Daily Grace

When I was single, I needed daily grace to deal with the loneliness, self centeredness and plain ol selfishness. I needed reminders to look outside myself and to not make myself the center of the universe. Being married does not make all of this magically disappear....if only!!! I have learned alot about the daily grace and forgiveness I need as a wife and even more so as the months roll past. Summer is almost gone, and the daily grind of working without the promise of a night swim or beach day on the weekend is almost gone too!

I do love Fall, but I have that sadness that drips in because I ADORE summer! I love the brightness, I love the happy colors all around me and I love the beach.

All of this collides together with knowing that in the days ahead I am going to feel certain things and be disappointed and the excitement of my wedding summer is almost over....and I will need DAILY, if not HOURLY, but most certainly MOMENT BY MOMENT grace!

We received the loveliest devotional from one of my first friends at Prairie (April King!!) called Devotions for a Sacred Marriage and the first one was about having a God-centered relationship. Easy enough....

...well...until something pushes my buttons, or I feel upset, or sensitive, or I don't get heard or responded to immediately...oh I need MORE patience and gentleness and kindness. Those are my 3 hopes I pray for all the time!

And now that I am married there are so many things that don't slip by anymore, because they are noticed and they affect the one person I love most in the world. If I am grumpy...it affects Dan. If I am moody, it affects Dan....and if I don't put God at the center of our relationship...it affects Dan. I am just writing this out as a new wife of 3 months and I already feel the weight of making our marriage last forever. I am determined to be a wonderful wife and blessing to Dan and I don't want little things to slip into our marriage the irritate and destroy slowly.

I need daily grace. I need to be filled with Jesus' love. I need community and people around me to show me the way, and I need quiet prayer times to fill my selfish heart and quiet my restless mind.