Grace.

One of my dearest friends in the world, Aurora Vilchis, continually encourages me... even when she doesn't mean to. That's just who she is. You feel the love of Jesus shining out of her, even when she doesn't try. One day I was visiting her to let our little baby loves play, and I saw these words on the home screen of her laptop:

"I will hold myself to a standard of Grace, not perfection".

The words stuck with me. How many times in my life am I tripped up and led astray by the delirious lie of perfection? Not only have I shoved it upon others in my life, but I carry the weight of perfection around on my own shoulders.

How often do I expect perfection from my spouse, my kids, my friends, my family, my co-workers, and perhaps most toxically, myself? How often do I throw my hands up and want to quit because it gets hard and I am just not measuring up? Or how often do we give up on others because they don't measure up?

God's love for us should be a prime illustration of this idea of perfection versus grace. His love for us is freely given and sealed in our hearts for eternity. He loves us at our best and at our worst. His grace pours over us in moments when we just can't lift our eyes. He holds us in his hands, not just when we feel good about ourselves, but He holds us when we are disgusted with ourselves.

Perhaps we hold onto our own pride and guilt tighter than we hold onto His love and promises.

God does not hold you and I to a standard of perfection. What He gives is grace. Once we can grasp the fact that He loves us right where we are, in all that we have done and are yet to do, we may then be able to absorb His love. Maybe then we can accept grace and give grace. We stand with open hands before The Lord, accepting His good gifts, so that we are able to give them away. Accept grace and give grace.

Today, I am reminded that I will never be a perfect wife. I will never be a perfect mother. I will never be a perfect friend. I will never be a perfect person...Nor will I ever live life with perfect people. Yet, in this reality, He still desires to bless me in all of these! I serve a perfect God whose love He perfectly lavishes upon me. In this truth, may I shine. May I accept His mercy and grace. May I be loved. May I be lavishly loved. May I receive it so that I can give it. May I love with all my heart.

Grace trumps perfection every time.... In my Marriage, in my family, in my friendships, and in my heart. Thank you Jesus for this sweet reminder today.

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of Righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone." -Titus 3:4-8

Blessings to you all today as you accept grace, and hopefully give it.

Thank you Aurora, my soul sister, for being a blessing to me every day of my life.

Be still.

Prayer: an intimate communion with God.

Pray.

"Be still and know that I am God." -Psalm 46:10

Be present, give thanks.

Sometimes I sit here with the urge to write and I wonder how I should start it off. What headline should I use that grabs the full idea of words coming together? Today the thoughts swimming around in my brain are about this moment right now. Life is crazy and wild and busy. Some days just seem to fly by in a wink. Even years seem to do that.

This crazy busy of life, how do I make the most of it? How do I enjoy each day to the fullest instead of wasting it away on thoughts of the past or hopes of the future? Having small kids I often think, where have the last three years gone? It feels like I just gave birth to my first child, my baby boy and now I have a three year old toddler and a one year old! Time sure does fly! Mothers whose kids have grown and have flown the nest tell me it really does go by so quickly.

I know that I can't stop time or keep my kids small forever. I already think, "I can't imagine my babies being adults and moving out of my house." Yes, they are still so little and that day seems like a lifetime ahead of me, but I want to look back and say that I made the most of every day. Being a parent is the most amazing, terrifying, crazy, wild, sweet, enjoyable, tiring, most fulfilling thing I've ever been blessed to do. There are joys and there are struggles, but I want to be "all here" for all of it.

Life isn't just about "getting it right" or "waiting for the day." No matter what it is we are all working towards, what dreams lie in our hearts or what visions we strive to make a reality, dreams are great and essential! But the joy comes when I learn to appreciate each little moment along the way. The fullness is found in the little setbacks and in the smallest victories.

Learning to be present in whatever life situation I am in, this is where I taste the sweet honey on my lips. For a long time it seemed I was waiting for something big to happen, when sweet little moments of life were happening all around me.

What I know right in this moment is that God is good, he sees the whole picture, he has already blessed me beyond measure, and he just keeps sprinkling little bits of goodness throughout each one of my days. The problem is not that bad stuff keeps happening in our lives, but that we are so focused on those, that we forget to "look" and to "see" all of the good things he gives us each day.

Thank you Jesus for your goodness. Thank you for even your littlest of blessings. Thank you that even when something bad happens or doesn't work out just the way we'd like, you still have a profound way of showing me your divine beauty. This life is but a blink of an eye and one day we will walk the gates of Heaven with you. Thank you for all the ways you are teaching me and molding me in this life. Help me to see your beauty even in the ugliest of days. You are good and your love endures forever!

I recently started reading a book called "One Thousand Gifts" by author Ann Voskamp. It has been helping to spur me on in grasping the beauty of this moment and being thankful for all of the little things, that ultimately, are the big things indeed :)