Grace

We have all experienced grace. We know the definition of grace – receiving something, a gift, we do not deserve.
While I was in hospital with Andreas’ delivery I was amazed to see the support and wishes from people who love us and would like to be part of his life.


One specific message will always stay with me.


Uncle Corrie just said: This is all grace – you did nothing to deserve this beautiful, healthy baby boy. You cannot earn it. God gave it to you out of his grace. He had his own definition of grace in his life. He had three wonderful children, all of them successful adults in their own right. His brother on the other hand, had one healthy girl, followed by a girl with Down syndrome. It was just grace that his children were normal, nothing else.


I thought about his message. Later the same day, I saw grace unfolding in front of my eyes. Our whole family, on both sides have waited very long for the breath of new life to come into our lives. My grandmother has prayed for years, and has come to the point where she almost lost hope that she would ever see a great grandchild.


I still remember a photo, taken when I was around 3 years old. It was of me, my mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Four generations in one photo.


Soon after the photo was taken my great grandmother passed away.


The same afternoon after Uncle Corrie’s message to us, my grandmother arrived. My parents went to fetch her, so that she could spend some time with us.


I could see that for her it was the fulfilment of a life dream when she held Andreas in her arms for the first time.


We took a photo. Another four generation photo – Andreas, me, my mother and grandmother.


It took another 30 years before we had the opportunity to take another four generation photo again.


That is my definition of grace.