'Grace' Revisited . . .

"And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi,

Let me now go to the field,

and glean ears of corn after him

In whose sight I shall find grace.

And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."

Ruth 2:2  KJV

 



Gate leading into garden at
Chester Beatty Library -
Dublin, Ireland

Now that I've returned from the Pilgrimage to Ireland and Northern Ireland and I've written quite a few posts here, the other night my mind went back to the name I chose for my blog 'I Shall Find Grace.' The thought was that maybe I should revisit that name, to answer the question, if I can . . . Did I, OR Have I 'found grace?'

First, I needed to go back and look at the definition of 'grace' that I found:

 

“Grace is the empowering Presence of God

enabling you to be who He created you to be, and

to do what He has called you to do."





St Kevin's Kitchen -
Glendalough,
Co. Wicklow, Ireland

I'd like to believe that those around me are able to 'see' who it is that God has created me to be. And my hope is that I am living my life in a way that enables others to see that, without having to look too hard. That being said, I know that I have several Friends/friends and some family members who see this so much clearer than I can or do. So, I'm not going to dwell on this piece of the definition.



My focus has really been on the last part 'to do what He has called me to do.'  So, Did I OR Have l 'found grace?' Did I OR Have I found what God is calling me to do? I don't think I'm there quite yet . . . but, I honestly believe I'm on the right path and that I'm getting a bit closer every day. And I'm OK with that. I'm going to continue to do what I do, what I enjoy doing, what I feel called to do . . . and I'm going to continue to enjoy it all.


Tree along the way
to Lower Lake -
Glendalough,
Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Take this last year, so much has happened to and around me. Some of that has been great and some of it not so great. Some things have meant a lot more work for me and other things have meant less work. Many have been enjoyable, pleasant, fun, well worth doing and others, well, not so much. It's been a year of ups and downs but I can honestly say that it's been an amazing year for me - full of several firsts!'

View of the mountains
from the Lower Lake -
Glendalough,
Co. Wicklow, Ireland

In December I became a Grandma and no, I'm not THAT old, but I just figured it out I became a grandma about 5 1/2 years later than my mom did. In February I took a giant leap of faith and signed up to go on a two week Pilgrimage to Ireland and Northern Ireland. I also applied for and received a passport, so I could go to Ireland. In May became a Great-Aunt, and that made me feel even older than becoming a Grandma! In late June, I began this blog as a way to keep in touch while on the Pilgrimage to Ireland. July 4th through 7th I helped with the United Society of Friends Women International/Quaker Men International Triennial (USFWI/QMI) and meet and became friends with several Kenyan Friends who were here. July 21st through August 5th, I went overseas to Ireland and Northern Ireland for two weeks - with and among Friends and fell in love with Irish Friends as well as Friends from England, Sweden and the Netherlands. 



But, along with all the 'firsts' I do know that so much more has happened to and within me this last year.





Path leading to
the Lower Lake -
Glendalough,
Co. Wicklow, Ireland

Take this blog for instance. One of the new Friends I met last month asked me in an email just last week if I was a 'story writer.' My answer was NO! I don't like to write now and I didn't like to write when I was in school. So I really struggled with writing this blog. I went on to tell this Friend: 'For the most part, my blog posts seem to write themselves - which really leads me to believe that God is with me and leading my words.' And then wondered if there was a blog post within those words. The encouragement and support shown to me by this Friend, a few other Friends, friends and family members has been a great blessing to me this year. So, for now the blog posts continue . . . I've still got stories to tell of ministries in Ireland and Northern Ireland to share as well as elsewhere in my life.

Path in the woods behind
Moyallon Centre,
Portadown, Northern Ireland

I've also been spending a lot more time listening this last year. Listening to what's going on around me, to what others are saying and to what's not being said. I've been spending a lot more time listening to and for 'that still small voice' inside of me. And there have been a couple of times that that voice hasn't been so still or so small! A couple of times that voice has screamed at me! Yes, and believe me I stopped and listened!

 

So, in a nut shell, I have found a bit of grace, but . . . I also know there's a whole lot more grace out there waiting for me.