“I do not understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us.” - Anne Lamott
Grace is her middle name, born two months early, fighting strong in the NICU in that miracle way only 4 pound babies can do. Grace escorted me, a mama of twins, away from the hospital while they slept inside. Grace got up with me in the wee morning hours, through the tears and the tylenol, to tend to children who needed healthy and well. Grace pulls me down, again and again, to my knees. And when I finally get there, Grace kneels with me, with tender mama hands holding tight to mine, and strong daddy arms to pull me back up again. 
Grace is a three-year-old balancing books on her head, walking slow with still face and arms stretched out wide. Grace is beautiful and feminine and pink. Grace is strong and masculine and deep shades of magnificent strength. Grace shows up on time, every time. And also, grace is always there.
Grace is said before a late November meal, around a table circled with family hands politely joined together. Grace is poured out like an offering, all over us, like when Peter said Never! and then did it anyway. Grace offers a gift, a freedom, a sense of belonging. Grace welcomes us home when we finally return. Grace is enough. Grace is a person. Grace lives in me.
There are so many ways to think on grace — through a child’s eyes, a mama’s eyes, or worldly-worn-out, needy eyes — when you start to look for it, the grace that comes from God is everywhere. I wouldn’t stake my life on Anne Lamott’s theology, but I love the respect she gives to the concept of grace, admitting that it both accepts us and moves us — He both accepts us and moves us on.
If you would like to write a post about what grace is, there will be opportunity to link up here next week. Tomorrow I will share with you another linky party I have planned, so you will have two chances to link up as these 31 Days of Grace come to a close. It’s time to put this grace into your hands and see what comes out! In light of all we’ve talked about this month, finish this sentence for yourself this morning: Grace is . . . And I would love for you to put it in the comments so we can hear your voice.
Grace is a beautiful blanket that wraps our mind and heart like a bandaid. It covers up the hurt and pain and disfunction and sin but not to ignore those things, rather …to heal.
Grace is…Jesus Christ. Spending time in His word today and in prayer. He is all. Praise His Holy Name!
someone buying you lunch when you forgot your wallet, folding your clothes when you’re just too tired, hugs from baby boys that you just don’t deserve.
JoAnn´s last [type] ..Not Waving But Drowning- Loving My Neighbor
Grace is being pulled away from a wonderful, yet busy work day to a wonderful lite lunch in the beautiful Huntsville Botanical Gardens. No phones or email or people needing anything from you. Just a grace filled friendship that makes you return to an ever deeper spot of gratefulness.
Dedra´s last [type] ..she’s small- she’s mighty and she’s my angel
Thats a lovely blog! Very well thought out! I love the picture of the teacup too!
I’ve probably said this before. but in case I have not. Thank you Emily, you are among a small number of women who are transforming my writing from blah blah fact and blah blah detail – into something more usable. I am soon to begin blogging and was about to do it all wrong – you and a few others (no namedropping) are teaching me to write more from the heart. Your words have weight, but lightness. I’m getting better. A month ago I wouldn’t even have dreamed of writing this. I’m only doing it now because, today, you said do it, and today, you are the boss of me.
You said to begin with Grace is… and finish it. Here goes:
Grace is…
the forever piece
the missing part the beat when the heart skips
once inhabiting only light inaccessible
residing now in hearts of flesh
the majestic tower into which we run
the rock concealing
all iniquity
all transgression
every infringement on what is good, holy, love
Virtue
distinction
value bestowed
Upon blemish
and defect
and baseness of old
newness of life
dawn bursts from black
undue
undeserved
unattainable
fact
Can’t
thank
you
enough
beautiful words
A dictionary would define grace as “unmerited favor.” Were there ever such true but such insufficient words?
Grace is that essential substance on which our very souls depend, that mysterious element that infuses the entire universe with life and light. In a way, all is grace and grace is all. And yet, as needy as we are of it, it’s the very thing that we often find so very difficult to accept.
Good thing we have an ever-living Savior, Teacher, Lord, and Friend to help us understand.
Thank you, Emily, for letting Him teach you. And for passing that along to us.
Richella´s last [type] ..Frugal solution- hanging plates
Grace is your next heart beat, and the next, and the next…
Jess´s last [type] ..A Cup of Coffee for YOU
grace is the invisible string holding your chin up and head high in the midst of a family crisis, when shame tries to keep you looking down…when those around you are assuming they know what has happened and just happen to be discussing it with others when you walk into the room.
