What is one of your fondest childhood memories?

It took me a few moments to decide my fondest memory.  Partly, because I have so many!  I don’t mean to say that boastfully, but in a world where people are abused and neglected at such an early age I really can only dwell on the wonderful family and friends I had as a child!  This may not be my fondest memory! It is, however, one that has stayed with me through the years.  It is one of those events that even when it happens you appreciate it, and as you grow older it becomes even fonder!

My generation was taught to write in cursive in the third grade.  I struggled all year long to master the art of cursive.  Every other subject I made A’s and B’s without a lot of struggles.  Penmanship, however, was at best a C.  

All year long I struggled to improve, but C was the best I could do.  Fortunately, I had a very kind and gifted teacher, Miss Guinand!  I think it was her first-year teaching.  She was young and enthusiastic. Also, she was the first teacher I had that didn’t look and act like my mother or grandmother.  I confess, she was my first crush.  I remember daydreaming about how beautiful and sweet she was and hoped she wait for me to grow up and marry me.  She cared about all of her students and through the year she noticed my efforts and gave me some extra help to improve. On my last report card for the year, she gave me an A in penmanship!  Notice, I said she GAVE.  I knew I didn’t deserve it!  

It would be almost 20 years later, as I began to learn about how God’s Grace is shown to us in Jesus Christ. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:  8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. The A in penmanship was gift!  I didn’t deserve or earn it.  At best she gave it to me because I put in the effort, but it was mostly because she cared about me.  She cared about her students.  I think she actually loved us!  
That’s how God’s love works!   We don’t deserve it!  We can’t earn it!  It is a gift!  That gift, however, was paid for by Jesus Christ!  It cost Him his life!

My fond memory of Miss Guinand’s act of Grace has been repeated over and over by family and friends.  I have lived in a state of Grace.  As a recipient of Grace, I have tried to show Grace and unconditional love to people with whom I am in contact!  You are surrounded by that Grace as well.  Your family and friends are motivated by the Grace of God they have experienced in Jesus Christ!  Live in it!  Share it!

To this day, my handwriting would best be described as sloppy.  There is something in my brain that tends to get ahead of my hands, and I am just not able to concentrate on what I am writing and how to write it at the same time.  (I am very grateful for word processors!)  I seriously doubt there will be any improvement during your lifetime.  There will be cards and notes I will write to you and if you find them hard to decipher, please know that they were written to tell you how much I love you!  I love you not for what you have or haven’t done, but just because you are my grandchild!

The world needs more people like Miss Guinand!  You need people like her!  My prayer is that you will follow her example.  Actually, my deepest prayer is that you will know the Grace of God displayed through the life, the death and the resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus of Nazareth.  The savior of the world!  Only by His Grace can you know abundant life!

As you get older, always remember and celebrate the people who have shown you Grace and unconditional love!