FMF: Graceful

Five minute Friday (or Saturday....)

And the word is....Graceful (HA!)

GO:

Graceful would be the last word that would come to mind for anyone who had seen me running the past two weeks, with my geriatric gait and the labored breathing that is completely unwarranted by the speed at which I'm moving.

One wouldn't know it to look at me shuffling and huffing and puffing down the trail, but I am enjoying myself.  I'm just not a natural athlete.

In fact, one of the reasons I choose to run (as opposed to, say tennis, or soccer, or even swimming) is that it requires relatively little coordination.  Just one foot in front of the other--I can handle that.

In contrast, I marvel at the grace of the young runners on my kids' Cross Country team.  Every movement is fluid and easy.  They run at a pace so much faster than mine, but seem to expend no effort at all.  Pure grace of motion.  I often wistfully wish that they could give me just a bit of their grace.

If only....

"graceful" is just not a state I can achieve.

I can, however, be GRACE-FULL, so full of grace that it pours out on everyone around me.

This bubbling-over soul grace is no more natural to me than grace in my gangly limbs, but this grace IS attainable from Another.

I have so little grace of my own, but I know the One who is Grace.  When I trust and receive His Amazing Grace to me, I am filled to overflowing with grace for others.

Even more wonderful is that when I have a heart of gratitude, I can see from His perspective that everything in my life--the good, the bad and the ugly--it's all grace.

Every moment--whether delightful or excruciating-- is a gift that He will use to fill me with grace if I receive the gift with open hands and trust that He is GOOD.

STOP