Thou Shall Discover Great Strength through God's "Grace"

"In separateness lies the world's great misery; in compassion lies the world's true strength."
~Buddha

If someone were to ask me what kind of person I think has the most compassion in their heart for this world and the people in it, I would instantly think of those in the medical field.....those in the field of mission work.....those serving our country and those who choose to join the clergy.  

These groups come to mind first.

HOWEVER, if I'm honest, I would admit that although I am impressed with these special people who go into these types of "compassionate" fields, I am not as inspired by them as I am another group of people who share the same kind of genuine compassion for people.....and you might just be surprised at who I am talking about.

I am actually talking about children who are born with an extra sense of compassion for their fellow man....and God's other creatures. ;-)  

We ALL know children like this.  We are all amazed and inspired by them.  We all even observe in wonder as we watch them do what comes naturally to them: Extend genuine kindness, love, hope, joy and compassion.

These special kids are the ones who don't really need to be taught to take up for the underdog, or give special attention to the mentally challenged, or extend grace and patience to those around them who may be a little bit harder to love. They just simply are who they are.  It seems they simply come into the world that way.

It just so happens that I know a very special little soul who continues to inspire me ALL OF THE TIME with her tender heart, genuine kindness and deep compassion for others. 

Fittingly, her name is Grace.  ~ Kelly Grace, actually..... but she goes by "Gracie."

Gracie is one of those rare and precious souls who walks through each day with THE most positive attitude and the sunniest disposition of any child I have ever known.  She actually exudes "light" wherever she goes.

She is one of those who sees the good in everyone she meets......and the harder the nut is to crack, the harder Gracie will work to win them over! Ha!  Her mom and I laugh about this all of the time.  

I have personally witnessed this child use her humor and charm to win over the hardest hearted person.  I think her spirit actually thrives in the challenge of it! Ha! 

I've heard stories from others with regard to Gracie taking up for the underdog at school and even leaving her fun group at recess to go over to the "different" kid on the playground to ask if there was anything he wanted to do or play that maybe she could join him in playing.  I mean, seriously, how many children do this?!

Gracie is a stunningly beautiful little girl; she laughs easily; she is smart as a whip, she has a passion for soccer and loves writing poetry. Her wish for her future is to be a teacher for the mentally challenged and under privileged children. Her heart is gold and she feels a need to share it with those less fortunate.

Can this kind of genuine love and compassion be taught?  Is there a way to instill this beautiful trait into our children or is this a special gift that God equips certain children knowing that one day they will use it for His Glory?  


I actually believe that God deposits seeds of Greatness in ALL of us.....it's what each of us choose to do with those "seeds" that makes the difference.

There is a little "twist" to this story about Gracie and I bet you'll find it as interesting as I did.  

You see, Gracie was a "surprise" baby to her parents who thought they were "finished" after their first two children. Ha!  

She actually arrived into the world during a very sad and tragic time for her family. Her family had just experienced the traumatic loss of her father's beloved brother, Kelly.  Kelly was 1 of 5 brothers in this very close-nit and loving family. 

The way Gracie's mom tells the story, Uncle Kelly was the fun-loving, free-spirited, fearless, life-loving, quick-witted and compassionate soul whom they all adored immensely.  Can you imagine the grief of such a loss?  The family wasn't only sad for themselves, they were also devastated that little Kelly Grace would never get to experience her name-sake's brand of humor....his style of life.... his grand love for people?

I can't imagine it....but here's where the story gets better.......  

You see, God had a plan for this family that was already set in motion....  *It's like I've said before...God blesses us ESPECIALLY through the tragic parts of our lives. When He doesn't intervene in a way that makes sense to us, He uses it for Good in a way we can't even begin to imagine....even if He were to tell us ahead of time.*

So, here's how God implemented his divine plan:  Little Miss Kelly Grace came into this world on a snow-filled, wintery day, December 29, 2000.  And with her came comfort, love, peace and so much joy.....just when her family needed those comforting attributes the very most.

It has been through her own brand of humor, her own ability to make people smile, laugh and have fun that Kelly Grace beautifully carries on that larger-than-life legacy that her Uncle Kelly left behind!  

I believe that Gracie's Uncle Kelly's life is a good reminder that we all have a choice in the kind of legacy we leave behind.  It's all up to us.  WE are the author of our own legacy.  WE determine right now what people will think of us in the future.

And if we're lucky, we'll have a little soul whose very purpose is to continue and share our own legacy in the most beautiful and inspiring way.

So, in a way, I guess you could say that when this one loving family needed God's "Saving Grace" the very most, He most certainly answered their prayer.....in the form of a very special little girl.  

How fitting that she would be called, "Grace."

Mercy.  God is Good...... All the time. ;-)

Take care of you....and those around you,

Teri

**

This is a poem that Gracie wrote recently.  I want to share it with you as it gives you a glimpse into the deep thoughts of this special little girl:

Life Influence

Life is a roller coaster, having ups and downs

There are good and bad, smiles and frowns

But always be happy, inside and out

Like Santa says, don't cry or pout

You'll be an influence to people all over

If you're happy go lucky like a four-leaf clover

Life is good to us, so be happy with what you've got

Compared to others, you have a lot

We need to realize we are blessed with many tools

Us, as humans, are acting like fools

So take this poem, and use it wisely now

When you do, people will stop and say, "Wow!"

By Kelly Grace