Never Say No: Raising Big Picture KidsSample

It Begins With Me

Granola is a staple in our house. We eat it for breakfast by itself or in pancakes, and by handfuls throughout the day. Jan makes it fresh every week and keeps it in a large jar by our fridge. On top of this container is a round gray stone with one word, hand painted, surrounded by flowers in green, blue, red, and white. That word is “Grace.”

We don’t remember how this little rock came to live at our house, but for years it has rested atop the granola jar. It’s a reminder, a little obstacle, before we can reach into the delicious oats and nuts to eat the day’s sustenance: Everything is grace. Be thankful. Give grace away.

Grace is at the center of our family, just as granola is an essential part of our diet. Yes, of course, grace is remembering to give thanks before a meal, a surf session, or safe arrival home. But grace is also the free hug from your child when you’ve been less than pleasant. It’s laughing when the third glass of orange juice tips over at breakfast. Grace is not stating the obvious when your spouse’s adamant insistence on where he or she left the receipt is proved wrong. It’s walking slower to the tempo of small feet and legs, taking time to see the wonder from young eyes. Grace is listening with interest to the same story from your elders because they enjoy reliving that moment, not because you are entertained.

Our attraction to grace comes from another familiar story. We believe the story of Jesus, that God became one of us and met us in our own neighborhoods. He spoke our language and ate our food. He validated His love by demonstrating astonishing, supernatural grace: healing eyes, broken bodies, and souls. To remove all distance between us, He paid with His life for all the wrongs we’ve done. None of this came with an invoice. He gave because of grace.

This is the best place we know to look for that unconditional love we crave so desperately. We want this grace to flavor our lives. Hopefully, it changes how we respond to the big and little people around us. In order to scoop up the savory nourishment of living together as a family, we must hold on to grace.

It is all about grace.