Grace

I have always thought of Grace as a girl’s name, not necessarily a word, but a name. Grace is such a beautiful name, but it means so much more. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I began to think differently about the word grace.

Grace means courteous goodwill, simple elegance or refinement of movement. You can show grace by honoring or crediting one’s presence. Grace is love that cares. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve. Grace is unconditional love.

One Sunday many years ago I was listening to service about loving your neighbor. All I could think of was I need to be better about that. My mama first taught me this lesson as a young girl. We didn’t grow up with a lot, but she always wanted to give, especially at the holidays. We would spend an entire day baking Christmas goodies to make trays for all the neighbors. We would deliver sugar cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, and so much more. As an adult, I started to do the same thing for my neighbors, just because. I couldn’t just do the holidays though. I made cookies if someone had a bad day. I made all the kids on our street muffins for the first day of school. I made cakes for friends to celebrate tiny victories. It feels good to bake something and give it to someone else. I love it even more when they don’t expect it.

So after that service, one of my best friends and I started a women’s group where we bake one night each week and deliver what we made as a random act of kindness. The name of our group is Grace. For many years now, we have delivered cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, and dinners to countless people who all deserved a little grace. There is no greater feeling than giving. What makes it even more special is the fact that we do this with our daughters, teaching them how to show love and grace to others.

I hope I have shown grace to all who know me. If you have received grace from me, I hope you in turn have passed along grace to someone else.

Have you shown grace to someone? In what ways? I hope you will show grace this week.

xoxo, Jane Anne