And more grace....

Grace in the form of lovely blogger Sarah whose posts have been reminding me to be grateful, live in the moment, and recognize what is beautiful that God has made around me (namely, these beautiful children)...

Her exhortation helped me remember this beautiful form of grace today. This is the bedroom of my 19-year-old son:

Notice how everything on his desk is centered and aligned... except for that crooked hand-drawing of a fox that his 5yo brother put in there as a surprise for him... he so lovingly left it.. crooked and crumpled, taped up off-center!

This is how you will find it at ANY given moment. I have never had to tell him to clean it.  That is grace. That is beautiful. I am so thankful for this boy.

I should have seen it coming when he was a baby. When he was one, he used to walk into my bedroom and proclaim "Mess!" in a very disapproving tone.

He has owned millions of LEGOS in his time.

I have never stepped on one.

Grace. And a beautiful thing... you know it, those of you who have stepped on Legos unknowingly, and thought you stepped on a hornet's nest or broken glass! (I stepped on my brothers' when we were growing up!)

The poster over his bed reads, "Trust in the Lord."

Grace.  This boy loves God.  Oh, what joy that is to me.

He keeps a 3-pound bag of M&Ms stashed behind the hanging files in his desk drawer.

Oh.... that is grace.  He lets us nip some... that's why he buys the big bag.  5 younger siblings (to whom he "accidentally" revealed the hiding place of his candy), and a mama who finds grace in a bite of chocolate about once every other day...

or more.

Funny... if he had been a girl, his name would have been "Grace."

But what would my kids be without their big brother?

Oh, God has given me grace in this boy. It is beautiful. And I have all the grace I need for today, now.

My cup runneth over. Not even counting that my husband landed a great job interview today!

Thank you, God.