I call them "Grace Moments".  Though we live daily under God’s grace, sometimes we experience unexpected, unplanned instances when something wonderful happens that takes our breath away.  Not necessarily huge "somethings" in the eyes of anyone else, but a moment of intense "warm fuzzies" custom made for the receiver. A moment when God seems to say, "Here's a little 'happy' for you today."

Grace Moments:

        *You husband surprises you with a Macadamian nut cookie from Mcalister’s. (You LOVE Macadamian nut cookies!)

        *Your oldest son invites his younger sister to go to the movies with him.  (You didn’t even tell him to!)

        *Your youngest daughter looks at you one night and says, “I’ve been thinking.  I really want to ask Jesus into my heart.”

        *Your son tells you, “I’ve discovered my life’s purpose.” (And he’s serious.)

        *A neighbor brings you a sack full of home grown tomatoes not realizing you’ve been craving them for months.

        *An anonymous check arrives in the mail the day before a huge bill is due.

        *You take one child out to watch a lunar eclipse, and before you know it, the entire family is on the blanket beside you gazing at the moon.

        *You see two foxes chasing each other while on your morning walk.

        *A friend you haven’t heard from in years suddenly calls to say hi.

        *Your mother-in-law says, “I couldn’t have picked a better wife for my son or mother for my grandchildren.” (And she’s talking about you!)

        *Your daughter accompanies you on a speaking engagement and comments afterwards, “Mom.  I’m impressed.  I didn’t know you could do that.”

        *A single, perfect rose manages to bloom on your pathetic rose bush, and suddenly it’s clear, God made it grow just for you.

A grace moment found me Wednesday evening. Earlier in the day I had been chasing butterflies in my flower bed, trying to snap their pictures.  They made sport of me flitting from flower to flower just out of reach as if to say, "Ha! Ha! Can't catch me!"  But that evening, while going back into the house after cleaning the grill for hamburgers, something landed on my arm.  Expecting a fly, I glanced down to see a small orange butterfly probing my arm for something sweet. (Must be all that chocolate I eat!)  I held my breath and watched him in amazement. After a minute I gently opened the door and called, "Someone, bring me my camera, quick!"  I must have snapped a dozen pictures and still he stayed. All too soon my family let it be known they were getting hungry.  I gently coaxed the little fellow onto a flower.  (He didn't want to leave.)  I took a couple more pictures trying to get a shot with his wings open.  Then I was off to finish supper, and he was off to find something sweeter than I.  Though the grace moment was over, the warm fuzzy remains to even now.

"...He's famous for great and unexpected acts; there's no end to His surprises." Job 5:9 (The Message)

May God grant you extra grace moments today.

(P.S.  Can anyone identify this butterfly?)