A MEASURE OF GRACE

It is funny how grace seems to pop into our conversations with people this month even when I am not expecting it to. So many of my conversations with people this month have been about our own experiences of grace and the ways it has happened to us. However, the other night at our Living the Five Agreements group, we began to talk about how we need to be a grace in other people’s lives as well. There is a line from the play The Man of La Mancha, where Don Quizote says "I just wanted to add a measure of grace to the world."

As I have thought about this line I was reminded of a song I once heard at a Mormon church, it was all about the call to add a measure of grace to the world. 

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

God's treat for today is Grace!  Open your heart and receive it.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Simple recipe for life: grace and courage

SONG OF THE WEEK

This week's song of the week reminds us to open our hearts to experience grace in our lives http://inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-song-of-the-week1/

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Open your heart and grace will flow in and through it.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH SPIRITUALITY

It has been a while since I have written here, Life has been full and I have had to make decisions about removing some things from my plate periodically. I also hate writing when I have nothing to say and lately. It has not been that I did not have anything to say, but for some reason I had told myself I needed to write about the spiritual practice of the month and not just write.

So this morning as I sat and twirled the spaghetti squash around my fork I found myself thinking about how interconnected everything is and how transformative a vegetable can be. Yesterday what I was eating was a whole squash. Then I cut it in half, scooped out what was not usable, roasted it, and then this solid mass of squash began coming out as spaghetti as I ran my fork through it. It is not so much what I did with it afterwards that intrigued me, but the process of transformation which spoke to me.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

When we open our hearts we allow grace to enter, where our hearts are closed, grace flows around

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace enables one to be reflection of the Divine in human life

It’s Sharing Time! New Understandings

It’s Sharing Time! New Understandings http://inspiritual.biz/spiritual-discussion/2015/10/26/new-understandings

BEING IN GRACE

There is a saying that a picture speaks a thousand words. It simply means that a picture tells a story just as well as a large amount of text. All month I have been writing about grace. So this week, I thought I would write little but post pictures I have found that capture people being in grace and let them speak to you as they do.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

If you try to own grace you will never experience it, so flow in it and experience it freely.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We have the potential to be grace to and for each other

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

As we release expectations in our life, we open ourselves up to experiencing and being grace. We become more than faith in action, we become grace in action

MY AMAZING GRACE EXPERIENCE

This has been one of those weeks where I have had to practice grace on myself as I took time to keep myself from getting sick and cutting a cold off before it had time to develop. I gave myself permission to take time away from work to spend time with friends and do something fun with Zoe on her day off, now that she actually has them. I forgave myself for not getting my blogs written on grace and practiced grace as I could with my students and others in my life.

My friend DeeDee talks about how so often people will say “You didn’t have to do that” when you do something for them. Then she or her friend would say “But aren’t you glad that I did.” 

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Are you as grateful as I am to have experienced grace in your life?

SONG OF THE WEEK

sometimes we can hear the softness of grace in sound, without a single word -- http://inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-song-of-the-week1/

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace comes into our lives because we are who we are, regardless of how we feel about ourselves.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace is filled with possibilities. Grace reminds us that we are more than our evaluation of our self or of others.

PRACTICING GRACE

How do you practice grace in your life?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

You do not have to work to experience grace, it just happens

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace means we relinquish control. Grace controls grace, we cannot

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

What if grace is within us and becomes present only when we need it, like water that flows only when we need watering?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It does not matter where you are, or what you are doing, God's grace can be experienced anywhere and anytime, especially when you least expect it.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Our understanding of grace is ever forming and ever changing. Each experience changes our understanding.

Song of the Week

Sometimes we feel the message differently when we hear a familiar tune in a different language. Do you feel the message about grace? http://inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-song-of-the-week1/

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Who are you working with and what are you doing to make this world a better space?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace has the power to light up our hearts and our minds. May we be willing to light the light flow into us and shine through us.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace is found where and when we least expect it.

LET THE LIGHT IN.

In my studies on grace, I have come across a number of analogies. One was that of floating as I discussed in the newsletter. Another was to think about grace like the rays of the sun. The sun is always there. Even when we cannot see it, the sun is present. Regardless of what time we get up, the sun is there. Sometimes, when we first wake up, we see the sun coming in through our window and we roll over and pull the covers over our head. Sometimes we wake up, but leave our doors and windows closed, blocking the sunlight from coming into our spaces. In each of these situations, we are keeping ourselves from experiencing the fullness of God’s grace.

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Grace is _____

What does grace mean to you?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

There is no secret to God's grace, just accept what is given.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is amazing how clearly we can hear the world of the Divine when we remember the words - peace, be still.

RELEASING THE PRIDE, RECEIVING THE GRACE

I wanted to take a minute to thank you for helping me learn to accept the help of others. I have always been good at giving, but not so great at receiving. I think part of that came from me not feeling worthy. I doubted why anyone would want to give to me or to share with me when they could share with someone of greater value. I even had problems accepting a compliment. I struggled to believe that anybody could think there was anything nice to say about me.

Then I hit bottom. I lost the feeling in my right leg and the ability to drive. Then I lost my paratransit services. With each loss, I had to open myself up to asking for help. I had to ask friends for rides to work, to the grocery store, to the doctor’s office. It was so humbling, and still is, when others so willingly give so that my needs might be met.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Is there in your life to receive God's gifts?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace refreshes and enhances us and comes without invitation.

SONG OF THE WEEK

When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Grace is knowing that when the oceans of our life fall or rise, our Higher Power is always with us.  That is the theme of this week's song of the week. http://inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-song-of-the-week1/

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

WHAT ARE YOU READY TO GIVE UP SO THAT YOU MAY OPEN YOURSELF UP TO RECEIVING?

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace has the power to light up your life. let it!

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

WHAT BRINGS YOU TO GRACE? IS IT THAT CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE ON A COLD WINTERY DAY? THE GLASS OF ICE WATER ON A SUMMER DAY? THE SMELL OF FRESHLY MOWED GRASS? THE SMELL OF BREAD BAKING IN AN OVEN?

JUST A CUP

Years ago, when I was pastoring, we had a tradition we called Hugs and Love. We would always start off with a reminder about how God loves us just as we are. Then we would greet each other and tell each other that God loved us just as we were. I remember the first time I opened this tradition as if it were yesterday. I talked about how we were like coffee cups. When you first go to the store to purchase a cup, it is smooth and clean inside. However, over time and use, there are stains which build up and tiny little cracks that sometimes appear and yet we still go back to that cup time after time and accept it just as it is.

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GRACE STORIES

Have you ever felt accepted although you thought you were unacceptable or received a gift you did not feel you have unearned? That is grace. So tell us your grace story1.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Today may we allow God to float us towards our ultimate destination.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Grace is when the difficult becomes easy, the pieces all fall into place for unexplained reasons, and when clarity replaces confusion or concern.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May we practice grace with others as others have practiced grace with us.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May we each have the courage to practice grace under pressure.

Song of the Week

And all these years you've carried me
You've been my eyes when I could not see
And beauty grows in the driving rain
Your ode of gladness in the times of pain

This is what grace is about. When we help others just because we are practicing grace

http://inspiritual.biz/inspiritual-song-of-the-week1/

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

May we practice grace this month by accepting the unacceptable.