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window of grace


If you were to peer into a “window of grace”--apprehend that fleeting, intangible force-- what would you see? What would you experience?

As I prepared for Christmas Day, I also began preparing for the twelfth day of Christmas, the Epiphany. Celebrated on January 6, it is most often associated with the Magi’s visit to the Christ child. Its allusion to humans being called forth to journey into the night has always resonated within me.


While I have acknowledged this celebration in various ways, this year, my husband and I, in association with our friends at Be Theatre, are focusing on the word, “grace”, as we seek support and awareness for a local nonprofit, the Concho Valley Home for Girls/Children’s Emergency Shelter. “Grace” is sometimes defined as “unmerited assistance,” and I often see epiphanies in a similar light-- as something freely given, with no attending expectations.

Prompting us is the theatre’s production of the tender, humorous play, Graceland, as well as a better understanding of the CVHG’s noteworthy work for young people of all ages and genders. Within the last two months, I’ve had the privilege to work with a fellow artist and some of the young women the non-profit serves. While I’ve always sensed that opportunities for creative expression are important, I never fully realized how simple artistic supplies, snacks, and a safe place to create could produce such a grace-filled space. My time with these individuals provided me with an extraordinary experience, one I still haven’t fully integrated.


All of this to say, I am inviting all to join our little artistic group in creating a “Window of Grace” for the benefit of the CVGH/Children’s Emergency Shelter. From January 5-19, donations*, both large and small, will be accepted and placed in the theatre’s downtown marquee window. This visual representation will illustrate how grace-filled giving may fill empty spaces in the lives of others. A $2.75 roll of paper towels will be as enthusiastically received as a $5 or $500 donation** for the organization’s operational expenses. (We suspect acts of grace come in all forms, their impact not diluted by size or substance.) A short listing of the CVGH’s needs can be found below or at betheatre.com. Additional information about the CVHG can be found at conchokids.org. Please share this opportunity with others you know.

We also invite any of you who might be in San Angelo, to attend Be Theatre’s production of Graceland, slated for performances January 8-11. The theatre will be doing what the arts do so well, offering audiences a glimpse into the joys and struggles of our shared humanity. Tickets are complimentary with a donation to the CVGH. Reservations may be made by visiting the theatre’s website as listed above.

During 2014, my life has been filled with many moments of grace. I hope yours was as well.

Many blessings and much grace to you and yours in 2015. -l

Postscript: *During January 5-19, donations of goods may be dropped off Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Clemens & Associates, 21 W. Beauregard, or when you attend the production.

If you would like to participate in supporting this organization with a monetary or in-kind gift, do not let the limited dates listed above prevent your participation. Additional information about donating may be found by visiting the organization’s website.

CVHG/Children’s Emergency Shelter Donation List
Detergent/Dryer Sheets
Dish soap/Sponges
Household Cleaning Supplies
Paper Towels/Toilet Tissue
Light bulbs/AA Batteries
Trash Bags

Body Wash/Deodorant
Lotion- Face & Body
Facial Cleanser/Astringent
Shampoo & Conditioner
Hair Gel
Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
Facial Tissue/Cottonballs
Feminine Hygiene Products
Sunscreen
Band-Aids/Antibiotic Cream

Age appropriate clothing, especially young children’s underclothing and socks

Haircuts

Bottled water/Crystal Lite packets
Healthy Snacks

Art Supplies- chalk pastels, acrylic paint & paint brushes, gel color pens, art/writing journals, 16” X 20” canvases, paper towels

Movie & Theatre Passes/Tickets

Cards- Hastings, Target, Michaels, Hobby Lobby

Pizza- Order or Gift Certificate

Dinner at a Restaurant

**Funds for Operational Expenses (If you choose to make a monetary donation on-line or with a check, please dedicate your donation to “Grace”, by entering the word as the honoree’s name or on the check’s memo line.)


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