31 Days of Seeking Joy in the EveryDay: Grace Rehearsal

One of the things LtDan and I learned in pre-marital counseling 

is that you shouldn't rehearse offenses against each other.  

Meaning, when the other person has offended you, 

you mustn't let yourself rehearse it, 

over and over again, 

in your mind.  

If that's a good idea, then the reverse is true as well ...

we should rehearse the good things.  

Remember how it felt the day your homework assignment was due ... and you didn't have it? 

The shy blond 4th grader couldn't explain why he didn't have his writing assignment.  

Something about having started it ... but then ... ummmm ...

guilty silence.  

Big blue eyes.  

Blink. 

Blink.  

Blink.  

I told him whatever it was, it was okay, I just needed to know.

Relief.  

No.

He didn't have his homework.  He hadn't done it.  

I talked to his mom.  Of course there was much more to the story, 

and, because her son is paying attention and participating in class, 

I told her we could waive the assignment.  

She was grateful and appreciative.  

All day I kept thinking about those big blue eyes. 

Guilty.  

Caught.  

Embarassed.  

And I kept thinking what a pleasure it was to extend the grace that brought relief.
I was happy just thinking about it.
All day long, it was like singing a joyful song in my heart.

I can't think of grace without thinking of the author and perfecter of all grace.  

It must feel so good to God when we remember with Him the grace He extends,

when we rehearse it.

Really, when we stand before God,
we're all like 4th graders who knew we should do our homework but didn't.
God forgives us anyway,
because our big brother named Jesus did the homework for us.

Grace.

It's a rehearsal of joy.

“Happiness isn’t the reward we retrieve after a long struggle. 

It arrives daily, in those clear moments when our hearts are tender, 

pricked by the embrace of a loved one, the beauty of a single flower, 

the majesty of the world in which we are central. 

Look over your shoulder at how far you’ve come and

 all the good things you’ve experienced

 and that is when you will see the smiling face of happiness.” 

― Toni Sorenson