...and all this from an arctic chicken...

When I was in sixth grade, Mrs. Hill assigned us a project. While I cannot remember the exact subject we were studying, I do remember it had something to do with animals from around the world. One of those animals was the ptarmigan.

You remember those days right? We had encyclopedias. We had tracing paper. If further research on any subject was needed, you had a library card. The smell and the quietness of the library downtown was almost surreal. On a summer day it was a temperature-controlled haven where you could lose yourself among the books while the afternoon passed. Fortunately at home, we had three different sets of encyclopedias to choose from. I found my ptarmigan in the "Little Golden Books" series of encyclopedias.

Ptarmigan. I never forgot that animal because the spelling intrigued me. I had to draw a picture of the ptarmigan. I had to write a paragraph about the ptarmigan. I tried to pronounce the word without spitting. As I recall, I made a passing grade on the project...but that almost did not happen.

Always the procrastinator, I kept putting off the project while my classmates worked enthusiastically on theirs. One day, near the deadline, as I lay napping on my sister's bed, I awoke to a familiar voice coming from the kitchen. As I tried to focus and and shake off the sleepiness, I recognized that voice mingling with my Mother's over the smell of freshly-brewed coffee. My heart almost stopped as I heard Mrs. Hill revealing to my Mother that she had seen no progress on my project and was not even sure if I had started on it. Mother listened intently; they continued to chat pleasantly, and I heard Mother thank her for coming over. I knew the next few minutes would not be nice.

Mom came into the room and in her own special way, made certain I was fully awake and alert. She let me know I had to finish that project at once. She would check it herself the next morning. How I accomplished that task was up to me...but I would NOT fail. I worked all afternoon and into the night, frantically putting together my booklet. I was proud of my work. Mom was pleased. Mrs. Hill smiled.

Looking back I am thankful to have had teachers like Mrs. Hill in my past. She didn't have to come over. She could have just given me what I deserved; a failing grade. The fact that she didn't speaks volumes about her wisdom and intuition; and was an amazing example of grace.

Grace, as we know, is something we are given that we do not deserve. We don't have to be taught how to lie, misbehave or disobey. It is born into us and is part of our fleshly nature. When confronted about breaking God's rules in the Garden of Eden, Adam wasted no time in placing the blame on Eve, and by proxy God Himself. God punished them, but He still continued to bless them. When asked about the whereabouts of his brother, Cain answered incredulously when he said he was not his brother's keeper. Although He was unhappy, God gave Cain another chance at life. King David was prepared to mete out harsh punishment against the rich man who took the poor man's only lamb; until he realized it was he himself at the center of Nathan's metaphor. God, ever merciful, forgave David and never ceased to prosper him.

God's Grace overwhelms me. As Christians it seems all too often our walk resembles a hilly highway. We have our mountaintop moments...we have our valley-low moments. Sometimes we are pushing and fighting to get through a trial; and sometimes we seem to be coasting along. The one constant in this ever changing battle is the Grace of God Almighty. When we are at our lowest, He reaches down to us. When we are at our highest, He still takes the time to minister to us. We could only speculate at the many times He has protected us from dangers that we had no idea were coming our way.

God takes time to let me know when I am falling behind on my "projects" for the Kingdom. He awakens me from my spiritual slumber. He encourages me to burn the midnight oil to make things right. When I cannot even look at myself in the mirror, I know He still loves me. When I cannot understand how I will make it through another day, I know He still has plans for me. He has blessed me with an amazing family. He has given me a life that I once only dreamed of. He enables me to overcome the challenges that come my way; even when I want to just give up.

It is amazing what can run through your mind in a short drive down a dusty gravel road. It is amazing the memories that can be triggered just by taking in the beauty around you. Seeing a small brown and white "arctic chicken" strutting around in the tundra took me back 30 years and caused me to reflect on a lifetime of learning. Thank You God for loving me and for never ceasing to take care of me, and amaze me with Your Grace.