How many people practice or celebrate traditions? I would say every person has their own unique traditions but, also share multiple traditions with others. A tradition is defined as an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (Merriam-Webster;1828). Usually when one thinks of a tradition their ideas revolve around a holiday. My initial ideas were Christmas, Easter, or even Thanksgiving. I recognized a trait each of these had in common, saying grace. Saying Grace is a highly respected tradition in my family. At each of the holidays mentioned above, along with others in between, we say grace over our meal before eating. Growing up in a Christian home, I was taught to appreciate the importance of saying grace.
As a Christian one is led by the teachings in the Bible. By reading the Word of God we are compelled to act in the ways we do. For example, one of the most known aspects of the Bible is the Ten Commandments. People of the Christian faith follow these commandments in order to live a righteous life. Yet, if you are familiar with those Ten Commandments, you know that saying grace or blessing a meal is not written in these. So, where do Christians get the idea that they should say grace? As one studies the Bible, you will read various occasions were showing gratitude toward God blessed the individuals. An example of this is written in Matthew 15:36, “And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.” Jesus did not want to send the multitudes away without food because they had followed him for three days with nothing to eat. His disciples questioned where they would get enough food to feed them. Jesus took what they had, gave thanks for it and fed four thousand men with leftovers. Of course, this may not have been solely on the fact that He gave thanks, but would it have been possible if He had not? Christians believe that God is the provider of everything. When something is give to somebody, one naturally shows his/her appreciation to the person who gave it to them. Saying grace is a gesture of appreciation towards
Grace is freely given favor or pardon, unmerited, unconditional god-like love. This grace has been shown in the many instances of unmerited love and forgiveness freely given in the book, The Grace That Keeps This World. In the beginning of the story, Kevin and his Dad, Gary Hazen, were at odds with one another. After the tragic accident where Gary Hazen accidentally shot his son, and Officer Roy’s fiancé, Gary David, Kevin, and his father, Gary Hazen, and Officer Roy, all extended grace toward one another. Then Gary extended grace toward himself. This grace helped to emotionally and physically sustain them, hence the title The Grace That Keeps This World.
The Christian faith focuses on the orientation of the human heart behind human thoughts and actions. Living by faith is a beautiful alternative to the way people think of themselves and the way they live in relation to others in their daily lives (Merrick, 2014). Christians see themselves in terms of God’s profound love for them but not in terms of what they do. The teachings of the Christian faith; nonviolence, non-retaliation, inward integrity, selflessness, and love your neighbor as yourself provide the framework for ethical thinking. Although, adopting belief in Christianity can bring forth confusion in the heart and mind causing agony of learning to sacrifice one’s rightful claims for personal justice for the restoration of another (Merrick, 2014). Unconditional forgiveness is difficult to understand because spiritual forgiveness and actual costly forgiveness is viewed as the same in the gospel. If you do not forgive, then one does not have faith in God’s forgiveness as it really is. Christianity influences a person thinking and behavior developing wisdom which requires faith. The faith that is needed to reorient the heart away from selfishness to selflessness.
We all have traditions in our lives, but most of them vary between us. Where we are the same is that we have a genetic history of traditions. So what defines a tradition? A way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, culture, etc., for a long time. An inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior. Also a belief or story or a relating to the past that are commonly accepted. This information should help us to understand that we are more tradition oriented that we think. Since the beginning of time there have been traditions that exists in our genetic makeup. From the mammals, animals, and fish that migrate every year to humans celebrating the changing of the seasons or making sacrifices to their Gods. They all are traditions that are followed year to year and generation to generation, most altering only slightly through the years. This helps to establish a tradition of traditions in all species.
The word grace in the Greek is translated as “charis, pronounced as khar’-ece; it means graciousness (as gratifying), the God’s divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in ones life: acceptable, benefit, favor, or g...
...ithdraw from the tradition because they do not know any other way. Can you imagine what life would be if there were no Christmas or Thanksgiving? For many cultures, tradition is the basis for their history. One example to this being the Hawaiian culture whose history was destroyed when they were forced to stop their ancient dances which told stories of their past. Adversely, tradition has played negative roles in society as well with the battle between the Muslims and Christians in many middle-eastern countries. Tradition plays many roles in today's society. Our goal should be to grasp the idea of what they really mean. We must not isolate ourselves to what we think we know, but instead allow ourselves to comprehend.
