Grace

I had this big long post and lost it all...grrr. Here it is in shorter version:

We have all done things we are not proud of. Or maybe some of us are doing things we know are not pleasing to the one who created us. The word grace I think is sometimes over-used and overlooked. It is the love and mercy given to us by God, not because we deserve it but because He wanted us to have it. It is the English translation of a Greek word meaning "that which brings delight, joy, happiness, and good fortune." So basically God wants us to have all of these things even when we don't act like we give a rip. :)

In college is when I felt this grace full force. I was making it; however, I felt like I was trapped. When people would mention what I was doing I would just get angry with them. And I remember wanting to do what I was doing even more. How stupid is that? There is no gray areas, folks. It is what it is. Right or wrong. Don't let the "world" tell you you can make up your own rules. I mean, certainly you can, but what do you have to live for if you're just making it up as you go? Strive for something...
I remember crying and crying because I felt alone, and then began to pray. But I felt like that was getting me nowhere because it was like they were hitting a brick wall. I just wanted to punch the wall out of the way. I made a conscious effort to change how I made my decisions. I finally felt, after a while of the whole brick wall thing, like I was out from under a "net." That I could breathe. I feel like I have been given grace- even after deliberately turning my back and running the other way.

Again, grace is love and mercy that is given to us by God. I could sit here and list a thousand things I have been blessed with all because of GRACE. And even after I have made the wrong decisions! I could only imagine how my life would be different had I not turned away from what I was doing. I will promise you it would not be what I have today. (Don't get me wrong, still make bad decisions sometimes! Just not deliberately!)

So...all of that to tell you this. I got a tattoo. It's the word grace written in hebrew on the inside of my foot. I've wanted this for a long time, but have just been too chicken to get it. And Kyle is not a big fan. But, 3 of us girls got one after spending 2 nights together in Hot Springs. It was our first and likely only tattoo, and each of them meant something to us. I am sure to be reminded of what I am given through grace on a daily basis. I love it.