Dear Friends,

We are in the midst of the Festival of Lights, a celebration of miracles, Hanukkah. Soon it will be Winter Solstice and our days will be longer and brighter and lighter by one minute each day. We are awaiting with anticipation the December 25th Christmas celebration of the miraculous birth of the Christ. 2014 comes to a close, and we are given the fresh, clean slate of a New Year. Soon Kwanzaa arrives, the celebration of family, community and culture.

Gifts of GraceWhatever you celebrate, I wish you faith, hope and love. I wish you more than enough. I wish you joy, peace — and most of all, GRACE.

The Gifts of Grace

Clearly, GRACE is one of my favorite words! And one of my most precious personal gifts. I looked it up so I could be grateful with clarity. I was blessed by what I learned and share it with you.

GRACE/ ɡrās/noun

1.simple elegance or refinement of movement.

I wish each of you the GRACE that is what Ageless Grace is all about. The daily practice of moving and thinking with comfort and ease. The simple joy of unrestricted movement in everyday activities. Reaching, walking, bending, lifting with elegance and the refinement which comes with playful practice. Moving through your life without restriction, limitation or hesitation. Thinking clearly, effortlessly, sharply as your brain and body communicate with GRACE.

Gifts of Grace2. in Christian belief, GRACE is the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the bestowal of blessings.

I wish each of you all the good gifts we can choose to enjoy freely in life. The little things we often miss that can be our greatest blessings. The awareness of what is important. Sometimes it’s difficult to believe we don’t have to earn them or “deserve” them. They are ours for the pure joy of it. We are surrounded by GRACE. All we need to do is choose to look around and accept the many gifts of GRACE every day – to notice them, appreciate them, enjoy them, and feel gratitude.

Gifts of Grace3. an extended period granted as a special favor, (as time allowed for payment of a sum due or for compliance with a law or condition)

I wish each of you a “GRACE period” during this holiday season — time to reflect on the year past ….with great gratitude for much of it and perhaps great relief that other parts of it are behind you. I wish you the gift of quiet time to plan for your year ahead….with great anticipation and faith in your dreams and hopes, knowing that to set your intentions in action with the tiniest of beginnings is the first step to a GRACE-filled year.


Gifts of Grace4. a short prayer of thanks said before or after a meal

I wish each of you my appreciation that all of Life is a feast — a daily “meal” to be savored! I say GRACE for each of you reading this. I say GRACE for friendships, family, four-legged friends who feed me every day with the very essence of life…..their love. I say GRACE for warmth, food and light at the holidays and all year long. I say GRACE for more than enough. I say GRACE for the beauties of nature all around me. For a brain that learns and changes and grows when I ask it. For a body that I can care for, enjoy, support and love. For a heart that can give the essence of life to others — my love.

Gifts of Grace5. used as forms of description or address for members of royalty. verb 1. do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one’s presence.

I address each of you as Your Grace. You are magnificent. You are powerful. You are amazing. And I honor your human divinity that makes you Royal in every way.

I honor you with gratitude and am present with you in my heart this Holiday season.

Finally, in his book What’s So Amazing About Grace?*, Philip D. Yancey tells readers to
Trace the roots of grace, or charis in Greek, and you will find a verb that means ‘I rejoice, I am glad.’”

In explaining GRACE, he uses the words gratitude, grateful, gratified, saying grace, gracious, gratuity, grace notes, saving grace, gratuitous, receive a grace, grace period, act of grace and Your Grace, to name a few.

He goes on to say, “The many uses of the word in English convince me that grace is indeed AMAZING — truly our best word.”

My friends, at this holiday season and all year long — I wish you great rejoicing and gladness. I wish you ageless GRACE. I wish you AMAZING Grace, every day in every way. You deserve it!

Denise Medved headshotWith love, Denise Medved

* ZONDERVAN
What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Copyright © 1997 by Philip D. Yancey
This title is also available as a Zondervan ebook. Visit www.zondervan.com/ebooks.
This title is also available in a Zondervan audio edition. Visit www.zondervan.fm.
Requests for information should be addressed to: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530
 
 

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