Grace Unplugged

 

Day 7 - Grace Unplugged

 

Today I had a great mom/daughter date with my eldest daughter. After church we changed into casual clothes and tried out the new Panera Bread. The really great thing about having church at 9 and Sunday School at 10 is that we are out by 11ish and can eat out without having to wait in line. I had heard good things about their mac & cheese, and I was not disappointed. The bread it came with was tasty as well, and my daughter enjoyed her sandwich.

Our movie theater is connected to our mall, so we did a little shopping before going to a movie. So far, I'm not impressed with the fall clothing offerings. Neither was my daughter. I'm hoping the stores we didn't yet go to have something that's more my style.

We then saw Grace Unplugged. We both enjoyed the movie and thought it was well-done. As a parent of a daughter who is not much younger than Grace in the movie, I was thankful for the reminder to be gradually relinquishing my daughter to God.

 I also was struck by how much grief and pain the characters could have saved themselves had they truly sought to listen to and understand each other rather than just trying to convince each other that they were right. I want to be a mom, a wife, a friend that doesn't let my own fears and insecurities keep me from really hearing the hearts and hopes and dreams of those closest to me. And I want to encourage them and help them achieve their God-given dreams, even when I don't share those dreams. Even if I wish God would give them different dreams. Because I know that God doesn't give me the power to choose their dreams, but He has given me the ability to either crush or nurture those dreams. May I always be a nurturer and not a naysayer!

Saturday Graces

 

 Day 6 - Saturday Graces

A list of Saturday moments of grace:

* Attending Paul's nephew's wedding, which Paul officiated

* Shopping with my eldest daughter

* Watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as a family while eating Chick-Fil-A

* Having a new insight about a familiar passage I was studying 

* Another Baylor victory

* Watching Alias with my older girls

Grace That Is Greater Than All My Feelings

 

Day 5 - Grace That Is Greater Than All My Feelings

Today is one of those days where my grace is just getting through the day. I don't know why today was as difficult as it has been. Nothing bad happened. In fact, several good things happened. My body and my feelings are just a little off today. 

Sometimes I know I need to learn to accept the days when my emotions get all worked up over losing a power cord. (Yes, that did happen today.) God doesn't love me any less when I feel blah or feel bad or even those days where I feel nothing. His love for me is not tied to my emotions or even to my obedience. 

So, as I close out this day, I can do so with hope, knowing that His mercies are new every morning. Even if my emotions get in the way of seeing them. 

Grace for the Dance

 

Day 3 -Grace for the Dance

 Today I finally finished sewing the ribbons and elastics on my twins' new pointe shoes! With my limited sewing ability, I consider this a victory. I remember being shocked when, after buying my eldest her first pair of pointe shoes, I realized that the ribbons and elastic are sold separately. And that the ballerina (or her mom!) has to sew them on herself! I thought that for as much money as I paid for those shoes, they should come fully assembled with no sewing required.

Of course, now I realize that not having the ribbons and elastics attached allows each dancer to get the right fit. But I still don't enjoy the hand sewing. I just can't seem to make a knot that actually stays. Every time I think I've got it worked out, I see that I don't.

I am thankful for the little sewing ability I do have to sew their shoes. And I really thankful my eldest daughter has learned to sew her own ribbons and elastics! 

I see how ballet and our particular ballet school is such a gift from God. Ballet classes teach my three ballerinas things I don't always emphasize at home: discipline, perseverance, hard work. My girls also have developed grace, poise, confidence, and a stronger ability to take constructive criticism. For my girls, ballet is grace upon grace.

A Little Drama

 

Day 3 - A Little Drama

Today after I dropped off 2 daughters at church and another at ballet, as I was driving to Little Caesar's for our gourmet dinner,  I saw this through my windshield. (As a responsible driver, I waited for a red light to take the picture!) In the midst of a busy day of teaching my girls and getting them where they all needed to go, I was able to stop for a moment and thank God for some unexpected beauty. 

After a quick trip home, I went up to our church's youth gathering to watch one of my twins in her debut on the youth drama team. She did a great job!  She knew her lines, spoke confidently, and was funny.  So, the speaking-in-public gene seems to be 6 for 6 in our family. 

