I did magic!

So, just a little story for memory's sake...

Jude picked up a small wood chip that for some reason or another interested him and, to him, looked like a key.  He calls it his key and uses it to start his car, or open doors and so forth.  We have simply tried to keep him from ruining anything while using the key.

Well, he was at the counter and dropped it on the floor and did not get down to pick it up as he was too preoccupied by his other activity and so I picked it up and put it on the counter.  Once Jude was done with what he was focused on, his mind did go right back to his key and he got down to look for it.  He was not happy as he couldn't find it and was practically in tears.  Now of course, I didn't want to see him sad, so I got ready to give it back to him...but I also thought this could be an instructive moment....so, I said, "Jude, you know what we should do?  We should pray that you find it.  It is always good to pray and maybe it will help you calm your nerves and help you find it."

Now before you go too far with it, I know...I know.  I was manipulating the situation...but I was hoping to help reinforce a good behavior.  Not trying to force things, but simply help him in a small way realize that we can and should take all things to God.  If he happened to have a positive experience, I hoped it would simply help promote things in the future.

So, we prayed, and then went about the search again.  Of course, we "found" it mere moments later and he was overjoyed.  Being the Dad who wanted to bring home the point, I said..."Well Jude, what do you think you should say or do right now?"  A simple connection point back to gratitude and God was what I was going for here....but Jude's response?

With a voice that rose in wonder as he expressed himself he shouted, "I...did...magic!"

I guess you just can not force some lessons :)

What's So Amazing About Grace?

by Philip Yancey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

So, this took me a LONG TIME to read. Part of it is Yancey's writing. I can't quite place my finger on it...but it is just difficult to get through at times. I enjoyed the stories that he used throughout the book as illustrations of the various aspects of grace that he wanted to explore, but once those were through and he dove into the subject, it just seemed to stall a little for me.

As to the topic of grace. I thought it was a great exploration and discussion. I reminder of how easily we all fall into "ungrace". How often we as Christians exhibit the exact opposite of what we are supposed to and how that is perceived. I wondered how Yancey would spend so much time on it, but by the end, I felt like it could keep going....grace really does abound.

However, for a younger generation than those who are contemporaries of Yancey, maybe they will feel what I felt. I couldn't always connect with him because of what he has lived through. His examples pointed to times that I didn't live in. Issues that were addressed largely before my time. Not that they don't still exist today, or even transcend eras, but are just not as poignant for me. And I think that it showed as he tried to move into more current day issues as he spoke on homosexuality.

I know this isn't much of a summary this time as I am caught between what I liked and what I didn't with the book. Do I think it is worth reading...YES. And based on innumerable positive/glowing reviews from so many others, I think it is that much more so...because it may just be me that struggled in some areas of this book.

So, read it for yourself and see what you think. It will certainly challenge you in at least a few areas and open your eyes to God's grace in more than one way.

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