I’m new at this….this blog thing. I’ve heard of Mommy bloggers, and Self-help bloggers but I’m not really sure where I fit into the whole blogging equation. So bear with me. I think I’m a Grace blogger…someone who has been discovering the meaning of grace and who has always been a “wanna be” writer. I’d love for what I write to be important to someone, even if it’s just for me to journal what I’m learning but I hope it makes a difference in the world to someone. Maybe that someone is me. Maybe my kids. Maybe my grandkids – whenever they come along.
I think what defines this blog is that its going to be filled with stories of flub ups, admissions of my flaws, my discoveries, my joys, my utter failures, my BGD moments (that’s BIG GIANT DUH), my learning experiences, the funny moments (trust me, there are many), the blessings and the on-going transformation that’s hopefully taking place in my life. I’m a recovering Pharisee and I want to be transformed to a follower of Christ. I’m still in process – it’s a journey. And don’t you just love it that God is patient with people like me? Geez Louise….if He had dealt with me as I deserved…whew…we’d all be in a heap of trouble. And that’s what this blog is all about. Grace. The grace that He extends and that we spend a lifetime searching for.
In case you aren’t familiar with the concept of grace…here’s the Kris definition: “getting something (usually that is for our benefit) that we don’t deserve“. The cousin of grace is mercy. The Kris definition of mercy is: not getting something (usually bad) that we deserve“. It’s kind of important to understand the difference between the two if you’re going to journey along with me on this adventure.
Just to clear a few things up….I’m not an academic theologian, although I am a theologian. Anyone who follows Christ is a theologian. And trust me – no one will remember me as someone who put words together well necessarily. But I hope they’ll remember me as a truth teller – not the kind of truth telling that completely bulldozes people around you with the truth (“you DO know that outfit makes you look fat, don’t you”?) causing tons of collateral damage. Nope, I hope people will remember me just as a gal that was honest about struggling to find a faith in the face of the prolific spiritual community that has often given God a bad name. I call it “real” Christianity. Real faith in the midst of a real world with real problems and real life. There’s ____ that happens (fill in your own noun…mine started with a “c”) and I think those around me are more apt to be interested in conversation about how a sinner who happens to be saved muddles through life than that of a pious know-it-all who seems to have it all together. I definitely don’t have it all together, but it might be fun to come along with me for this ride.
So, as I’ve journeyed, there were some definite “Ah HA” moments where I finally “got it”. Where I started to “get” grace. That’s the point of this blog. And as I’ve begun to piece those moments together I thought I’d write them down in case someone else might benefit from my journey and save themselves some bumps and bruises. I dunno….we’ll see how it goes. It’s my hope that you catch a glimpse and fragrance of Christ and His grace as we hang out here together.
The Grace That Shapes My Life 