Surprised By Grace

I was on my way home from making a quick trip to the store for a grocery pickup order and was stopped at a traffic light with a couple dozen other cars. I was only a few blocks away from my home. And then it happened. 

In a moment that felt both like the blink of an eye and also slow-motion, my foot slipped off of the brake pedal and momentarily refused to cooperate with my brain. As I struggled unsuccessfully to get my foot back on the brake, all I could do was watch my car rolling closer and closer to the car ahead of me. I was helpless as I said “No, no, no” and heard the crunch that stopped my car from rolling. I said a quick prayer for God to help me through the next few minutes that I knew would be awkward.

The driver of the car I hit jumped out of his car and uttered some form of expletive, then motioned for us to cross over the lane next to us to reach a small parking lot. I nodded and followed him over. I didn’t plan what happened next, but as I turned my car off and started to exit my vehicle, I began to tear up. I don’t usually cry easily, but I guess my body just reacted spontaneously to the reality of being the only party responsible for what had just happened. 

My first words to the thirty-or-forty-something man with a broken accent were, “I’m so sorry, sir.” As I prepared to take pictures of the damage with my phone, he asked me, “What were you doing? Were you on your phone?” To which I replied with a wavering voice through my tears, “No, I was not on my phone. My foot slipped off the brake pedal, and I couldn’t get my foot to work fast enough to stop the car. I’m old, and sometimes my feet don’t work right.”

The innocent man started examining the damage to his vehicle (at least one dent), and after a minute he said, “You know what?” I said, “What?” And that’s when he spoke words I wasn’t expecting to hear: “I forgive you.” My response was, “Are you kidding?” He repeated, “I forgive you.” And I persisted, “Are you sure?” He quietly said, “Yes, you have a good rest of your day.” Shocked, I muttered something like, “Thank you . . . bless you!” And then he got in his car and drove away. 

I returned to my car and immediately was overwhelmed with both tears and the realization that I had just encountered grace – both from a stranger and from God. And I was reminded of how God’s forgiveness is a free gift and how God’s grace is unexpected and unmerited . . . and yet generously poured out on all who choose to fully trust him. 

I would have preferred to not have this recent experience, but I am grateful for the opportunity to once again be made aware of God’s love and care for me and his gift of grace that I first trusted when I was just a child. As I drove the rest of the way home, I prayed that God would bless the young man who had chosen to bless me . . . and that he would have the opportunity to know and trust the God I love in the future if he has not already made that choice. Grace truly is an amazing thing!

Celebrating What I Lack

Naturally creative people always amaze me. That’s probably because I am not one of them. 

Some people think I am creative because I’m a musician. I can learn complicated music and play or sing it well. Back in my worship team days, I could listen to orchestrated music on a recording and use my keyboards and the written piano music to replicate the sounds on the recording, adding orchestral depth to the finished performance. But I don’t write songs, and my fellow worship team members were fully aware of my inability to produce an ad lib solo of any kind. I was known for my ability to produce perfectly practiced spontaneity!

Others think that I must be creative because I am a writer. But again, what I write can best be described as teaching or devotional in nature, reflecting study and deep thinking but not creativity. I regurgitate facts and experiences and look for practical applications. Creative people write stories as their minds wander to places my mind has never been. 

That’s why creativity always catches me off guard and amazes me. It’s something that feels other-worldly to me because it rarely graces the world where my mind lives. Maybe that’s why I love taking photos of the natural world – a highly diverse place developed in the mind of the original Creator. Spring and summer in the Pacific Northwest where I live are especially filled with wonderful colors and long hours of light each day. How blessed we are to see God’s creativity on display 365 days a year! 

I never get tired of seeing what God has made, and I never get tired of seeing the creativity he has planted in many of the people I come in contact with. We humans have truly been “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God! And I’m so glad that he chose to make each of us unique with different but equally important qualities – all made in his image, each reflecting some of the many facets of his nature. Which is why we members of his body all need each other . . . to help us know God better and see who he is more clearly, and to shine his light into the world in our own unique ways.

Seeing With New Eyes

 

My eyes have needed correction for distance vision since I was nine years old, which means I have worn glasses or contact lenses for most of my life. The aging process usually carries with it the slow deterioration of many body parts and bodily functions; but I recently experienced a very positive outcome to one of these inevitable changes.

Although I have an aversion to having anyone touch my eyes and can’t even put drops in my eyes very successfully, the time had come to have cataract surgery in order to improve my vision – which was no longer able to be fully corrected with glasses. I had a lot of fear but desperately wanted to see better, so I went reluctantly to the surgery appointment for my right eye. I didn’t enjoy the surgery (which, FYI, you are fully awake for!), but my ride home was amazing. Everything was bright and very clear; and the difference between my two eyes was like night and day. 

