Happy New Year

I am not a great one for resolutions. However, at this time of the year, it's difficult not to start musing on where you are, where you have been and where you are going. A little while ago on one of the Ravelry groups that I belong too, Claire mentioned the idea of having a word for the year. At that time, it was Samhain, the beginning of the pagan year, and therefore, various of us took that as the beginning of the year, and chose a word.

My word was - and is - grace. Grace is something that I have thought about alot over the last couple of weeks as I have been going through some tough times. Grace is also something that I have needed and doubtless will continue to need. It seems that grace is not something that I am capable of achieving on my own - I can be remarkably ungracious at times, which is why I chose it in the first place. But in God's strenght, I am learning that I can be gracious. It also seems that it is sometimes easier to be gracious in the big things than in the little things (will I ever complete a journey to work in the rush hour without yelling at someone?).

And so my prayer for the new year is for increased grace to help me deal with the things that life throws at me:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to
change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

God, grant me grace.