Simple Pleasures

Confession
Meeting my cyber-twin
Sharing grief
Laughter
Tears
My childrens’ happiness
Being with people
Connection
Serving others
Allowing others to serve me
The kindness of strangers
Good conversation
A book club meeting
Having something to say
Sacramental moments
Hugs
A haircut
Secrets shared
Hanging out with Mrs. Wiggins
Red Hat Society ladies
Making new friends
Old friends
Sharing lunch
Pie
Being asked to come again
Finding the bright side
Wisdom
Three cold beers in the fridge
Holding Mamie’s hand
Mass at the Cathedral
Pizza with Old Man
Beautiful music
Reading
A warm, sunny day
Chocolate
Looking ahead
Freshly bathed children
My husband’s whispered “I love you.”
Clara’s sweet songs
Knowing all is well
Grace
Love all around me

A Prayer for Right Living

I came across this prayer in the book (A Faith for Grown-Ups: A Midlife Conversation About What Really Matters by Robert Lockwood) that I mentioned in the post preceding this one. It’s “the awful grace of God” in other words, I think.

A Prayer for Right Living by an unknown Confederate soldier

I asked for strength that I might achieve; I was made weak that I might learn to humbly obey. I asked for health that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy; I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for power that I might have the great praise of men; I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life; I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing I had asked for, but everything that I had hoped for. Almost despite myself my unspoken prayers were answered; I am, among all men, richly blessed.

It’s a good one, huh?

The Awful Grace of God Revisited

He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. ~ Aeschylus

Several months ago I posted, somewhere on my blog, this quote by Aeschylus, who was an ancient Greek playwright often recognized as the father of tragedy. I’ve been thinking a lot about suffering lately. It started with a good wallow in my own grief over my recent miscarriages, which soon led to an examination of the suffering of others. I didn’t seek out the stories of the challenges and pain in the lives of the people around me. The stories found me. Stories of the untimely deaths of babies, and husbands and adult children. Stories of lost dreams, lost parents, lost fertility and lost opportunities. Sad stories, indeed. But the people telling them weren’t sad people. On the contrary. The people I’ve been talking to are happy, hopeful people – people aware of the blessings in their lives, people who know God’s grace when it kicks them in the stomach. We don’t usually think of suffering as a gift, do we? Pain as grace is an awfully strange idea. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

I just finished reading a book called A Faith For Grown-Ups by Robert Lockwood. In it he quotes The Teaching of Christ, pages 328-329: “Every kind of gift by which God moves us toward knowing Him and sharing His life is grace. Devoted parents, faithful friends, good books, great music – indeed anything at all may be used by God to lead toward life.” Anything that moves us closer to God is grace. Anything. So we’re not just talking about the stuff that brings us happiness and joy – although grace can be, and certainly is, found in those things. It just seems that, for many people, suffering accomplishes a task at which joy often fails. Yes, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God. And the best thing about wisdom is that it increases our chances of attaining holiness. Perhaps that is why those friends of mine – the ones who had such sad tales to tell – seem to be so happy and hopeful, so grateful and content. Perhaps it’s why I’m able to thank God for taking my little ones to be with Him so soon. In our own despair, against our will we’ve been set on the right path – and we know it. We’ve all been given the opportunity for sanctity through the awful grace of God.