Over the next two weeks before the surgery for my left eye, I was continuously surprised at how dim and yellowish everything looked through my remaining eye compared to the bright clarity in the other eye. It reminded me of the apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” More on that in a minute. 

As the second surgery day arrived, I still was not looking forward to the procedure itself; but I had high hopes and expectations for what the end result would be. And therein was the problem. When the surgery was over, my vision was bright but was not clear; and my eye was very irritated. I had pain every time I blinked. When I woke up the next day, nothing had changed; and my discouragement was palpable at the follow-up appointment with the doctor, who assured me things would improve. By evening there was pain with every minute movement of my eyeball. I went to bed with my expectations shattered and my hope crushed. 

I am happy to report that things were completely different when I awakened the next morning . . . the pain was gone, and my vision was 20/20 in both eyes. No more distance vision correction for me! I was reminded again (as many times before) the role of hope in our lives and the sometimes disastrous ramifications of misguided expectations. Trusting God involves properly placing our hope in him and remembering that what he has planned often far exceeds our human expectations.

And I am encouraged through this hands-on experience to remember that everything we currently see is dim and lacks clarity compared to what it will be like when we see God face to face in heaven. We think we know a lot about how the world works, but we only know part of the picture right now. Thankfully, God knows the whole story and is sovereign over it all. I’m so grateful that he loves me and can be fully trusted! 

Prayers for a New Leader

 

I am not a Catholic, and I don’t usually pay much attention to who the Pope is or what he has to say. As a Protestant, I do not believe that the bureaucracy and hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church through the centuries has been entirely Biblical. But as a Christian believer, I have come to understand that I cannot just ignore what happens at the Vatican.

That’s because, whether I like it or not, for billions of people around the world (both followers and onlookers) the Catholic Pope represents all of Christianity and what it stands for. People everywhere look to him to make moral, social, and spiritual decisions for them and to guide their views on politics and world affairs. Even though I don’t adhere to all of the tenets of the Catholic Church, my identification as a Christian is viewed by many through the lens of what the Pope says. So his character, his words, and his actions affect the witness I have in the world to non-believers. We are connected as “Christians” even though we don’t have the exact same beliefs.

The late Pope Francis did a lot to change the Catholic Church in positive ways. By all first impressions, it appears that Pope Leo XIV will continue to bring a softer, more relevant approach to his role as Francis did. Humility goes a long way, and it seems that Leo possesses this trait like his predecessor did. Will he make all the right decisions and get everything Biblically correct now that he is the Pope? Of course not, because he isn’t God; and only Jesus lived a perfect life. But if he daily seeks God’s help, he will be guided by God and lead with both truth and grace like Jesus did.

I hope the Catholic Church continues to see reform and seeks to align itself more closely with the Biblical model of the church body, with Christ alone as the head. What happens at the Vatican affects every Christian worldwide regardless of denomination. And as Protestant Christians, instead of separating ourselves from other denominations and ignoring what they do, we can pray for God’s truth to triumph in our broken world . . . and that He will use each of us, including the Pope, to further His kingdom and bring more and more people in this world to know Him and love Him. Whether justified or not, the Pope carries a huge weight of responsibility and will be held accountable by God. He needs all the prayers he can get.

Grandma's Joy

 

My last post was the day before I left to spend two weeks visiting my son and his family who live several states away. Today, I have recently returned from that trip with a full heart from spending time with my grandchildren. At this point in my life, nothing brings me more joy than being with my grands in person and sharing special moments with them. And this trip was FULL of special moments!

In 14 days, I attended four programs or concerts featuring one or more of my grandchildren; I was privileged to spend a day at their school visiting classrooms, attending chapels, and eating lunch together in celebration of “Grand Day”, an annual event for grandparents of students; we worshipped together at their church for Good Friday and Easter services; we celebrated my younger grandson’s 5^th birthday; and I was blessed to be able to witness in person my two granddaughters’ baptisms as they publicly declared their faith in God and desire to follow Jesus. And it is always a highlight when we’re together to “bake with Grandma” . . . this time special cross-shaped brownies for Easter weekend. It was a busy but wonderful time!

But while I enjoyed attending all of these events and feel blessed to have the opportunity, I think it is the unplanned moments with my grandchildren that mean the most. Like when your 5-year-old grandson burrows into you while watching TV and says, “I love it when you hug me . . . I love to snuggle you.” Or when you hear the words, “Grandma, I’ve missed you so much,” or “I love you so much.” Or when your 5-year-old and 10-year-old grandsons squeeze together into a narrow seat with you on the couch because they both want to “sit with Grandma”. Or the simple beauty of a grandchild spontaneously leaning against you or holding your hand. I could go on, but you get the picture.

