Well Happy New Year! I made it through the holidays (how did you all do?) and here it’s almost February! I had the urge to blog last week and then my laptop had to be sent back due to a wireless problem and well, I just cannot blog from my desktop – I need to be reclining in my chair in order to effectively communicate what’s really on my mind. So what’s on my mind? What’s on your mind? What can we discuss?

Here’s what’s on my mind…dealing with anxiety disorder (my little friend has been paying visits again lately)…selling my house…buying another house…losing weight…joining a gym…helping kids with homework…trying to understand what “grace” is really all about…reading an interesting book that’s drawn me closer to God…setting healthy boundaries…and I’m sure there’s sooooooo much more, but hey – these issues alone can get us started with some great discussion. It was so cool to see last week that someone from Scotland, of all places, actually commented on this blog on the “Marriage” page – how cool is that?

I’d really like to talk about what the heck does the word “grace” really mean? What does it look like lived out? I think it’s one of those words that seems easy to understand, but it has a much deeper meaning…

For starters, here’s what dictionary.com says about grace (and this isn’t the whole list!)

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) – Cite This Source – Share This

grace /greɪs/ Pronunciation Key – Show Spelled Pronunciation[greys] Pronunciation Key – Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, graced, grac·ing.

–noun

1.	elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action.

2.	a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment.

3.	favor or good will.

4.	a manifestation of favor, esp. by a superior: It was only through the dean’s grace that I wasn’t expelled from school.

5.	mercy; clemency; pardon: an act of grace.

6.	favor shown in granting a delay or temporary immunity.

7.	an allowance of time after a debt or bill has become payable granted to the debtor before suit can be brought against him or her or a penalty applied: The life insurance premium is due today, but we have 31 days’ grace before the policy lapses. Compare grace period.

8.

Theology. a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God. b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them. c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces. d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God’s favor or one of the elect.

9.	moral strength: the grace to perform a duty.

I’ve also hear the explanation that grace is getting what we don’t deserve and mercy is not getting what we do deserve.

So, why do I even care about this word – grace? For some reason, the word has just been coming up a lot in discussions with others and I realized that I need to show more grace to others in my life.

Here is the type of definition I understand…

• Grace is keeping your mouth shut when you want to really tell someone off
• Grace is telling someone you appreciate them or something they did
• Grace is saying a prayer for someone when you really may not feel like it or asking God to help you find love or compassion for someone that may be a struggle
• Grace is…you fill in the blank

As I was trying to get a better grip on understanding this concept of grace, a friend was praying for God to help me understand it. I have been reading a book called Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (which I’d LOVE to discuss with others who have read this book) that gave me one of those clear definitions after which I sought. I will quote the book, because it was written beautifully.

“Here’s another example of the difference in our worldviews. A family in my sister’s neighborhood was recently stricken with a double tragedy when both the young mother and her three-year old son were both diagnosed with cancer. When Catherine told me about this, I could only say, shocked, “Dear God, that family needs grace.” She replied firmly, “That family needs casseroles,” and then proceeded to organize the entire neighborhood into bringing that family dinner, in shifts, every single night, for an entire year. I do not know if my sister fully recognizes that this is grace.”

That was exactly the definition I needed. I learned extending grace didn’t mean I needed to be this perfect holy person. It just means I need to be nice. And, think of others before myself. I think I can do that.

So what are your real-life examples of grace? Let’s share…