I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Jesus in John 10:10b
It was time for some grits. Well, after two weeks on the road traveling and doing God stuff it was so good to be home. Dorothy (the one from the Wizard of Oz) said it best…there is no place like home…and she was right. Over the last two weeks we did different things and slept in different beds and ate a lot of different foods. In the coming days and weeks, I will be writing about some of our adventures. But after all of that…this morning…it was time for something familiar. It was time for grits.
When I woke up and had breakfast in this place called home, I wanted something that was normal…something that would remind me I was indeed home. It shouldn’t surprise you that I turned to grits. For me, if there is something that says home, it is grits. Grits are more than a food. Grits are part of my heritage. Grits are wholesome. Grits are…grits. This morning’s grits started with a bowl of “cheater” grits cooked in the microwave. Trust me…grits on the stove or grits in the microwave are still stinking good. So, in the bowl went the grits, an amount of water that varies from day to day, a good shaking of salt and pepper, a small handful of bacon bits and finally, a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss cheese. Can someone say, “Hallelujah?” Well, from the first bite till I scraped the bowl clean…it was heaven…it was good…it said, “Home.”
While I love grits, I also am honest enough to admit that just plain grits are well…plain. But when you add the good stuff, well, all I can say is “Shoot that thing.” The good stuff can make something plain…sing. It is true with grits, and it is true with life. You see, life can be just life but when you add the good stuff, life sings like a happy opera singer. What makes life sing is different for each person but for me the list is short and sweet. First, you add God to the mix and not just any god but Jehovah God…the One who made it all. The trees, the flowers, the mountains, and the rivers are just a few of His works. Look up and the stars and the planets all sing of His greatness. You know, Jesus once said that He had come to give us life and not only that but a life worth living…and I believe He did. Now don’t confuse God and religion. God is always good and religion by itself is just like plain grits…tasteless.
Another thing that makes my life sing is family and friends. You see, I don’t believe grits were made to be eaten plain. Grits is the foundation just waiting for the good stuff. We were never created to be loners on a desert island. No, we were made for each other. Again, each life is different, but each life should include others…the kind that enrich and fulfill us. For some it is a big family and for others it might be a family of one. It might be ten close friends or only one or two, but we all need others. Why not invite someone into your world today? I know for me that can sometimes be difficult, but it is worth the effort.
The third thing that we need to make our life sing is a trio of treats. They are love, gratitude, and contentment. Just like the cheese, bacon bits, and salt and pepper bring my bowl of grits to life, so do these three powerful life ingredients. Love is as essential as the air that we breathe and gratitude, being thankful for all we have instead of grumpy about what we don’t, is too. Oh, and when we are grateful…we are usually content. Throw all of this together and you have a life that sings…a life that is worth getting up to everyday.
You see, to have a full life, a life that is as sweet as the sweetest love song, doesn’t require titles, dollars, and stuff. No…a life that sings is so much more than that. All we must do is be willing to start. This morning’s breakfast of grits wasn’t hard…I mean that is one thing that even I can prepare. But it did require a start…it did require a beginning. So, today, let’s take that first step. Let’s pour in the bowl of our life a big dose of faith, love, gratitude, and contentment and then let’s sit down to the table of life and feast. Don’t know where or how to start? Why not ask God, the one many call, “Father?” You will find Him there ready and willing to help. You can rest assured that, “He’s got this.”
Grits with Grace 