A dear friend is dying. He is actually a friend of my mother's and she is terribly sad. Her heart breaks for his wife, who waits with his children while he prepares for his next journey and they stay behind to grieve and manage, somehow, without his presence. It is too late to call and talk about his life and who he has been in theirs. That time will come.

I don't know him well, having just barely gotten to visit at length on a late summer evening the night before we packed up my Mom's house and moved her away from her hometown. These were dear friends, who went to every Florida every fall, to play golf and enjoy the sun while Wyoming's winter raged and then to return to Wyoming in the spring. Their mountain home was always full of family and friends and they were the consummate host and hostess.

Though they lived outside of town, often a visit into the grocery store or to pick up a prescription would mean that mom would have a chance to have lunch or coffee and visit about the comings and goings of her children and theirs. They were caring and kind, and watched out for Mom as only old friends can.

I knew the wife better than the husband, but what I knew of him was a bit intimidating. He was a huge man and seemed to fill a room as he entered. It wasn't just his frame or his voice...it was the force of his personality. The phrase "large and in charge" was written with him in mind.

For all of that, I knew he was a generous individual and had a brilliant mind. The aforementioned evening allowed me to understand who he was and where he had come from in much more depth, and I admired his character and strength even more by the end of the night. That he will leave a legacy to his children, I have no doubt. I count it a grace of God that I got to know him, and to see a glimpse of the man who was not weakened by illness but still a force of nature.

Go with God dear one...till we can have dinner once more at a bigger table...maybe even built from logs :)

Timely Grace

I don't know what it is about resolutions. Somehow if I haven't accomplished every single one by the 15th of January I determine it isn't worth doing. And since I haven't done a great job of writing everyday I was about to conclude that blogging was not my thing!

Then a conversation occured between myself and my mom, (or should that be my mom and myself) where we discussed the concept of New Year's Resolutions. The conclusion we reached is that we put entirely too much emphasis on the NEW and not enough emphasis on the YEAR.
So one of my resolutions is to learn to knit socks. If I learn to knit socks in October of 2012 I will still have achieved my goal and taken a lot of pressure off myself in this moment. The same with learning Spanish, decluttering our garage and finding space in my craft room for my sewing machine.

Why did I just figure that out in my 54th year of life? I am blessed with time. In this place in my life God's abundance is clear. I know longer have the demands of small children or even teenagers. Schedules do dictate some of my day, but even those are supplemented by two other very self-sufficient people in my home.

I recognize that this gift of time also comes with an opportunity fritter away the moments by surfing websites, playing games on the internet or watching a television program with no redeeming value. I want more from life than to be a casual observer where the soul is unengaged and unfulfilled.

My grace note for today is the recognition that God's gift of time is mine to use...but use it responsibly and most importantly, pursuing relationship with those He has placed in my life.
If I get that part priority, whatever else I learn or accomplish will be in its proper place.

Today's lesson in grace was more about being gracious. My mom needed to get her car licensed in Utah. We started the process before Christmas and just needed to take the title back in to complete the process. With all the comings and goings of family and friends at Christmas it did not get accomplished. But she has not mentioned it or complained...giving me a lesson in graciousness.

The last time we went to the motor vehicle office it was jammed and we waited quite a bit for our turn. Not today. Ten minutes. In. Out. Done!

So we had time to stop at our new favorite place to go, ( a grocery store of all places), had coffee, shopped, laughed and just so enjoyed being with one another. We enjoyed the sunshine and found a bargain on thank you notes. She helped me match papers at the craft store for a project I am working on and we debated the pros and cons of dress shirts for my brother.

And through it all I felt loved and cherished...and in the presence of grace.

Grace note one

Blogging when you profess to be a writer should be a no-brainer, but I have to say that few things have intimidated me as much as this. For starters I do not want to be on anyone's to do list, least of all my own. I would like to contribute to the quality of my reader's life. I want this to be a positive and uplifting place.

I also want to explore more about grace: who gets it, why, when and how? Who gives it and once again, why, when and how?

I am recognizing the place that grace has an act of kindness freely given is abundant in my life and for today that is what I am acknowledging. My sweetheart, Dave, bringing me coffee in the morning. My precious Mom willing to help with the most mundane tasks. My friend, Claudia, cutting paper for cards. Grace notes in the song of my life...what are yours today?