Link up here. The only rule, that I forgot to post last week, is you go to the person that linked up before you and encourage them in their writing. That's nice, isn't it? Encouragement. Love it. We all need it. We should offer it more often. IMHO.
Today's word is: Grace.
This is something I have struggled with my whole life. To me it means poised, elegant movement. I am the opposite of that for many reasons. I move too quickly, I have no balance, no muscle, I leap before I look, I wear awkward shoes, I was raised by a pack of very rude, clumsy wolves.
These sound like excuses, and mayhaps they are. I tell myself I have accepted these things about myself, probably because it is a lot easier to say you 'accept things about yourself,' rather than challenge yourself to do better, to try harder.
Paint it any color you like, but I also really like the way a woman I used to work with explained it:
"You can be graceful of spirit, even if you're clumsy of foot."
That's some heavy, medieval-sounding jive, right?
I know. She makes a great point though. She pointed out to me that I always try to help people, I try to be forgiving (if only because I've made oh-so-many mistakes myself,) and teach others about forgiveness. This is the grace of spirit. I absolutely beamed when she said that. It's amazing how sometimes a few words can stay with you forever. I always looked at myself like a big, clumsy oaf. This woman almost made me graceful with her explanation.
In my world, there will always be mistakes, you have humans you get human behavior. It's okay, their good usually outweighs their bad. Especially if they TRY.
Humans have always been mistake-makers. Since caveman days, when they used to club people, drag women by their hair (in cartoons anyway) and wear those tragic sleazy loin cloths. Come on guys, cover those 6-pack abs! We get it, you spend hours hunting buffalo, you're hot. Put some clothes on, pal, leave it to the imagination.
WHAT was I talking about, Willis? Oh yeah, Grace. So for me it means something different than it means for you.
I will try to teach my girls to be graceful of spirit. Not just because I can't teach them to be poised young ladies, which I do TRY to do. I put them in pretty dresses, even though I'm a tomboy at heart. I want them to find their own way, not my way. (Hopefully their aunts will help with that!)
More important to me, I strive to teach them to be graceful of spirit. To be helpful, to share, to give of themselves to this world, and to forgive other people in it. Those things mean grace to me.
What does it mean to you?
Unique Perspective on Grace. It is hard for everyone yes I admit even for me. YEt God shows and works through us to help us with Grace. Sarah coming over from The Hope Journey.
ReplyDeleteHello, nice to "meet" you.
DeleteTime was UP before I got to this, but just yesterday was Halloween. Both of my girls were princesses. My older had a beautiful, sparkly dress her aunt bought her. I hemmed up the bottom because it hit the ground, and my sister & I thought it would be easier for her and not trip her that way.
ReplyDeleteAfter I hemmed it, I put the dress on her and was overcome by how beautiful she looked, so natural in this sparkly, gorgeous dress I could never imagine myself trying to wear. SHE looked right in it. I could not believe in that moment that THIS beautiful girl, this princess, was MY daughter. Then she tried to walk, tripped over the dress, fell down and laughed. Then she said "Can I take this off now?" YEP, she's MINE! Thank the universe, too! I adore her so very much. All of my struggling-with-physical-grace children!
I love this! I have always wanted to be poised and elegant but I usually miss it by a mile. But, the idea that we can have a graceful spirit and be gracious to those around us is encouraging, right?
ReplyDeleteGrace, to me, is this amazing concept that I am constantly trying to learn more about. The idea that God showers me with special consideration that I don't deserve and can't possibly earn. That He looks at me today right where I am and sees me lovingly and blesses me with his presence and guidance is amazing. That I am able to have this grace for others no matter who they are or what they do is so exciting.
I loved the post:) I am so glad you joined Five Minute Friday today:)
I am falling IN LOVE with 5 Minute Friday! It's a total re-boot to everything that weighs me down and keeps me from writing in my weeks lately. Plus the people are SO AMAZINGLY supportive. LOVE love LOVE. I'm not a spiritual person, like at all, but unlike when I was younger I know now that you can learn a lot from people with different beliefs. Beyond tolerance is acceptance, all people all walks of life.
DeleteGreat post! So real and down to earth. I have always seen grace the way you described it at the beginning of your post. Until more recently. I'm trying hard now to grasp the other meaning of grace. Glad I found you through FMF. Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteI liked that her words made me feel GOOD, even about something I struggle with. We all struggle with SOMETHING. Me? A LOT of things :)
DeleteI'm so glad I found you, and 5MF! I saw it on "Moms Don't Say That" and this is only my 2nd time. Crushing on it, hard.
YES! I love that saying and will have to make it my new mantra. Thanks for sharing this linkup!
ReplyDeleteYours and mine both! I'm glad you like the concept, I needed this in my life.
DeleteJoy, this is a great post! I love your sense of humor and your definition of grace.
ReplyDeleteLots of love,
Melody
Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it, not many are fans of Caveman Shaming. We should stick together.
Delete"You can be graceful of spirit, even if you're clumsy of foot." is a great quote. The way i see it is a person who appears graceful might not actually show grace. There definitely is a distinction of the physical and spiritual definition of grace.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog!