a word of Grace

I want to speak a word of Grace

to my brothers and sisters in faith

whose teeth aren’t as white as the people on TV.

For those who don’t always exercise portion control,

and don’t always exercise.

For people who sometimes let a bad word slip

when idiot drivers do stupid things in peak-hour traffic.

For those who don’t dust the bookshelves as regularly as you ought to:

Grace.

To my fellow pilgrims and saints in God

who only bake if all the ingredients are in a box

with a picture on the front of what it’s meant to turn out like…

Ordinary people who don't buy clothes in size small and don’t look good in yellow,

regular people who sometimes forget garbage night

and whose gardens aren’t as pretty as their neighbours'.

For those who leave things, lose things, spill things and sometimes forget:

Grace.

This is your pass to relax a little.

Wash the car next weekend instead of this weekend,

let someone else unstuck the dishwasher tonight,

pick up the bible and read it for as long as your feel like,

then put it down and daydream instead for a while…

Turn down a social event that you have no desire to attend

and hang out at home with your family instead.

Tell people that you’re not sure that you have a strong opinion

on who should lead the opposition party

or whether 30 000 additional troops is enough to finish the job.

You have permission to:

receive God’s peace that passes all understanding,

run the race marked out for you with joy,

and rest in the confident assurance that He creates and sustains all things.

You are free to learn that it’s ok to keep learning,

discover hope in life, even in the midst of death

and believe that you are the light of the world.