GRACE…

Happy Autumn,

I know its not truly Autumn yet. Thursday, September 22^nd is the actual day, but it feels so like Fall. There is a bite in the wind, at least here in Southwest Pennsylvania. Not so much in California which is still on fire. Pray for the rain. My brother is only 10 miles from the Mosquito Fire, and he has become a smoke eater as is the case for most of the people in the state. Gads. No one can deny the reality of global warming when considering the scenarios in the Pacific Northwest. Rambling… sorry.

Today’s news is that the Queen of England is in Edinburgh. A Scottish farewell. I am quite thrilled to admit to a wee bit of Scottish heritage… the blue eyes, most likely. Wish I had inherited the red hair. My grandmothers’ chestnut hair was epic and quite striking for a 1920 flapper. Again, rambling…

I do want to leave you with one thought… It was a remark I heard from my Pastor yesterday. He reminded us of important words left to us by Elton John in his farewell ballad for Princess Diana, The English Rose. There is a very poignant sentence for the Follower of Christ; one, that we all should aspire to. It’s in the first verse. Of Princess Di he said, “You were the grace that placed itself where lives were torn apart”. Wow. Bestowing grace is a godly behavior. I’m not so good at it. Justice and judgement are easier to give than grace. But that’s not what Di gave to the Aids patient, to the child amputees, to the sick and hurting… they needed love yes but also grace.

Grace will heal and restore. Grace will make us resilient. Grace is what the world needs now.