Amazing Grace

She really is an amazing child. Yes, yes: I know yours are, too. But my daughter is my daughter so, as it should be, she is my favorite girl in the whole world.

And she's amazing.

She's bright...

 but her light never seems to quite shine so much you must shield your eyes. In this way, she leaves room for others' achievements, celebrity status, and general 15 minutes of fame. She senses - all on her own - that light is for sharing, not for commadeering.

She's funny...

but her humor is so cheesy and innocent, you find yourself chuckling less at the content and more at the execution. She treasures the laughter without questioning the motive.

She's smart...

but I don't actually need to tell you that if you've met her. She'll tell you any and every horse fact you want - and usually don't want - to know. Yet, she informs as if you're as interested in the general gathering of knowledge as she. In this way, she refrains from making anyone feel dim or devalued.

She's compassionate...

but justice-oriented. This means she'll forgive you easily, but won't turn a blind eye to your disobedience, deceit, or general lack of good character.

She's gray...

but this only enhances her compassion. Her world isn't about black-and-white because, like her daddy, a person's motives and circumstances are just as important - perhaps even more so - than their final acts. Being me, I don't understand this. But I admire it just the same.

She's gifted...

but fails to see herself as "better" because of it. This means she's not snobby, uppity, or selfish with her abilities. She does not lord them over others as if God made only her to be special. Rather, she admires what she cannot do...which makes her either learn it, improve it, or simply shrug and say, "Yeah, I can't do that." There's beauty in all those, you know.

Grace is amazing. She's bright, funny, smart, compassionate, gray, and gifted. And she's ours.

Which means the only blessing more amazing than she is that God actually entrusted her to us.

Wow.