This past weekend, I flew to Cleveland for a wedding of two friends of mine. For me, it was an interesting experience. At the Nashville Airport, I got pulled aside and patted down. They even took my shampoo. I guess they were worried I would break into the cockpit and wash the pilot’s hair. I don’t know.

I do think I will always remember on the flight home looking out the window and seeing the sky lit up like a flame as the sun sank into the horizon. I’ve never seen a more beautiful sunset in my life.

Those are the moments you remember. Not the ones you think you will remember. Not the ones you plan for and prepare for, but those moments you never expect. Those are the ones you recall with fondness years later.

I think grace is like that. It’s not the gratitude that you expect when you do something right, but the forgiveness when you’ve screwed up yet again after making yet another promise that you wouldn’t. It’s expecting the hammer to fall and finding a helping hand instead.

I don’t suppose I will ever get tired of grace. Especially the grace of God that wakes me up every morning and sees me through to the close of day. Grace is a good thing.

I could say I wish others could practice more grace with me and with other people. I wish I could say I will do better at showing grace. I know that grace is something only God does well. All I really know how to do is receive grace, and I don’t even do that well all the time.

Maybe that’s all we’re supposed to do. Receive grace gladly and gratefully and know that the grace of God is a transforming and life-changing kind of grace. No one can experience the grace of God and remain the same.

No one can see God’s grace at work in their lives and not be a little more graceful to those around them. It’s not possible.

So thank you, God, for sunsets at 23,000 feet. Thank You for new mercies every morning. And thank You most of all for grace.