Grace trumps each time

There was a viral video going around where a teacher proclaims the virtue of hard work over intelligence and genius. There was of course more things above grit, which is overrated and potentially fraught with the pulling-oneself-up-by-one's-bootstraps self-reliance that would degenerate into pride and ultimately distancing from God and ingratitude of what He sends.

As I look back in my life I truly have been a recipient of massive grace, things that I could not have done on my own power nor even imagined in my own mind, the Lord had made me see. A rather rebellious poet-wannabe, I didn't seek to be in health care but here I am, a decades-long, rather interesting career at that.

I yearned to be married, but it is pure grace that the man I prayed for exists and answers to 'husband' and every detail I thought was sexy down to one pierced ear was answered. My parents stayed married when couples have broken up for a fraction of what they experience. My brother was healed from a deadly burst aneurysm with no deficits whatsover. My bosses have been kind and offered me friendship, books and wisdom. My coworkers are nice; such as today, one gave me a tool for making notes and another shared cheesecake. These are grace that I had totally nothing to share in effort.

It was all gift, as all is gift if we think of it--my ability to move my hands to type, my mother being a teacher, making me love books at an early age, her faith which led to mine; my chance introduction to the charismatic renewal through a friend where her faith, and my dad's brother's and husband's faith were activated. My hubby played too many liberal talk radio and one day he shifted to all-Catholic streams (Relevant Radio, Immaculate Heart Radio) without me even asking; this is grace.

I, who had been a pro-abort, pro-suicide liberal chick, would have hurt many people and families by promoting it or even doing it myself, but by God's grace, He shielded me from that path. It is pure grace that I had a nice dress that I do not have to use, that I was able to give a woman begging as I came home. It is grace that I had no interruptions and was able to teach and design towards research the whole day. It was grace that I was able to have the gift of tongues which I used to praise and worship coming down from work, too many graces to even verbalize. God is good; only He, not us. On the same vein, the Holy Spirit allowed me to make a song with melody as I neared my exit. The lyrics: Abba Father/ come to me (4x). Then replace "Abba Father" with Lord Jesus, Dear Holy Spirit, Blessed Mother, O Angels, O Choirs of Heaven... When They are with us, and They are, grace abounds and it is sufficient.