Barneyisfat

I sat in a coffee shop reading "The Ragamuffin Gospel" for more than an hour tonight. I am using a "gratis slip" for a bookmark. At TFC we get a thing called gratis (the latin word for grace or free) when we do something bad. It is a $10 fine or one hour of work. I couldn't think of a more ironic bookmark. I'm reading about grace, and the more I read about it the more I think I'm beginning to get it.
Shirley Phelps-Roper was on Foxnews today. She is the daughter of Fred Phelps - pastor of Westboro Baptist Church of Godhatesfags.com fame. She has been on the news several times - views of church members protesting military funerals, ranting about why God hates America, gays, liberals, soldiers, and everyone. "God is Your Enemy" is a favorite sign slogan. I forgave her today. I realized that not only does God not have a special segment of Hell for her father and her, but that God loves her and died for both or them.
That realization was hard for me. If God can love and forgive me, well-hell, God can forgive anyone. There's something freeing about grace. I've been trying to live my life with a lot more grace. I ignore some TFC rules, I buy my friends dinner, I try and forgive rabid conservatives for their ... er ... rabid conservatism.
I have been praying for weeks about applying for a job as a youth director. The boy I went to the Lavonia United Methodist Church with a few Sundays ago was initially so afraid of entering a Methodist church, but he fell in love. He told me that he felt led to apply for the job. I've decided to let him have the job without my competition. It was a "kingdom decision" I hope, but I know that it was a grace filled decision on my part. I really wanted that - and I felt so much confirmation. I have few doubts that soon God will provide a youth ministry for me and that this is God preparing me for that.
I hope that I can keep learning about grace - that God will continue to prepare me for all ministry.