It seems there is a direct correlation between how much time I spend in communion with my Saviour and the amount of hope, peace, and contentment I have in my life. (Ya think?) And to answer a question I posed in an earlier blog (May 27, 2010 - "Why ... am I not dead?"), certainly the answer is because of God's extreme grace. Grace, as you know, implies that this is something I don't deserve. But, because of His grace, I have been given time to repent of my flagrant unbelief, idolatry, and lack of gratitude. It is true that "In Christ I can do all things," and that apart from Him I can do nothing. My life, of late, has been a bleak existence - because I have wandered away from my Shepherd. I have been a ghost of the Mom and Grandma I should have been. What an ungrateful slap-in-the-face, both to my Father who has given me so much more than I deserve, and to those very precious ones in my life that He's given me. My kids have been so patient, so loving, and so supportive through all of this, and what do I give in return? Complaining, whining, moping, feeling sorry for myself... But with what rich blessings I have been blessed! Children, grandchildren, and even more, salvation, adoption into fellowship with Christ.