FYI

Please note that tomorrow is my sabbath from writing a blog.
MON -WED I will be on a business trip and may not have access to internet. Although there will not be posts, I will continue to engage grace in the world around me.

Genesis 12

..."Get out of your country, from your kindred and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you."
I had coffee (tea) and yummy goodies with a group of people who came from Germany during or after the WWII. Some fled, others were displaced persons; all have stories that are incomprehensible to many of us. After WWII, Canada Lutheran World Relief was organized -as a Lutheran response to a world in chaos, by bringing displaced persons and refugees(many of Lutheran heritage) to Canada. At the time, it took a lot of hard work to convince individual Canadian churches and commuities to welcome these new immigrants.
Today Canada Lutheran World Relief still brings refugees to Canada, but the places of origin are different. Presently many are from the continent of Africa. It is taking a lot of hard work to convince individual Canadians, the governement, and communities to welcome these new immigrants.
I was graced to be in the presence of a room full of people who have experienced far more than I can imagine -or ever want to experience. I was graced by their wisdom, strength, and the community they share with each other.
As an outside, I was embraced, included, spoken to in English -although when together they like to speak German, they asked about my story. I was graced to be fully part of a community to which others would say I do not belong. Today I belonged.
May I be a gracious supporter of all who feel excluded and in some way help to bring more immigrants to Canada so I can experience grace through them.

Genesis 11

...now the whole earth had one language and the same words...
The gracefilled language I was part of today, and I think it is fairly universal...at least in the communities I have encountered...was the language of the tea party. Nikki, 4 years old, made a group of adults imaginary tea. The tea was served in brightly coloured plastic cups with matching saucers, on which there were imaginary sandwiches, followed by imaginary gingerbread. Nikki not only graciously served us, she also did the dishes. She had such joy in inviting us to tea and serving us. There were please and thank-yous all the way around.

Imagine how gracefilled the world would be, if we all played in the world the same way we act at imaginary tea when offered by a 4 year old.

Genesis 10

...These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. ...
From one generation to the next a lot of things change. My grandparents would never have thought about Blackberries, blogs, or computers. Grace came in other inventions -running water, toilets, telephones, and toaster ovens.
Today I looked into getting a Blackberry, with hopes of entering the world of mobile blogging and tweeting theological thoughts. I realize that there is a vast universe where grace can be seen, expressed, or experienced. I would like to be part of this world.
In learning about mobile devices, I found grace today in thinking about other grace-filled inventions: inventions that have encourageed communication and thus relationship, those that gift us with time so we can go about loving others or spend time in leisure activities, those that create healthier environments.

Genesis 9

...and you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it...
Enough multiplying already. Math was never my forte; neither was the idea of mulitplying the population. My husband and I have been "graced" by three adopted children. Grace is in quotations because sometimes it is hard to feel grace with 3 teenagers and 2 adults sharing space. There is however, something to be said for sharing space with others -there are moments when the littlest action is gigantic grace. Last night my son brought on one of those moments, he offered to start making supper while I finished up some work that needed to be done. That moment of grace almost made me cry...and it made him cry too as he chopped up the cooking onions.

Genesis 8

...then Noah waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more...
I experienced grace today while playing cards -bridge to be exact- with three senior women who have been playing most of their lives. I am just learning to play bridge.
There were times when I did not know what to bid, or which cards to play. I know I made lots of mistakes but, the grace was found in them letting me make mistakes so that I could learn. They didn't get annoyed or upset. I never thought that I would like playing bridge -I use to think it stuffy -but there is grace in learning something new. In fact I love playing bridge. I wonder how long one stays a beginner and thus can bask in offered grace?

Genesis 7

the rain fell on the earth for forth days and forty nights
I have always liked heavy rain and snowstorms.  They offer a great excuse to sit inside snuggled in a blanket, with a cup of tea, cat at ones' feet, book in hand.  Yesterday, I decided to take a sabbath rest from posting on the blog.  Rest is a form of Grace.

Yesterday I was at a 90+ birthday party for 8 people (the oldest person 98, with others 97, 96 and the rest young ones in their early 90's.  The grace these people share is amazing.  Thankful beyond belief.  Wise in an abundant number of ways.  The birthday celebrations remind me that one can age gracefully with a little bit of work and some help from your friends.

Genesis 6

...And the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart....
By grace humankind is on the earth today. I never really understood such passages until I had children. By grace they are still alive ... perhaps it was because on the day of trouble they were just so dog-on cute, or perhaps polite, or over the top apologetic, or smart enough to leave the house for the day.
When I failed -acted human- grace was still present.
What a relief to engage in a world where grace is present, despite my failings.

Genesis 5

...all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God then he was no more, becasue God took him.
Today there were times when I though it would be wonderful to just be taken (cold and wicked sinus headache, burning eyes -not much grace seen here).
As the day wore on, and after a long winter nap -heavenly, Tim and I went out for supper and to the theatre. We ran into some good friends whom we had not seen for a long time. The warmth and friendship exchanged with these friends was the grace moment I experienced today.
I was so uplifted my cold didn't seem so bad...well not so now...off to bed.

Genesis 4

Then the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him.
Last night was Ash Wednesday service; a service that is one of confession.
There is grace to be found in setting aside time to make confession.
The service from the Evangelical Worship Book includes the following....
We confess:
"Our self-indulgent appetites and ways, and our exploitation of other people."
"Our neglect of human need and suffering, and our indifference to injustice and cruelty."
"Our false judgements, our uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbours, and our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us."
"Our waste and pollution of your creation, and our lack of concern for those who come after us."

There is such grace in hearing the Word, "You are forgiven." We do not hear these words enough. Luther says, that human beings have been given these words of grace to share with others.
Being GRACE in the world is proclaiming to others the Word: "Your sins are forgiven."
I can work on this.

Genesis 3

" Did God really say, 'You must not eat fruit from any tree in the garden?"
Today is a day full of rules. It has snowed...at least a foot over night. The city bylaws want it removed within a certain time frame. If it is not removed, one gets a warning, bylaw officers take pictures, and they come back in 12-24hrs. This is the GRACE period before you get a ticket ($200+).

Now don't mis-understand me, I love shovelling snow. It is even better when it was like today, light and fluffy, and the kids were able to help because school was cancelled.

I encountered grace this morning in a young man who had decided to ride a bicycle to wherever it was that he needed to go. It was early enough that police were advising no one to drive, and buses where taking bizarre routes to avoid impassible places. The young man had a beautiful smile as he came down the sidewalk that my family were in the process of finishing. He said, "Thank-you, for shovelling your sidewalk!"
It made it all worthwhile. As much as I enjoy shovelling snow, I was getting tired, and then I began to think why does the city have to bylaw snow removal in a timely manner...(rules, blah). But the answer, is grace. It was grace to hear the words, "Thank-you".

Genesis 2

"thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array..."
I believe that there is grace in the completion of a project. After hard work, perseverence, and expended creative energy -the final piece is grace in itself. Grace is built in.
When I knit prayer shawls, the time and prayers, added to the stitches makes a gift of love -a God embrace for someone else.
I also feel a sense of grace when one activity comes to an end because that means a new beginning. That is always exciting!

In the beginning...

In the beginning...
...the blog page was a formless void and white space covered the face of the screen...