Did you know that the words “gratitude” and “grace” come from the same Latin root word, “gratia?”

“Grace” is a theological word that signifies a free and unmerited gift. I like to think of it as God indiscriminately tossing gifts around to all of us, gifts none of us has earned nor can we ever pay them back. My life is full of these!

Because I can neither earn nor pay back the many unmerited gifts I have received in my life, how could I not be filled with gratitude? According to my mother, the first word I spoke was “ganke,” my babyish pronunciation of “danke” – “thank you” in German!

As I write this, I am grateful for each of you and for the grace of your presence in my life.

So, DANKE! Please stay safe and well and I wish you and yours many blessings in 2023!