Last week, I asked my incredibly imaginative Facebook friends to help me come up with a title for a chapter I’m writing about grace for my new inspirational book, Fear, Faith, and a Fistful of Chocolate (set to release in Feb, 2013 by Barbour Books). My creative FB buds had done such a slam bang-up job with suggestions for my guilt chapter several weeks ago that I thought it only prudent to squeeze the utters of the proverbial idea cow once again.
That was not an attractive metaphor. Sorry. It’s early.
So to my surprise, in less than a day I receive a suggestion from the 9-year-old son of Lynn, one of my work associates. It was the BEST EVER! I still can’t get over it.
Here’s the suggested chapter title straight from the amazingly astute mind of Logan, my own personal Yoda (I suggested that Lynn change his name to Yogan):
Grace: The Ultimate Transformer. Per Logan, this phrase should be accompanied by a photo of Optimus Prime wearing a t-shirt that says, “Forgiven.”
Now I’m not all that hip, rad, or the least bit cool about kid-speak these days since my kids are grown with their own kids, and their kids aren’t yet out of the sippy cup stage, so I was at a loss as to the identity of said Mr. Prime. Lynn graciously accommodated me with a link to Optimus Prime, the leader of the ever-so-popular robotic Transformers.
Apparently Optimus Prime, a main player in Logan’s world, is known for his compassion, strength, and willingness to sacrifice himself for others.
Wow. BIG wow. Who does this description sound like to you? Not unlike the epitome of grace who, out of a strength we cannot fathom, willingly sacrificed himself on a cross through the greatest of compassion for lost souls like you and me.
And this kid, this 9-year-old boy, gets it. He has wrapped his head around the concept of grace better than many adults. Hey, if this doesn’t light a blaze of hope in your innards for the next generation, your wood’s wet.
Dang, that stupid tear is trickling down my face again. I hate it when that happens before my morning cup of hot tea.
Regrettably, I can’t use Logan’s terrific idea in my book; my audience of other non-hip, rad-less, uncool middle-aged women like me wouldn’t understand it without an explanation. And my editor always says, “If it needs explaining, it shouldn’t be there.” But it was so awesomely worthy of recognition that I just had to share it with you through my blog.
I hope your mediocre morning is transformed into a grace-filled, optimally prime, to-die-for day!
lynn says
Logan absolutely loved this, Deb!! You are so fabulously creative and expressive, and always manage to reach someone's spirit..one is laughing one minute and crying the next! Love you, fabulous woman!
Ann says
I somehow missed this post, but am happy it resurfaced. Not being a hip grandmother, I couldn't have come up with a better explanation to reach those of his age group. This a wonderful post. I hope it reaches many. And I hope you reach many. Bless you.