Grace is total acceptance, unconditional LOVE. There are moments when we still our minds, our bodies and our spirits and we can feel IT. Thank you, Father, that we are able.
Grace is… the voice that talks you off the ledge so you can enjoy your teens and leave their testimonies in the safety of God’s hands.
Joy´s last [type] ..places with a purpose
Grace is believing that He is enough.
Scooper´s last [type] ..The Miracle Desk
My daughter’s middle name actually is Grace
For the first few months I was pregnant with her, we were going to name her after my Grandmother. But for some reason, I felt that that name was not for this child. The right name for her was Grace.
And I have learned so much about grace from her… because she moves a bit more slowly than I would like, but she does things thoroughly. Because she is sweet and resilient. Because she smiles and is affectionate… more affectionate than I feel comfortable with. And for many other reasons.
“…The grace that comes from God is everywhere” — thank you for this moment to remember that.
Beautiful blog, beautiful thoughts.
Terresa Wellborn´s last [type] ..Fecund
My mama has always told me I’ve been grace since the moment I was born. All 7 weeks early coming into this world scaring everyone with my tiny size and my will to live. Since then, I’ve been called graceful in so many forms but I’ve never embraced it. I always thought grace was saved for ballet dancers or those that just knew how to have faith, not me. Then I read Anne Lamott’s books (her quote today at the top of your post drew me in – I love her) and began to see what else grace can mean. I am still learning. Grace is still different things to me. I cannot begin to tell you how much this series has meant to me. I truly wish we had 9 hours over coffee then 9 hours more so I could drain you of all your wisdom and you could help show it all to me. But this helps.
xoxo
Grace is the answer to a prayer offered up in abandon, in the midst of chaos and fear. It is a word of love, softly spoken, generously given, kindly shown. Not in my own power, but in His.
Grace is….everything I am not….yet everything I am.
Naturally Carol´s last [type] ..Velvet Moss
Grace is…the reason to get up in the morning and go through a difficult day
Grace is…why you can love the unlovely
Grace is…THE most perfect gift we are given
Grace is…what I cling to and WHO I cling to.
Grace is just me being me and that being enough.
Grace is not belittling the gift just because you see a flaw in the package. If God used only perfect people, He woulda stopped at Jesus.
Marica´s last [type] ..Eventual Left
Grace is God’s love reaching out to me when I was wandering…and bringing me back home.
Sharon Kirby´s last [type] ..QUAINT WORDS
grace is a daily walk to a quaint beach where wholeness awaits.
Grace is my daughter’s name to daily remind myself of what it is and where it came from. Sometimes she is, sometimes she isn’t, but hopefully one day it will remind her too ( and she was a SCIBU and NICU baby too !)
Grace is the most amazing thing…it’s what I deserve the least but what I receive the most…a hug from my child when I lose my temper, a sunny day after a sleepless night, someone letting me go first even though it’s my fault I’m late, just the right song on the radio to calm my anxious heart. I am not alone in this world, God is with me each step of the way. His grace surrounds me all the time…why am I so slow to see it, to feel it, to acknowledge it? In His grace He is patient with me.
Grace is what keeps me His.
*contented sigh*
Grace is… being receptive, intentional, forgiving, good enough….
challenging.
darcy @ m3b´s last [type] ..What’s a layer mask in Photoshop Day 24
goosebumps. This post is inspiring. Thank you!
Grace is the Love of the Lord. Thank you so much for this post. I had a NICU baby and you said something I’ve been trying to bring to words for two years, Grace is being able to walk out of the NICU while your baby is still there. It is only by the strength and blessings of God that I got through that very tough time in my life. Thank you and bless you for this lovely post.
Stacy´s last [type] ..Organized with a kindergarten
Just what I needed today…Grace is what I need to survive…
life. i was dead. He came down to rescue me…led me out of death. (watching those Chilean miners come up out of the ground…wow, what a picture of us…Jesus, our rescuer and the celebration as each was brought “home”!…listen to Matt Redman’s “You Alone Can Rescue”… grace is LIFE!)
adornedlife´s last [type] ..a summary
Grace is all the blogs that show me He is the SAME to all of us and yet meets our many different needs for his grace and reveals it uniquely, tenderly, tailor-made for me and you.
denice´s last [type] ..Tutorial from my FAVoRITE Blog!
Grace is stumbling accross this site and still being blessed even though I didn’t keep up with the series… Yet still i am encouraged…
Grace is… giving room to make mistakes.