Several years ago, my friend Joan told me about a Catholic priest who wrote a lot about grace. This particular author was one of her favorites, and he quickly became one of mine as well. His name is Fr. Richard Rohr.

Now I will admit that some of his writings go a little over my head. His thinking is on a higher spiritual level than I have achieved. However, I am always moved by his words and take something away every time I read anything from him.

I was completely overjoyed to find that Richard Rohr has an active presence on Twitter. (I’m sure Twitter will be it’s own grace post some time this year… more to come.) Anyway, I came across this ‘tweet’ from a couple days ago…

“We are not the pure wine, but merely a wineglass. We never ‘master’ love but we are the lovely vessels through which love pours and spills.”

If you’re like me… you’ll have to read that over and over again before it really sinks in. What a beautiful image and concept. And what a wonderful image of grace.

I have to admit, I’ve been a little nervous (especially after the trying week I’ve had) about finding content for this blog. But after reading this I was not only I touched by the words, I was wonderfully relieved when I realized that I can tap into the wisdom of Richard Rohr on my journey to understand and appreciate grace this year.

Win-Win

For those of you interested in Fr. Rohr you can follow him on Twitter at: @RichardRohrOFM

I helped Sierra deliver some of her delicious cupcakes to an event in Modesto today.  There were 150 pretty, pink sweet treats that will be enjoyed at a benefit dinner.  These particular cupcakes are my new favorite.  Even the aroma from these was intoxicating.  I’ve eaten several of the “ugly” ones and have a few extras left for tomorrow.

I keep telling Sierra that this little side business is not her real job.  Sometimes I feel like she spends much too much time and energy in making these cupcakes.  I’m constantly asking her if she’s charging enough to even cover her expenses.  She always assures me that she does.

She said to me that she enjoys doing this so much, she’s not co concerned about the money.  As long as she covers her expenses she’ll do it just for the enjoyment.  It occurred to me that she just defined what it takes to be successful.  If you can turn a profit from doing something you love, you have achieved success.

Every time I learn one of these little life lessons, I consider it a gift.  Learning these things from your child is really a grace filled moment.  It’s a difficult thing to admit when your children surpass you in intelligence and common sense.  I always knew they were extraordinary, but I’m only beginning to realize their potential.  Sierra has always been responsible and mature… Who knew she’d be a good example and role model to her mother?

Day 27 of the Amazing Grace blog… and I’m stuck. It’s been a really crappy week and quite frankly, I’m finding myself hosting a bit of a pity party. One of the things I’m learning (very quickly) is that it’s difficult to experience grace when you’re feeling sorry for yourself.

I know that the grace is still there… all around me, just waiting to be appreciated. But for me it’s difficult to access when I’m too focused on everything that’s wrong instead of the blessings.

This is not rocket science. It’s similar to my struggle with diet. I know (intelligence) that the formula to lose weight is to consume less calories than I burn. Simple math. Very, simple math. I feel (emotions) like eating a cupcake. So I have two. Therein lies the problem.

We get in trouble when we let our emotions control our behavior. Emotions are unpredictable and unreliable. They can be influenced by hormones, health and even the weather. I’m learning very quickly that they can also be a barrier to experiencing grace. And that just doesn’t seem worth it.

I’ve always considered my love of reading a special gift. Not only did this make school much easier, it has been a source of entertainment and a relaxing hobby.

In the last few years, I’ve discovered that reading does so much more for me than just past the time. I’ve come to realize that it is my ultimate escape from reality. When I am focused on a really good story, I cannot think of anything else. It is as though the world melts away… or at least goes on pause.

I know for some, exercise provides the same kind of relief. I wish it were so for me. (Perhaps I have not tried it enough…?) I think if I had the same kind of physiological reduction of stress when I was working out as I do when I was reading, I might stick with it a bit longer.

For now, I have my trusty Kindle. When I don’t have a new book to keep my interest, I can always go back to my favorites and that’s what I’m going to do tonight.

One of the best investments I ever made was purchasing the extended warranty on my washer and dryer in 2007. I could complain that they’ve been out to repair it at least 5 times and it’s still not fixed, but there are two bright spots: A) They still work and B) I don’t have to pay a thing.

If I were to add up all of the service calls and parts that have been purchased trying to fix the error code, we would be well over $1,000. All I’ve really had to sacrifice is my time and patience waiting on the repair man to figure it out. I’m going to focus on the positive and look on the bright side. It’s a lot more fun over there.

