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Finding Grace

Grace

n. favor, goodwill, disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency Synonyms: kindness, kindliness, love
© Fogger84 | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

Have you ever thought much about grace? Maybe the word grace makes you think of God’s Grace toward us, the elegance of a dancer’s movements, or the beauty of a swan.

But have you ever considered the grace that you can give to others . . . or that you receive from them?

I’m not perfect, and the more I’m around other people, the more I realize how imperfect I am. (Frankly, I’m quite perfect in all respects when I’m the only one in the room! *tongue in cheek, of course*)

How many times have I said something that I thought was positively witty or above reproach . . . only to see a look of confusion or even hurt on someone’s face? My husband calls it “foot in mouth disease.”

It can be even worse online because I never see the looks of hurt of confusion. What I have to remind myself is that there isn’t another human being on the planet who is in complete agreement with me.

My opinions and feelings about a subject mean everything to me . . . I can back them up with all manner of statistics, anecdotal evidence, and Scripture to show why I believe them to be true. But it’s funny – I’ve met people who back up completely different opinions with just as much evidence.

Who’s right? Well, I can’t tell you for sure because . . . I’m not perfect.

Using Grace to Encourage

We have a truly amazing group of women in the Hip Homeschool Moms community – here on the website with the great comments you leave, on our Facebook page, and through our Twitter feed. (We’re slowly building up communities on Google+ and Pinterest too if you’d like to join us there.)

One of my favorite things about HHM is how the moms jump in to support one another. When a mom asks a question – whether she’s a new homeschooler, feeling burned out, or looking for a new math program – I love seeing other moms offer their help by sharing their own experiences or offering an encouraging word.

It may sound cliche and silly, but it reminds me of the old song “. . . where seldom is heard a discouraging word . . .”

In my “real life,” the skies do get cloudy sometimes and it means a lot to me to have the HHM forums as a safe place where I can go to be encouraged by my fellow homeschool moms.

We may not use the same curriculum . . .
. . . live in the same kind of neighborhood,
have the same number of kids . . .
. . . go the same type of church,
enjoy the same foods . . .
. . . or even have the same favorite color.

But that’s okay.

Because we’re homeschoolers.

By focusing on what we have in common and accepting our differences, we can support one another and encourage each other in our journey. By showing grace, kindness, love.

And I am so glad for that. How about you?

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5 Comments

  1. I agree with you 100%, Cindy! I am so thankful for our HHM community here. It’s true, we all have differences and what works for one family, may not work for the next. But I love that we all have homeschooling in common here and can support and encourage one another with grace and love…even when our homeschooling paths and the rest of our lives may look so different from the rest. Thank you for such encouragement and grace, my friend.
    -Megan

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