Served Myself A Plate Of Grace

Friday was difficult for the Weight Watchers plan.   I had the Don Henley song "All She Wants To Do Is Dance" going through my mind, but it was "All I want to do is Eat".

It was day 3 of actually following a plan, and I don't know what the statistics say, but for me, day 3 is a rough one... and so it was.  

I had already eaten, Lord, I don't know what - because I didn't track it like I was supposed to, and then we had made plans with our friends, Randy and Deanne to have dinner at a Brazilian BBQ buffet.   It appeared I had set myself up for failure, but I decided that as I served myself to all of the different culturally unique food, I would also serve myself a plate of grace.

The word "Grace" has many, many meanings.   One of the key words that caught my eye was, "Reprieve" - which really means "cancel or postpone punishment."  So that's what I did.  Instead of punishing myself for not staying on program, I gave myself a reprieve.

Sure, the punishment will be there - as they say, the "proof" is in the pudding - or chocolate ganache and creme' brulee as it was.  The "proof" will be at the scale, there is no way to be exempt from that -  but the real reprieve was from the guilt.

As I served myself these delicacies from a different culture, of course I had to try everything, I was serving myself a plate of grace.   I  tried everything, just a bite or two - after all the word "Grace" includes a definition of "a sense of propriety", or being appropriate.

The dinner was delicious, especially the meat, which the Brazilian places are known for, and when dessert came, oh my.   I had the flan - which was basically creme brulee without the crunchy top - yum, but my table mates weren't really interested in it.  THEN, Randy had the chocolate ganache which was better than brownie on a spoon.  It was so good, Deanne ordered another. We all shared, and had a lovely evening, almost closing the place down.

The Bible talks about the "law" as given by Moses, but "grace" coming through Jesus (John 1:17).  I like the life of grace better than the life of "the law".  God designed the coming of Jesus to provide a reprieve.  Jesus came to give life and to live it more abundantly (John 10:10).

We have boundaries - that is the appropriate side of grace.   In the same way, we have the side of grace that is an exemption from punishment.   What an amazing word, GRACE.   Look it up, see what it means, and then be sure to give yourself a huge portion.

"God has the power to provide you with more than enough of every kind of grace.  That way, you will have everything you need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work."   2 Corinthians 9:8

K