Grab Some Grace (And Read Some Dr. Seuss)

I’m over at Sarah Reinhard’s place today taking a closer look at the Hail Mary. How fitting that she invited me to write about GRACE. I’m a grace monger right about now as I’m making final preparations for my big trip and speaking gig at the Behold Conference. By tomorrow evening I won’t be virtually hanging out with the likes of Sarah. I’ll be in the same room as her. Woo-hoo!

Here’s a snippet from my guest post:

Mary helps to reveal what a beautiful thing God’s grace is and that it’s there for our taking.

I had a friend recently compare parenthood to that of running a marathon or an ultra race. Her husband has competed in both, and my friend admitted that she couldn’t even begin to think about physically challenging herself to that degree. But her husband reminded her that he gets the same kind of response – “I could never do what you do and have so many children!” – from others who discover he has eight children.

She wrote, “People are capable of doing difficult, unfathomable things.” Mary is proof of this.

From the moment of the Annunciation, she said yes to God over and over. She even said yes to watching her only child suffer and die. She achieved and endured unfathomable things.

How did she do this? With God’s grace.

Read the rest over here, please.

Also, while you’re clicking around the Web, be sure to check out this post written by an in-the-flesh-friend of mine. As a mom to little ones, I’ve had to learn to find God in the small things – everything from silly board books to peanut butter spread across two slices of bread. Erin, also a mom of four little ones, shares how God is everywhere and even speaks to her through Dr. Seuss. My friend has Kingdom eyes and finds God in the details – and in green eggs and ham.

Our prayer lives don’t have to be complicated or even contemplative right now. This isn’t the life mothers are able to live. It’s not usually possible for us to retreat into the desert – or even the bathroom – to pray, but sometimes keeping our prayer life simple is just what God wants us to do. Not that we shouldn’t try to carve out alone time as Elizabeth Foss reminds mamas in her recent column. Even small pockets of solitude feed the soul. But when we’re interrupted or when the 40 days of Lent sounds more like paradise than penance, remember God is still around for you. Seek Him first in the menial tasks of motherhood like diaper changes or reading the same books over and over.

Have a simple, lovely, and God-filled day!