Posted on Jul 9, 2015
Do you know what grace means? Do you practice it?
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I try not to share religious or political stuff, but this was funny and good from today's Daily Bread - Grace in our Hearts. You don't have to be religious to appreciate the message and the story, which actually happened to me at a ball(s) too...
A few years ago, four-star General Peter Chiarelli (the No. 2 general in the US Army at that time) was mistaken for a waiter by a senior presidential advisor at a formal Washington dinner. As the general stood behind her in his dress uniform, the senior advisor asked him to get her a beverage. She then realized her mistake, and the general graciously eased her embarrassment by cheerfully refilling her glass and even inviting her to join his family sometime for dinner.
The word gracious comes from the word grace, and it can mean an act of kindness or courtesy, like the general’s. But it has an even deeper meaning to followers of Christ. We are recipients of the incredible free and unmerited favor—grace—that God has provided through His Son, Jesus (Eph. 2:8).
Enjoy!
http://odb.org/2015/07/09/grace-in-our-hearts/
SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS SGT (Join to see) PV2 (Join to see) COL Mikel J. Burroughs CSM Michael J. Uhlig MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca LTC Stephen C. MAJ Carl Ballinger SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" COL Mikel J. Burroughs TSgt Hunter Logan @https://www.rallypoint.com/profiles/588083-56a-command-and-unit-chaplain-fort-gordon-wtbn-srmc-wtc
A few years ago, four-star General Peter Chiarelli (the No. 2 general in the US Army at that time) was mistaken for a waiter by a senior presidential advisor at a formal Washington dinner. As the general stood behind her in his dress uniform, the senior advisor asked him to get her a beverage. She then realized her mistake, and the general graciously eased her embarrassment by cheerfully refilling her glass and even inviting her to join his family sometime for dinner.
The word gracious comes from the word grace, and it can mean an act of kindness or courtesy, like the general’s. But it has an even deeper meaning to followers of Christ. We are recipients of the incredible free and unmerited favor—grace—that God has provided through His Son, Jesus (Eph. 2:8).
Enjoy!
http://odb.org/2015/07/09/grace-in-our-hearts/
SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS SGT (Join to see) PV2 (Join to see) COL Mikel J. Burroughs CSM Michael J. Uhlig MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca LTC Stephen C. MAJ Carl Ballinger SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" COL Mikel J. Burroughs TSgt Hunter Logan @https://www.rallypoint.com/profiles/588083-56a-command-and-unit-chaplain-fort-gordon-wtbn-srmc-wtc
Respect
Character
Humility
Leadership
Religion
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 10
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Thank you for sharing this. I try to act with Grace all the time, then my mouth gets in the way. LOL. But I always have the best intentions. COL Charles Williams
Thank you for sharing this article! We are not perfect, we can just "try" to be.
Thank you for sharing this article! We are not perfect, we can just "try" to be.
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MAJ Matthew Arnold
I have that problem too (mouth gets in the way). Maybe some day we'll have enough patience and grace to not do it anymore.
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COL Charles Williams, Yes, I practice 'grace'. For me, grace is much easier now than it was 50 years ago.
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Great example sir. We all should just take things in stride sometimes as the General did. Next time someone cuts you off on the road or acts rudely, it's easy to get angry but hard to realize that maybe the person was just having a bad day like we all do. Sometimes the small act of kindness of overlooking the issue and not getting frustrated can go a long way for both parties.
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COL Charles Williams
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca How about this one. I am Garrison Commander, I am at the Navy Ball, at University of Missouri S&T, I have a my Mess Dress on... and the Waitress dumps a full tray of ice tea glasses in my lap... I was pissed, she was mortified... but would going nuts have helped? Nope... Luckily it missed my white shirt and medals... as I had to wear that suit for another ball the next night.
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MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
OUCH COL Charles Williams that smarts! At least you didn't get confused for the waiter. Of if you've seen "Air America" where the senator confuses the Vietnamese general as the porter - "Put suitcase in big car"
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COL Charles Williams
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca - Actually, I had the waiter thing more than once... too...
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COL Charles Williams He was a good General. I actually picked him up and escorted him to the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait for his flight north into Iraq to take over back in 2006! Very Gracious gentlemen and Senior Officer.
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
COL Charles Williams Good stuff. Always great to come across GOs that really care and will get down to the personal level. I had a similar experience with GEN Alexander Haig, SACEUR when I was stationed in Belgium. Every year the Boss would invite all the members and their families of the 357th Aviation Detachment to his Chateau for Christmas. He was a super guy and would spend a lot of time speaking with each member of his UH-1 Detachment and family members asking about where we were from and how the job was going. He would thank us over and over again for the great work that we did and meeting all of his crazy schedule changes. I was just a SP5 then and it left a lasting impression on me. His second in command BG Charles W. Dyke would come out and run with us around the airbase and participate in our APFT all the time. Here is a picture of him doing pushups with us in cadence. He's out front! I'm second from the left facing him! I received an ARCOM and three letters of Commendation from him for maxing the APFT three years in a row. I was very lucky and got the assignment of a lifetime at a very young age of 19.
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COL Charles Williams
Hooah COL Mikel J. Burroughs Cool Photo! Small world. When I took over as the Chief of Security Operations Branch (SOB) - yes that is correct - USAREUR OPM in Jun 2001 (not a good year to be in charge of security....) We had photos of the attacks on General Haig in our files... Very interesting photos... from a different time in Europe...
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COL Mikel J. Burroughs
COL Charles Williams I was there when one happened before his retirement right outside his Chateau. One of the CID agents that were escorting him lost an eye in the follow-on car when the General's car was blown up in front of him on the way back to his Chateau. I remember it well. The bomb exploded toward back trunk area of his Mercedes, thus saving everyone's life. There were no fatalities, but a very tense time. Everything was on lock down for next 30 plus days. That has been a long time ago, so I don't think it is classifed anymore.
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COL Charles Williams, sir, that is a great example for us all in our dealings with others of any rank or station. Thank you for posting it.
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Thank you all for this uplifting conversation. (Where ever 2 or more are gathered in my name...)
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COL Charles Williams - Great story! I think you are right, this goes beyonds one's belief or what name a person uses for their God. I think it ties in perfectly into our discussion about servant leaders as well and shows everyone that even sometimes as a senior leader you need to be willing to do the smallest of tasks.
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COL Charles Williams
SGT Ben Keen Awesome!!!! I worked for now LTG David Quantock, when I was a Garrison Commander (he was the 2 star Center Commander) and he often talked about servant leadership. He is the real deal. When he called me into his office, to tell me he was summoned to Pentagon to work, immediately, by the CSA... I nearly cried... He was that good of a boss... Best ever.
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COL Charles Williams Sir, to make it that far up the ladder I think a certain amount of grace is needed along with good people skills and some humour.
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SSG John Erny
COL Charles Williams - Sir, It is funny thing how people like that stick with you for the rest of your life. When I was in Rigger school we had this Italian DI that was meaner that a bear with a tooth ache. If one of his troops had a real problem he was still just as mean, but towards the problem not the troop. He had grace in his own unique way, it just took a while to appreciate it.
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I heard it that Grace can never be earned, it is an unconditional, undeserved reward from the power that can condemn you to eternal punishment if you don't follow the rules.
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COL Charles Williams
Hooah SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. I have heard the same... Hard to be believe we are worthy of grace at times....
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