Grace Notes
Life happens. How we respond matters.
What happened to Grace?
Today is October 31… known as All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween. It was originally a day of prayer and remembrance in preparation for All Saints Day, November 1. All Saints Day is a holy celebration for all the saints who have entered eternal rest. For Lutherans, however, October 31 is known as Reformation Day. It…
The Trouble with Grace
As a Christian, as a Lutheran, as one who believes that Martin Luther was right, I profoundly believe that when there is doubt about how to handle any situation that we should “err on the side of Grace.” In its purest form, Grace is unconditional. It is the unconditional love and forgiveness that we receive…
New Beginnings
It’s been a while since I last wrote here, but I have been thinking about it. In March, 2023, I adopted a new dog from a shelter. We also moved to a new location about 200 miles from home for a temporary job, so I have been busy with that and with training Jazmin. I…
Why do we struggle with Grace?
“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.” ~ Martin Luther I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that caused me to pause. It said, “May you be treated the way you treat animals.” Now,…
Is there Grace in Apocalypse?
We are nearing the end of the Christian Church year. November 20, 2022 will be Christ the King Sunday and the following Sunday, November 27, will start the new Church year as the First Sunday of Advent. The Gospel readings during Advent often are apocalyptic. We are caught in a paradoxical time, where predictions regarding…
Where is the Grace?
Go… and be like Jesus.
Grace… and Fascinators and Fedoras
When my daughter was in junior high school, she was spending weekends with me and the rest of the week with her father, since he lived in her school district. Church was always a priority when she and her brother were with me. We typically wore “church clothes” on Sundays. She and I would wear…
When Grace Isn’t Amazing…
For the past few years, we have lived in a world where truth is stranger than fiction, and where truth is not valued by many people. When we listen to the news or read a news report, we are skeptical about the veracity of the content. When my son was in junior high school some…
So… How DID I Get Here? Part 8 Epilogue.
If you have been following along with this blog about my relationship with various dogs over many, many years, you no doubt have come to realize that my dogs have been important players in my life story. Coco, Brandon, Sheba, Kaicee, *Charlie Brown, Shadow and Beau have all crossed the rainbow bridge, but they live…
So How Did I Get Here? – Part 7e2 All Good Things Come to an End
(Trigger alert – if you have recently lost a pet). When I started this series, I knew this would be the hardest one for me to write. But it is necessary for me to heal. The pain is real as I write, but I believe that it will also lead to the peace I need…
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Grace Notes 