I am so blessed to watch my two youngest transition from children to youth so gracefully. Even though they are often the youngest students at some of the events, they are involved and enthusiastic. I'm also excited to see how they are both desiring to deepen their walks with the Lord. 

When my eldest entered youth, I was pretty nervous, but with these two, I'm really comfortable. Maybe it's because we've navigated these waters before, Maybe it's because we're in a different place with a smaller group of kids and a youth minister I know personally. But mostly, I think God grows me along with my girls. God prepares all of us for their growth into adulthood. 

Today I see God's grace in His dramatic rainbows, in my daughters' dramatic pursuits, and in the lack of drama we're experiencing in the transition to youth.

The Grace of Memorizing God's Word

Day 2 -The Grace of Memorizing God's Word

Since today was the beginning of a new month, it was time to pick a verse for the Siesta Scripture Memory Team.  I find the accountability of having a set time frame for memorizing verses helps me to not put off learning more of God's Word.  (Although, for some reason, I have often had a crazy busy day on the actual dates and posted a day or three late!)

   

I searched for verses on grace, and this one really resonated with the theme of my 31 Days. I know I must have read these verses before, but they struck me anew today.  I love how John says God gives us grace upon grace through Jesus.  And it's all through His fulness not my own effort!

As I recount my daily grace upon graces, I count the encouragement of Beth Moore to memorize Scripture. And I am especially thankful that this year my eldest daughter is joining me in this journey! It's been great seeing her choose verses that address things she is dealing with and encouraging each other. 

Grace in the Moment

 Scroll down to read Day One's post. 

 Day 2 - The Grace of Memorizing God's Word

Day 3 - A Little Drama  

Day 4 - Grace for the Dance 

Day 5 - Grace That Is Greater Than All My Feelings

Day 6 - Saturday Graces  

Day 7 -  Grace Unplugged

Day 8 - Unstuck

Day 9 - The Grace of Pace 

Day 10 - I No Longer Have an ALIAS

Day 11 - Some First World Graces

Day 12 - Learning Thankfulness 

Day 13 - Grace in the Garden 

Day 14 - You Never Give Up on Me  

Day 15 - Reading Is Fundamental

Day 16 - The Cat's Meow

Day 17 - Linky Graces

 Day 18 - Strength for the Weary

Day 19 - Why I Can Trust God When Things Look Scary

Day 20 - Another Post in Which I Find Deep Spiritual Truths Via Yard Work

Day 21 - Quality Time

Day 22 - A Fabulous Compliment  

Day 23 - Wednesday Graces

Day 24 - Graceful Ponderings  

Day 25 - A Purrfect Service Project

Day 26 - The Grace of Celebrations 

Day 27 - Pumpkin Carving

Day 28 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow  

Day 29 - A Quiet Grace 

Day 30  - Of Photographs and Perspective

Day 31! - The Art of Being Present 

Day 1 - They like me! They really like me!

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things. ~ Rom. 8:32

This is one of my memory verses for Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team. I find it so easy to overlook the everyday graces God blesses me with each day. Sometimes those things just seem so small compared to the "big" graces - things like salvation, Heaven, the Bible. And sometimes I get so enmeshed with the activity of daily life that I miss the grace He gives me every day.  

This month I want to notice and recount the ways I see God's grace on a daily basis. I want to see the "all things" in Rom. 8:32. I don't want to forget how God is blessing me right now!

My grace in the moment today is the grace of having teen and preteen daughters who enjoy my company. This weekend I saw this in each of my girls. 

One teen liked having me hang out with her and her friend and watch a movie in her room while her sisters and their guests watched another movie. I love that she isn't embarrassed to hang out with Mom! 

My other teen shared a hurt she was experiencing. I treasure that she wants to tell me her troubles.  

 And on Sunday, Paul and I began teaching our preteens' Sunday School class. When we told them we would begin teaching their class, they were both so excited. I am so happy that they are proud that we are their teachers and tell us we are the best teachers ever.

I am so thankful for the great relationship I have with each of my daughters. I know that this isn't a given for any family, and I'm so glad God has graced me with this today.