Popa

Just before flying home to Christchurch, Mum and I stopped by my Popa's resthome so I could say hello. At 94, he is doing well, but has most definitely aged since the last time I saw him in (I think) April.

But he cracked me up nonetheless... when talking about Nana, Popa mentioned how beautiful she was. As Nana and I are familiar-looking, I asked what he thought about me and he managed to fit all the adjectives into one.... improving. Mum and I laughed hilariously!

Impossible!

God loves with a great love the man whose heart is bursting with a passion for the impossible.

(William Booth)

I Nose Best

Frustration and Grace

There's an ad on TV at the moment where a little boy looks up at his mum doing the laundry and says, "Mum, what's frustrating?"

In honesty, in recent weeks my frustration levels have been steadily increasing ... be it by certain people, situations, geographical distances ... it's only been by God's grace I haven't blown my top completely.

I have been gently rebuked by God in the last few days abut my frustrations with people who shalt remain nameless, and gently reminded that, just like me, these people are on a journey. And actually what I perceive might not be what is really going on underneath the surface. Like what I see as arrogance, might actually be a wall erected to protect themselves from vulnerability.

Then Bucko mentioned that his favourite word was 'grace'. And it got me thinking again ... what a great word it is, incredible in fact, and how I want people to extend grace to me for my failings and weaknesses, but how quick I am to extend judgment, instead of grace towards others. And that's not a Christ-like characteristic at all.

So I sit here before you, acknowledging I am but a flawed human being, but renewing my resolution to extend the grace God has shown me towards others. And funnily enough, since I resolved to live a life of grace .... those frustrations seem to be disappearing.