Why I am working on Grace

Grace, it is a beautiful word. Rolls of the tongue with such poise, however in life I have found that to be a person who exudes grace has been quite a difficult task. Merriam-Webster defines grace as a "way of moving that is smooth and attractive and that is not stiff and awkward," which makes me laugh out loud. I would never be full of grace in that manner, I have the unique ability to trip over flat sidewalk. I have even fallen while walking which leaves my husband laughing at me, asking if I was shot by a sniper. No, the grace I am working on is found farther down on MW's dictionary page. That is Grace that comes only from God. See, I have looked for it for years, wondered where it was, often tried to find in the worst places. I found that it was never in those places, no matter how hard I tried to find it. Instead, it was waiting for me, always just waiting for me to open my heart. For years I have fallen short of the mark, but that's okay, there isn't any shortage of God's grace, we just have to want it, look for it, work for it, and keep going.  Today my prayer is that we open our hearts and find the graces that are there, we appreciate them, we continue to do good works, and prayers for others to receive the graces they need to find that one true peace. A beautiful prayer for Grace from www.catholic.org.

Prayer for Grace 

O my God and my all, 
in Thy goodness and mercy, 
grant that before I die 
I may regain all the graces 
which I have lost through my carelessness and folly. 

Permit me to attain the degree of merit and perfection 
to which Thou didst desire to lead me, 
and which I failed by my unfaithfulness to reach. 

Mercifully grant also that others regain the graces 
which they have lost through my fault. 
This I humbly beg through the merits 
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 
and Immaculate Virgin Mary.

Amen.