The distance between our homes means I don’t see my grandchildren as often as I would like to. But these special moments and memories are what keep me going in between visits. And they remind me that I play an important role in my grands’ lives despite the sparseness of our time together . . . and that God is forming a bond between us as only he can do. Looking forward to our next adventures together down the road! 

A Granddaughter's Love

 

The last time my grandchildren were at my house, my older granddaughter gave me a priceless gift. It was a few days after Christmas, and she was enjoying one of her new Christmas presents – a Polaroid-type camera for kids that could instantly print the photos if desired. As I was reading a book with my older grandson (her brother), she snapped a candid shot of us. Then she printed it and wrote a message on it. As a long-distance grandma, every moment and every word is precious.

But this simple gift was a twofer for this grandma. When my grandson asked me to read with him that day, there wasn’t room in my small chair for both of us. His 10-year-old body had surpassed the usual position of sitting next to me that we had been accustomed to in the past. I was surprised when he decided to climb into the chair and put his legs across my lap. I felt special and cherished the moment, as I know it won’t last forever. Alas, we only have two more books left in the special series of twelve that we have been reading together whenever we have been with each other over the past couple of years.

Not only did my granddaughter unwittingly capture this special moment in time on her new camera, she chose to print the photo and give it to me. But then she decided to write a message on it for me: “You are the best Grandma in the world!” Music to a grandma’s ears! Especially when it comes from someone that I only get to see in person 3-4 times a year. At the end of my most recent visit to her home last August, this same granddaughter spontaneously broke into tears and didn’t want to let me leave for the airport. It’s hard to say goodbye when you’re only nine.

So this little piece of paper means a lot to this grandma, because it represents relationships that we have been able to develop despite distance. Yes, I wish I could spend more time in person with my four grandchildren. But I am very thankful for the technology that allows us to stay connected even though our homes are several states apart. And I’m also thankful for parents who welcome and encourage our involvement in their children’s lives. I have discovered that it is possible to make a difference as a grandparent even without consistent physical proximity. And part of the reason for that is that we have a shared faith. Many of the things we talk about and share with our grandchildren have eternal significance, even if time spent in person is limited. Only God can bind us together across the miles.

When I leave this world, I’m afraid my children are going to have a lot of sentimental things to sort through. My scrapbooks are full of mementoes and hand-written notes from my own children through the years. But now I also am gathering a collection of special treasures from my grandchildren as well. Sorry, not sorry! And I’m going to keep collecting because these memories bridge the physical distance between me and the ones I hold most dear.

They also remind me to keep listening to each one of my grandchildren and to keep building spiritual truth into their lives while we laugh, read, and play together. Even an old grandma like me can make a difference just by being present and paying attention as they grow, even if it’s more often than not via video calls. But hang on, precious ones, Grandma will be with you in person soon! And I can’t wait.

The Living Word

 

I wouldn’t say I was surprised, but I would say I was amazed. In fact, I’m always amazed when it comes to the power of God’s Word. It’s one of the many reasons I continue to believe in its truth after a lifetime of trying to follow what it has to say.

Last week I finished leading a three-month study of my first book, A Faith of a Different Color: Honest Lessons on Trusting God in Real Life, with 15-18 other women. Although I have led this same study at two other churches, this latest timeframe was the first time I have led it at my current church.

The book is a practical look at how to trust some of God’s characteristics on a daily basis, and it grew out of a painful and difficult time in my own spiritual walk that lasted many years. The book is filled (some might say over-filled!) with Bible verses to look up and ponder in our quest to trust God fully, along with personal stories representing each aspect of God’s work in our lives.

So here’s the amazing part: the group of ladies in my latest study ranged from young mothers to middle-aged women to senior citizens – and included brand-new Christians, seasoned lifelong followers, and everything in between. And yet the overwhelming takeaway at the last meeting was that God had used his Word to speak directly into each person’s life through this study, meeting each woman exactly where she was at in this season of her life. And that’s what only God is able to do.

I have read a lot of really great books in my lifetime, and many have taught me important things about God. But if I read any of them over and over, they would lose their ability to hold my interest or change my life. Not so with God’s Word. Verses I might have read thirty years ago or more can take on new meaning in my present life as the Spirit of God does his work behind the scenes and in my heart.

I’ve been experiencing this my whole life, so I don’t know why I still am amazed. Maybe because this ability to enlighten can only come from God. And maybe because every time it happens I am encouraged and spurred on to continue to “work out” my walk of faith as God “works in” me for my growth and his glory (Philippians 2:12-13). I know I can trust him fully and rely on his Word completely to finish the good work that he began in me so long ago (Philippians 1:6). Amazing, but definitely true.