And this is Grace

So I'm writing tonight. Not here, well... here, but I'm also working on my story. And in the midst of it, I realized that this has become a theme in my life the last couple of weeks: Grace.
I was talking with a friend about meds for mood disorders and other mental illnesses. Some people think you shouldn't take them, and just have more faith that God will heal your sore sick mind. I'm more under the impression that you can't always control what your hormones and chemicals are doing, btu if you can use some synthetic chemicals to help balance things out, you'll be more of who you were made to be. and when you're who you were made to be, you're fulfilled and whole, and God can use you for what He always planned.
It doesn't sound like the two thoughts connect, but I think I can make them. See, what i'm discovering while writing this story (which personally I think is going to be really good) is that God's grace is intended to be a part of every aspect of your life. Not now, but the past as well. And the future and the daily boring things and the big events that change who we are, and all of the in betweens that may or may not seem like they matter.
They matter.
Because every one of them is an opportunity for us to see God's grace at work.
On top of that, if we can understand how His grace saturates our own hearts, then it is easier to extend grace to others. Our pastor talked about this a couple of weeks ago. How you can't go and help out people living in poverty unless you understand that without God's grace, we are all doomed to poverty. Because poverty isn't lack of funds or things or abilities. It's the lack of relationships.
I like to think that my life is pretty much perfect. That I do things right and I deserve the good things that happen. And when I get in that mind set, I forget that I owe it to God. He's given me so much more than I deserve (grace). When I'm in that mindset, it affects how I see others. And when I deserve what I have, others deserve what they have, good or bad. When I'm not worthy of God's grace, neither is anyone else.
And when I realize that it is a gift to me, then I can freely bestow it on others, realizing that it all comes from God, who gives without ho9lding back.
A Sara Groves song says, "this is grace, and invitation to be beautiful".
I think, when we see Grace for what it is and how it fills our hearts and lives, we become who God wants us to be. We become more whole. We become free. Beautiful.
But it's an invitation, because, the very nature of grace demands that it isn't forced upon you.

So what's that mean for me? Constant reminding of God's gift, and the sacrificing love of Christ. What's it mean for you? You decide. Are you going to accept the invitation to be beautiful?