May (1988) writes that “grace is the active expression of God’s love” (p. 120), which is the ultimate desire of all humans. Grace is a difficult concept to understand because there is nothing a person can do to receive it; rather, it is freely given as a gift from God. Grace is given to all who believe in Him, regardless of their sins. Guilt is almost always attached to addiction. The Christian counselor can use the concept of spiritual grace and the supporting theology to help the client change his or her feelings of guilt into feelings of hope for personal change and forgiveness through
The Dictionary of the Accademia della Crusca, dating from 16th century Italy, defines grace as "belleza... che rapisce altrui ad amore." Grace is beauty which seduces one unto love. Grace is the prayer before nourishment, it is the passing of power through blood, it is a classical muse, it is a verb, it is liberation, it is a head-ransom, it is a gazelle, it is simplicity, it is complexity, it is sanctifying, it is controversial, it is desired, it is metrical, it is ubiquitous, it is rare, it is actual. "Grace is in all, yet beyond all," quotes a medieval anchoress. According to Castiglione, grace springs from "that virtue opposite to affectation," as an unconscious extension of a certain je ne sais quoi within the soul. Grace is the nature of language, of number, of beat, of silence. Grace is pervasively elusive.
When we speak of God 's grace, we mean all the good gifts we enjoy freely in life.
"Traditions" refers to the specific charge of what is inherited from the past, including all linguistic and symbolic elements that can be transmitted. Traditional is a formal concept, while traditions are material concepts about payload of a traditional. We have always been heir of traditions; we are always preceded by the things that have been said to be
My family had many memorable holiday and birthday celebrations that are still valued by me as I age and move up in life. Before my parents decided to divorce we used to cook all day and night on Christmas Eve and when we finally decided to sleep, or my parents decided, we would wake up at 4:30 in the morning to open presents. I believe that custom is still with me to this day because I still wake up at 4:30 in the morning on Christmas Day. I think that customs depend on the emotional connection. My family would sit around the living room and laugh, talk, and reminisce about different times in their lives. We used to have a big celebration for birthdays and would invite everyone. It was always a personal affair that we would cook for and dance and just have a great time with family and close friends. It was a beautiful thing and it was extremely enjoyable. I cherish those moments with my family and I plan to have those customs and also to add my own customs into my own family one day in the
His grace and that each believer receives at least one. These gifts are different from the
As Christians, we are to be redemptive agents for God. Just as God showed us grace and mercy. By the sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ, and through his blood saved us from our sins. To then be reborn in salvation. We too are responsible to show grace and mercy to our fellow man. In both cases, we are presented with the opportunity to show grace and mercy.
Grace is defined as “simple elegance or refinement of movement”, “the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessing”, “do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one’s presence”.
Beauty, how do we define it? Why is beauty so important among us? These are some of the questions that will be discussed in this paper, leaving a clear understanding of what “beauty” is and the many qualities which define “beauty”. We are regularly challenged with “beauty”, trying to define what it is and what it’s supposed to be, who is and who is not, and what is and what is not?
This enables Christians to have a direct living connection with Christ, who gives all good things to those who ask in His name. As Christ was justified in His offering for all of humanities sin, in His death on the cross. He bore the full punishment, for the first time Christ was removed from having communion with God during His crucifixion, after which time He brought the Kingdom of God to the world. Christians are accepted into the spiritual Kingdom of God through the Holy Spirit, and it is at that time they a given the gifts of the spirit to use in the service of the body of the church. To equip God’s people to do His work and to build up the church. Being in this world but not of this world is the emphasis of scripture, and it is through the experience of sanctification that Christians are set apart from this world (Gause, 2009). It is through the Holy Spirit Christians are set apart from this world and that God’s good works are seen through the body of the church. As Torrance explains the gift of the Holy Spirit is form Jesus Christ, and through communion with Christ, He gives us, His Spirit to share in His death and resurrection (Torrance, & Walker,