Grace is defined as...
1.gift of God to humankind: in Christianity, the infinite love, mercy, favor, and goodwill shown to humankind by God 2.generosity of spirit: a capacity to tolerate, accommodate, or forgive people 3. elegance: elegance, beauty, and smoothness of form or movement
"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments and life itself is grace."
-Fredrich Buechner.
It has been an eventful week... I began a masters program for my K-8 licensure in Education last Wednesday.
On Friday our neighbor who lives below us "L" ( 16 years old, with a 8 month old baby girl) had a severe asthma attack. She is still in the hospital, on a ventilator in a sedative coma. On Saturday my roommates and I went on an overnight retreat which was fabulous.
Then on Sunday I took Kelsey, who I mentor to practice driving for her road test that she will HOPEFULLY be taking this month!
Sunday evening I went back to the hospital to visit my neighbor "L" who is still in a sedative coma as I write this. I don't even know where to begin explaining her family situation. I wrote a post earlier about taking her to juvenile court due to truancy violations.
I am going to try my best to paint an accurate portrayal of this family.
L's Mom, "Sharon" is one of the most selfless people I have ever met in my entire life.
"Sharron" is Mom to so many people beyond her 4 biological children. Currently her cousin's two kids are living with her, as well as 3 other relatives. Her cousins two kids are definitely an intergral part of our house. They are the community's kids." They are even the ringbearer and flower girl in one of my housemates weddings this summer.
"Sharron" is undergoing dialysis, and is often tired. She lives in poverty, yet is continually offering what she has to others.
On Sunday night when I went to visit "L" in the hospital much of the time was spent in the "family room" the hospital provides for people who have someone in the Intensive care unit. I ended up talking for quite awhile to "Sharron's" cousin who is the actual Mom of two of the kids "Sharron" currently has living with her. "Sharron's" cousin, "Melissa" is only 27 and has 5 kids. Her boyfriend and her are living in one of the homeless shelters downtown. After visiting "L" in the hospital I dropped "Melissa" and 3 of her children off at the shelter. As I pulled away I wept.... I wept tears for the lives of people I know, and the people I will never meet. I wept for the injustices of the world. I wept because of the questions I have...
My friends, Kenny & Julia are currently living in Uganda working for an organization called Food for the Hungry. On their most recent blog they wrote about the earthquakes and riots occurring in Rwanda and Kenya.
Kenny & Julia's blog. I recently began reading "The Hungering Dark" by Fredrich Buechner. This book has given me an insight into what it means to seek after the heart of God in our brokenness, or lack of understanding in certain situations.
