Grace- A Recipe Without Instructions

Esther with her brothers Jesse and Isaac

Over the weekend, my brother’s daughter, Esther, packed her bags and headed out on a huge adventure.  She boarded a plane in Atlanta for Paris, France.  Well, she is 16 years old and has taken a liking to her new language of study, French.  By some miracle her mother created this opportunity for her to live in a place where she could really practice her French.  A host family in Versailles, 25 minutes west of Paris, was thrilled to add one more person to the family of 5 children and the grand idea was put into motion.

Esther getting ready, wrapped in Healing Knots

She was wrapped in Healing Knots, of course, and had made a mountain of bracelets to give her host family.  Esther is a thriving Healing Knots artist herself!!!

 

Esther beading away in the car on the way to the airport! She made bracelets for her host family in Paris.

 Now Esther is a girl that has the softest heart, the most gentle spirit, a non-stop smile and the ability to talk to anyone.  She is going to blossom from this experience and soak up every inch of this adventure.

I sent Chris, her mother, an email this morning.  I wanted to let her know that not only was Esther amazing and brave to be able to make this voyage into another country, but, that she was an amazing mother to give her daughter this opportunity.  The two of them both being brave above and beyond my wildest dreams since just 2 years ago their world had been shattered.  Chris needed to know that she was to be commended for having the courage to let her daughter go!!!

And then the whole story of letting go began.

Chris thanked me for her email.  She said she had been up in the middle of the night wondering if she had done the right thing, and questioning letting her precious girl go.  So far away, all alone.

Now if you are not a parent, you do not understand that part of being a parent is wanting great things for your children.  But, the bummer side of this is that…in the middle of the night you start the “worry list.”  It is this crazy voice in your head that starts to list all of the things that could happen and that you are not able to be there to help protect your child.  It is crazy, it is involuntary and it loves to seep in when you are suppose to be sleeping.

Why is it that we do play these mind games?  It is always in the middle of the night…when it is dark and you are only half awake and you are not thinking straight.

We spend our lives being so brave, so intentional in our plans and then the night creeps in and we get scared and the worry list begins.  Our faith, our confidence, our security can all crumble when we let our minds go down that silly path.

And then the sun comes up and it is morning again…we start to see clearly again and we are not alone in the dark with thoughts.  For some reason those silly night time thoughts are NOT our best friends or members of our fan club.  But the morning comes and there are those points of light or moments of grace.  An email of support, a prayer or thought that someone shares with you and moments to remind you of what is good and true.

Chris shared with me some of those moments of Grace.  A dear friend of hers, Matt, is taking his kids to France this week and they are going to visit Esther.  A moment of Grace to ease the mother!

Ellise Pierce, The Cowgirl Chef, is in Paris cookin’ up her usual trouble and good treats.  Her new official title is now “Esther’s Paris Aunt.”

An email from Esther this morning that she has safely landed and has her own room at her host families house!!!

AHHH….the mother can relax and rejoice again!!!  All tiny little pieces to let Chris know this is amazing and such a gift.  The perfect recipe has come together and there were no instructions.  And grace carried her to this place of completion!

And I think that is life.  This is how we grow.  This is how we learn.  This is how we open new doors and have new adventures.

Try a new recipe for your life!

No directions needed just the courage to try!!!...and be patient, Grace will follow you.

Esther on her way to her big adventure in France! Best of luck, Esther and so many hugs from the US!