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There’s always another layer

colored pencilsShe (who prefers anonymity for this story) pulled out her tin of colored pencils to write in her prayer journal.

Then she suddenly drew in a deep breath – what???

There’s another layer!
Beneath one layer of pencils was another layer of more pencils.
How long had they been there? Unused? Unnoticed?

And now delighted in.

There’s always another layer.

I put clean sheets on the bed Friday morning before I left. My in-laws were coming for the night and I wanted them to have fresh ones.

Meanwhile, my daughter was putting clean sheets on her bed because I was coming for the night and she wanted me to have fresh ones.

There’s always another layer.

Peel back one fold and find another. It’s the cycle of grace. God planned it so.

  • It’s my baby girl helping me pick out a dress. For her wedding.
  • It’s remembering teaching her cursive, and now watching her write in it to address college graduation invitations.
  • It’s watching her take charge at her job in the greenhouses. And remembering when she planted her first little flower bed at our old house.

Layers.
Depth.
Thickness.

It’s the God-way. His bottomless pit of surprises.

He always has another layer of grace.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
Romans 11:33


Adding more layers of praise for his grace surprises...

# 105....110
~ fresh chocolate chip cookies made special for me
~ buying dresses together
~ sharing a slice of caramel pie
~ Icees
~ meeting with the caterer
~ graduation invitations

# 111....115
~ a date with my Kindle at Milo’s
~ finishing one book so I can start another
~ last week of school but never of learning
~ making it to 2 showers for 2 friends in 2 cities in 1 afternoon 
~ orange slices that remind me of Grandma’s house
orange slices# 116....118
~ a husband who wants to kiss me often
~ a daughter having such fun she forgets what time it is
~ but apologizes very responsibly for it

# 119
~ a God who never never never never runs out of grace

* * *

How has God’s unending grace surprised you lately?

11 comments:

Julie said...

Yes, Lisa...God's unending, unchanging, bottomless grace always continues to inspire and thrill me with joy. What a nurturing and caring God we serve....Pouring layers of loving blessings over us while He daily sands away layers of unneeded cares or burdens we try to keep wearing... Thanks for a beautiful post....again....hugs.

Barbara H. said...

Wow, you're a good friend to go to 2 showers in 2 cities in one afternoon! I am glad the timing worked out well.

Love the connections between the layers, like teaching a daughter cursive which she now uses to address invitations.

Anna said...

Loved your list, the layers..."He always has another layer of grace" and the verse from Romans 11:33. I also took a look at your book list- (a great list) and your blog; subscribing! Thanks for opening another layer for me today. (Oh-- and Milo's-- would that be the Milo's iced tea/hamburger place in the south?? Used to love that place.) So nice to find you through Ann's.

Lisa notes... said...

Julie,
I pray things are going well with you and yours. And that God is giving you much grace for your potential move!

Barbara,
I don't typically do such craziness to try to be so many places at one time. :-) But one of the showers was for a best friend's son getting married, and the other was for a friend where I needed to be back for a meeting later that afternoon anyway. Definitely used up some of God's grace yesterday!

Lisa notes... said...

Anna,
Yes, Milo’s from the iced tea/hamburger place in the south. :-) It’s my very favorite place to get a burger and fries. Glad to meet you too.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

very nice, God is full of grace

Unknown said...

Beautiful post! How often we forget the layers. We are not one dimensional, and neither is life. What an amazing God we serve.

Thank you so much for this post. It opened my eyes to a few things I have been praying about.

Blessings!

Lisa notes... said...

Lynda,
Life certainly isn’t one dimensional. Sometimes I wish it were; I think I’d love it to be straight happiness. :-) But the layers make it better, even when those layers can get embedded with what we consider hard stuff. It’s all part of our life in God. Yes, we do serve an amazing God who has such wisdom that I can’t even begin to fathom it!

I’m glad God used the words here to help you with some of the things you’ve been praying about. Another layer of his wisdom in action.

Cora from Hidden Riches said...

Love those orange slices!!!! Haven't had those in a while, that's for sure. Brought back memories of childhood! I so loved your comments about there always being another layer. To think that as we peel back one layer after another of His heart. . . . Grace upon grace!!!! Thank you! It was great to be here today!

Katie said...

I am so glad for another layer of grace from God. :)

I saw the layers of God using clean up grandma's house and getting rid of things cause she is in a home now and grandpa died last fall. I went today to help my mom and step-father clean out. As hard and as emotional as it was... I was blessed by essentials.

God provided me with food from the pantry to stock my empty pantry when I did not have the money to buy anything until payday 3 days away. I also ended up with unopened shampoo and conditioner and soap and other items...

Amy Nabors said...

This reminds me of painting. When I start a painting it's often very flat. It's only in letting one layer dry and then adding layer after layer does it become what I want it to. Just like life.

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