The noise around me drowns out any hope of solitude.

I look for my own secret place, and find it difficult to discover.
but find it, I will. I am on a diligent journey this, and therefore, I will persist in my quest until my appetite for grace is satisfied!

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
Was blind, but now I see!"

Just what is Grace?

I have been thinking about this abstraction - grace. Just what is it?

grace - noun
(in Theology)
1. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God
2. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them

I have been looking for ways to extend grace to those around me. I have been given so much grace - God has been so good,
so loving,
so forgiving,
so patient,
. . .How can I be any less with others I have contact with?

If I cannot extend grace to them, then I do not deserve God's grace, do I?

I am interested in learning more and more about this Grace . . .
How should it affect my attitude?
How should I react to adversity?
How will I respond to the gentle nudges that lead me to speak to a hurting heart,
to comfort a grieving heart,
to give a hug to a longing heart.
To be His hand extended.

Want to come with me on this journey?

Grace - for each day

I am new at this 'blogging' thing, but I am excited to see what comes of it. Writing my thoughts is sometimes difficult, but I see how necessary it is becoming to my chaotic life!

I am endeavoring to read through the Bible, and I find such interesting things!

Today, I read in Isaiah, where people shaved their heads, their legs (imagine) and their bodies - I found that so interesting! Want to look into that some more. . .

As I endeavor to keep this up, we will see what the next few months hold in store for this journey - and I trust at the end, I will have more of God's grace to extend to others!