Looking back over the past year, I would say this is a year of growth and learning.
At 44, (which I do have to calculate on the regular, since I can NEVER remember how old I am - please tell me I am not the only one!) I amazed at how much I have learned and grown.
So, let's talk about Grace. What is Grace? According to the Oxford dictionary one definition of grace is courteous goodwill.
This year for me has been a year of grace. Grace in lots of different contexts: giving grace, accepting grace, the lack of grace, and the "grace imposter".
This year is a year that I am truly thankful for. I have truly taken the time to examine myself - my beliefs, my prejudices, my value, my worth, my biases, and who I truly am as a person and as a Child of God.
I have spent most of my life, wanting to be accepted and loved, as I think that most of us have. I have also lived most of my life being a person who did my best to accept and love everyone. Maybe that is why it is so difficult for me to understand why everyone isn't that way - why everyone can't just love and accept.
I also want to clarify that this blog isn't directed towards anyone and is just part of my journey and my personal growth. It is also intended to be helpful when it comes to grace. You see although I have always tried to live my life being loving and accepting to all - I truly wasn't 100%. After looking at myself critically, the person who tried to love and accept everyone I realized I had more biases than I thought. That is hard to admit. Does it make me a bad person? I don't think so, because it has given me room to grow. I have grown SO much this past year and am still growing and for that I am thankful.
Here are a few things that I know about Grace. These are just my thoughts.
1. Giving grace can be easy.
2. Giving grace can be hard.
3. Giving grace doesn't cost a thing.
4. When people extend grace to you, you feel loved, you feel heard.
5. Stretching yourself to give grace to others, even when you don't understand, helps you grow.
Recently, I was listening to a podcast, Get Your Teach On with Hope & Wade King while on a walk.
Anyway, I have found that listening to podcasts truly helps make my daily walks more bearable. I have also found that the @GetYourTeachOnPodcast is one of my favorites! Okay so let's get back on track here. For reference, in case you want to listen for yourself, it's podcast 41 with Daniel Patterson.
During my walk, I took out my phone and typed lots of take aways from that podcast. That in itself is a great feat, if you know me you know I am not graceful. Which is an entirely different type of grace which means to have or show grace or elegance. Basically, the opposite of what I am. I am the definition of clumsy and uncoordinated!
Here are three things that stick with me:
"You don't have to live it to show empathy for it."
It is impossible to extend grace without listening.
Receiving someone's narrative, or story, and understanding someone's truth does not mean that you have to agree with it, but you validate them, their truth and experiences when you listen and extend grace.
After this podcast I was floored. This was just what I needed to hear! Imagine if everyone heard these three things!
So there it is! My soapbox on grace!
Until next time...
Do your best to extend grace - you never know who needs it and the difference it can make.