I tend to take blessings and grace for granted. It’s not until I stop and actually focus on gratitude and appreciation (or until I need something) that I realize that it (or they) have been there all along. Today was one of those days. When I look around at the people in my life I can’t help but be thankful for all the support they offer to me on a constant basis. I count my friends, family, the people I work with and volunteer with as some of my greatest treasures.

We all screw up on occasion. Mistakes happen… even to the best of us. (Some of us more than others perhaps, but regardless… it happens.) It’s easy to tell others not to beat themselves up, but we sure do a good job of it when we’re the ones who cause the problem.

I made an honest mistake a few months ago and I’m still trying to clean up the mess. I take full responsibility for what I did and have tried to make it right. The grace in this situation comes from all of the support that I’ve received from family and friends who are working with me to help remedy the situation. I have people around me offering emotional support as well as real solutions to the problem. They are helping to clean up the mess I created, and for that I am truly grateful.

My family, friends, co-workers and fellow volunteers are some of the best people I know. They really are the A-Team – First String – Varsity Squad! I’m sure glad their on my side, because I’m bound to mess up again… eventually.

I’m finding myself a bit perplexed at the negative outlash towards San Francisco 49er Kyle Williams regarding his performance at yesterday’s game. I’m not really defending the guy… who knows why he played the way he did. Maybe it was lack of talent, maybe it was poor preparation… I don’t know. Furthermore, I don’t care. Actually, I’m not at all concerned with Kyle Williams. My frustration is directed towards those who feel a need to berate or punish him over his actions. Now, to hear that he is receiving death threats, I really question our societies sanity when it comes to sports.

Immediately following the game the flood gates of negative comments filled my Twitter feed and Trending Topics. It was the top trend again this morning. Really? This is what we talked about for 12+ hours in row…?

I’d like to think I have a balanced perspective on life and the things I enjoy. While I LOVE football… I can’t imagine spending this much effort on my disappointment for the events of one particular player, in one particular game. Now, I have to admit, I’ve pouted over losses. (Read back in my blog and you’ll find my whining.) But I understand the game. The outcome could be different each and every time. That’s why they keep playing. Part of the wonder of sports is the opportunity to improve and prove performance. It’s a test… and as fans… many of us fail.

But instead of being angry, I’m disappointed and sad. I feel sorry for those who take it so personally that they derive no joy from just watching two excellent teams compete. There is value in the effort and it is by grace that I am able to appreciate.

Yes, I love Twilight and I’m not afraid to admit it. I read the books (all of them) in about 10 days a few years ago. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about, and I was hooked. While the movies are not nearly as good as the books, they are still entertaining.

Today, I hosted 3 good friends for a Twilight Marathon where we watched all three movies (available on DVD) in a row. We did this to review the movies with one of our friends who is new to the series. We guilted her into watching the movies so she knew what we were talking about (after the release of Breaking Dawn Part 1 last fall.)

While I probably could tell you about the grace I have experienced from the Twilight Series (I do credit them for helping to heal me of a respiratory infection I had while I was reading the books) I will focus on real gift. The gift of friendship.

These four, faithful friends have been hanging out with me for about 15 years. Our daughters went to grammar school together. We meet most every month, usually for dinner out at a restaurant. Sometimes these dinners last several hours because we can’t stop talking. I treasure their friendship and enjoy their company.

Next month we’re going to conclude the series when the 4th movie is released on DVD. This just keeps getting better.

Today we were graced with an opportunity to help feed the hungry. For 2 hours, we joined other members of the Hilmar community and packed meals to be distributed by the organization Feed My Starving Children. The non-profit organization was founded in 1987. Faced with the reality that nearly 18,000 children die EACH DAY from starvation or starvation-realted causes, this Christian group partners with missionaries around the world to distribute the food they pack in orphanages, schools and relief centers.

The work was simple and fun. Each bag contains 6 meals. The ingredients are put into the bags, they are weighed, sealed and boxed up for shipping. Just a simple assembly line. We had approximately 230 volunteers in our session. There were lots of familiar faces but some strangers as well. We all had a common goal. In two hours, we packed enough meals to feed 133 children for 1 year. Not bad for just 2 hours of a simple task.

Amazing things happen when people come together to help others. If you ever get a chance to volunteer with this program, I highly recommend it. You will walk away feeling as though you made a difference.

To find out more about this program, visit their website at www.fmsc.org.