It has been a week full of grace. The kindness that has been shown to our family has been grace on display. Because the truth is change, good, bad or a bit of both, is not easy. Moving a child into college is good, but takes a toll on everyone involved in every way. Nothing is spared. Having children start a very different looking school year, is hard and takes time to navigate. All of this marked our week and so did grace.

And this is what I know going into the coming week, grace is wonderful to give and to receive. Grace is undeserved, but given anyway. It has looked a bit like friends asking questions and listening. It has been sweet texts and prayers daily. It has been coffee with friends and slower walks. It has been phone calls from a lonely dorm room, but many encouraging events of long days.

Grace has also shown up in the classrooms of our other children. It has been hearing teachers talk with kindness during remote learning days. It has been times of one on one with the kids, as we have slowly rolled into this school year. It has been watching one son get up before dawn, drive off on his own to go run effortless miles. It has been walking alongside one child entering high school and another middle school; major change for them too. Grace to not make their transitions any less important.

It has been a week of taking more than giving, but there is grace for that too. I would probably get uncomfortable to stay in the place of always receiving, so this coming week will be different. For I know that He will supply the grace I need to give away; it is His anyways. “My grace is sufficient for you…” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

*Our middle school girl took this the other day:)