Amazing Grace

Grace.
Definition - an undeserved gift from God.

You can say it's coincidence, but I'll call it providential how God's GRACE peaked in every aspect of my Saturday.

The morning began with a Women's Prayer Breakfast - bright, spring, fun colors, women of all ages, from grandmothers to granddaughters, dressed in their fashionable best, and fellowship and prayer on the itinerary.  I picked up the bulletin and was met with the verse of the hour from Ephesians 2:8 - "For it is be GRACE you have been saved through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift from God. . . . "  My good friends Kendra and Tomika opened the breakfast with an Amazing Grace medley, and it was lovely and perfect for the cheery occasion.



            I left the breakfast to head over to the sanctuary because there, opposite the women filled with light-hearted joy at the gift of God's grace, was a family in a completely different circumstance.  This family was mourning the loss of their infant daughter Emma who they were given 48 days to love before she left them to be with her heavenly father.  When I opened the funeral bulletin, I wasn't surprised that the first song was Amazing Grace.  How extraordinary that in joy or sorrow, we can sing about God's Grace and its "sweet sound that saves a wretch like me." This message that "His Grace will lead me home" is a comfort not only for us who are preparing for that day, but to the young mother who only through amazing grace, let her little girl be led home, even though she wanted her on earth with her.  When I gave this young mother a hug after the funeral, she said something to me that I don't think I will ever forget.  As I fumbled for words, she looked at me with her exhausted eyes, eyes that have seen too much in the past 48 days and said, "You don't have to say anything.  It's okay.  I'm at peace.  I really am.  I feel a calm.  She was a gift to us." And I can hardly stop crying to type her words, but I wanted them down.  I want every reader to know this faithful family, this family who has every right (in our opinion) to scream at God, understands God's amazing grace in the gift of their little Emma and in ways that her life and death will forever change them.

But my Saturday of Grace didn't stop there.  We prepared for the rest of the afternoon - retirement party, birthday party, baseball game and then the big dance recital we had been waiting for.  I hope to sneak in more pictures about the fantastic dance recital that I sat through twice (and would have sat through again because it was so good).  But I'll save that for another day.  

What I love about life is how is comes full circle - I sat down to look at my bulletin, and there on the cover was all I needed to bookend my day.

Full Of Grace.
Full - "my cup runneth over."
With Grace.
A Gift.
For you and for me.