With Grace

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all of my Irish friends.

Today would have been my Grandma Natzke's 105th birthday, 

and memories of her have me thinking about grace.

Grace.

Love. 

Mercy.

Kindness. 

Clemency.

Compassion. 

Unearned favor.

Undeserved merit.

Is there anything you'd rather be saturated in right now? 

Like kindness, grace tends to have that boomerang effect.

The more we receive grace, the more we want to give grace.

To experience it with our whole heart.

Grace. 

Harmony for the soul.

Harmony. 

My one little word for 2015.

Little yet big.

Having enough. 

Being at peace.

Together.

Experiencing mercy.

And grace. 

In good times.

And in bad.

Grace for that child who loses his wallet.

Grace for that friend who just won't listen to you.

Grace for that sibling who drinks too much..

Grace for that adult who keeps letting you down.

Grace for that colleague who is always short with you.

Grace for that parent who hurt you.

Grace ... for yourself.

Undeserved.

Unmerited.

Unconditional.

On purpose.

Can you feel the harmony?

Is it well with your soul?

And if not, how can you increase the dose?

Grace. More than just a prayer you say before meals ...  

it's simply a beautiful way of life.

Circa 1990 with Aunt Norma, Grandpa and Grandma Natzke

So today, I'm grateful to a grandmother who showered us

with grace. And I'm smiling.