Stories of Grace

Several people have asked me if I named my daughter after hearing the U2 song Grace. I have to confess, I’ve heard the song but it never really stuck out to me. This morning a friend sent me the lyrics:

Grace
She takes the blame
She covers the shame
Removes the stain
It could be her name

Grace
It’s a name for a girl
It’s also a thought that
Changed the world

And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness
In everything

Grace
She’s got the walk
Not on a wrapper on chalk
She’s got the time to talk

She travels outside
Of karma, karma
She travels outside
Of karma

When she goes to work
You can hear the strings
Grace finds beauty
In everything

Grace
She carries a world on her hips
No champagne flute for her lips
No twirls or skips
Between her fingertips

She carries a pearl
In perfect condition
What once was hers
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stains

Because grace makes beauty
Out of ugly things

Grace finds beauty
In everything

Grace finds goodness
In everything

i may not have named my daughter after hearing this song, but reading the lyrics made me think of her right now. and they brought a smile to my face. i especially like this part:

Grace
It’s a name for a girl
It’s also a thought that
Changed the world

And when she walks on the street
You can hear the strings
Grace finds goodness
In everything

I found this post: thepulp.wordpress.com/2007/03/23/sligh-causing-a-stir-with-non-christian-music/ the other day that contained more of Bono’s thoughts on Grace. Interesting reading. Check it out if you have a chance.

This week my daughter turns six months old. It’s hard to believe she’s that old already. It seems like only yesterday that she was born. Fortunately, I’ve gotten a lot more sleep lately than I did in those first months.

My big girl’s changed so much. When she was born, she didn’t move a lot and always wanted to be held. She couldn’t make a sound and never seemed to engage anyone.

Now she giggles and laughs all the time. She tries to talk to her mother and me. When I call her, name she looks at me. She recognizes me when I come home each from work each day. I know she does because she flashes her big smile at me. This week she started reaching out for people when they pick her up. It’s like she wants to hug them.

And sometimes she wants to be left alone. She’s comfortable playing in her activity center or laying on her stomach for periods of time. She loves playing with blankets, stretching them out and sticking them in her mouth. It makes for a lot of blanket washing, but we don’t mind. Her smiles and laughs make it worth it.

But it does make me a bit sad when I think about her wanting to play by herself. She’s already forming her own personality, and it’s an adorable one at that. She’s already starting to develop into her own person. Soon she’ll have friends of her own and want to spend time with them.

I guess that’s the way it goes. At least I’ve still got time when she’s this small. I know she loves me. And love her. And we love my wife/her mother. I’m not sure I could be any happier.

My daughter must be the happiest child on the planet. Forget that she gets whatever she wants, whenever she wants. She is all smiles, giggles and laughs. I promise, that’s all she did all day yesterday. She played and laughed. She sat and laughed. I held and she stood and laughed.

Her laugh echoes through the house, bringing a smile to all who hear it. I love my daughter. I just can’t help it.

And now she’s starting to try to move. She seems to have the legs thing down to crawl, but she’s got a ways to go with her arms. I’ll keep you posted on her progress.

Late Sunday night I became violently ill. It wasn’t pretty. I don’t know that I’ve ever felt that bad. I stayed home from work on Monday and gradually felt better but never fully regained my health. So I’m staying home today as well.

But God has turned a nasty sickness into a positive situation. My wife came down with the same thing I did at nearly the identical time. We had the same symptoms at the same time. We ran the same fever. She told me how she felt, and I told her I felt the same way. Shortly after, I’d tell her how I felt, and she’d say she felt the same way.

The time off — even if most of it is spent in bed — forced us to focus on our growing little family. It forced us to care for each other, to take of each other. I think it strengthened our family a little more.

This time has made me stop and think about how much I love my wife. She is the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. I’m glad God put us together.

And I’m glad God gave us Grace. Fortunately, she shows no signs of coming down with what we had. Please pray she doesn’t.