Tattoo

If you were to get a tattoo today, what would it be?? I think the answer to this question is so very telling of where people are at in their lives; what has impacted them, what they are feeling, who they want to be, and how they want to present themselves. I don't have a tattoo. But if I were to go out today and get one, I know what I would get. I would get the word 'grace' tattooed on my left wrist, in simple cursive, to serve as a constant reminder of this powerful force.

If I had asked this question two days ago, I'm not sure what my answer would have been. But today I know. The word 'grace' has taken on fresh meaning for me. The grace that Christ shows to me daily takes my breath away. Having this word on my wrist would serve as a gentle reminder that God is constantly extending His grace to me and that I in turn must extend that grace to others. I would have it on my left wrist because my heart is on the left side of my body and grace must be extended from somewhere deep inside. And it would be on my wrist, the part of Jesus' body that was pierced with nails so I could live.

The idea of grace amazes me. It is such a powerful concept and yet is so simple and humble. None of us would get through life without constant extensions of grace by Christ and by people. Grace says 'I got you covered' and is something we cannot earn or ever deserve. Yet even in our undeserving state, grace says 'I value you, I'll deal with the damage.' The sign that I have seen used for grace is a hand coming from behind the head and then moving above it, covering it. What a beautiful visual of grace.

At church last night the pastor talked about Communion as edible grace and I cannot get that out of my mind. Edible grace. What a gift. Something so tangible and real. Something I can taste and feel and smell. This picture, this idea of edible grace, inspired my reflections on the word 'grace.'

Grace is the bus driver letting you on the bus even though you don't have any money that day. Grace is a homeless man outside the grocery store who says 'God bless you' and 'have a great day' even when you give him nothing. Grace is, instead of highlighting all the negatives, highlighting the one beautiful thing she did that day. Grace is a friend who listens to my struggles and doesn't jump right in with opinions, but just listens. Grace is Jesus giving up His life so that I can have life. Grace is communion, a tangible representation of the grace Christ extended to me.

Having 'grace' tattooed on my wrist would be a tangible reminder of the importance of grace in my life. And so I ask again, what tattoo would you go out and get today?

Cupcakes and Curry

Just the other night I had the privilege of spending an evening with two incredibly beautiful and fabulous women that I am so happy to call friends. Our evening began at Jai Thai where we enjoyed a meal of curry, rice, and veggies around a low table complete with cushions and a beautiful view out the window. We talked about life in a candid and completely raw and honest way. Family, future plans, futures with no plans, the craziness of being a young twenty-something, discouragement, tough decisions, the beauty of small moments. These sorts of conversations are glimmers of hope. They remind me that I am not alone. They whisper to me that my life is worth something, that even when I feel lost someone cares enough to tell me that they see me where I'm at. Feeling so content with good food and even better friends, I was asked questions that I knew I could respond to in a completely honest, vulnerable way. It is moments like these that make life worth living. Moments where I can say things I didn't even know I was thinking. Moments that make a hard day dissolve into the realization that there is more to life than what that day was about.

And then we paid our bill, put our shoes back on, and walked out into the cold. We ended up at Cupcake Royale where we bought more cupcakes than we needed and drank Americanos that the barista gave to us for free. It may sound ridiculous, but that barista has no idea how he impacted us (and me in particular) and infused our night with a little extra joy. An extra cupcake, a free drink. That's all it takes sometimes. How freeing. We can all do things like this daily with just the smallest bit of intentionality. Just take a moment to notice those around you. Pay for someone's coffee, take cookies to work, hold the door open for someone, speak an intentionally kind word, share a smile. You really never know when you have given someone exactly what they needed to change their day from lonely to hopeful. It's the little things in life that make it exciting and special and hopeful. Little things like curry and cupcakes and good friends.