{ all is grace }

All is grace.

Even when life feels cattywampus.

Maybe especially when life feels cattywampus.

All is grace.

Especially when you cringe to hear your children cry because they want  their Dad.

And I stop to give thanks and remember how many children go to bed every night without a father. Nearly 40%.

All is grace.

Especially when he leaves for work at 4:30 am and still isn't back by 11 pm.

 I give thanks because what takes him away from us right now is driven  by his  love for us, to provide for and  make a sweet  home for our little family.

All is grace.

Especially  when you are in between homes.

And I stop to give thanks, thinking of how many people have lost their jobs or  homes or both, in the fallout of our economy or through some other tragedy.

All is grace.

Especially when I fail to respond to my children with grace. They forgive so quickly and freely.

And His grace covers my sin.

All is grace.

Especially  when life isn't fun.

Like when all three of my children are crying at the same time.

All is grace. And I give thanks and think of the longing of so  many would be  mother-hearts, who would give anything to be in my place and see the fulfillment of their dreams as they ache for a baby, or another baby.

All is grace.

Especially being without a phone. And I give thanks that for now there are less distractions and more time to pick up my Bible, and be nourished by those life-giving words of His. And in the last week we have been to the library 3 times and checked out over 100 books.

All is grace.

Especially with all our school stuff  packed away in a box.

And I give thanks, especially for this sweet friend who has been my school fairy and done so much legwork for me. Without her help, Annabelle would not have been able to start school this week.

All is grace.

Especially  when we feel the stress and strain and we feel so unsettled.  We give thanks, as what we are going through right now is so far from a real crisis and we remember how blessed we are and how "unfair"  it is that we have our health, we have our love for each other, we have three beautiful children,  and we have Jesus, when so many others don't.

All is grace. Especially being moved out but not in anywhere.  And I give thanks that we have been so lovingly taken in and given a place to stay in the meantime...and for family who would always and gladly take us in. 

All is grace. And " He makes all things beautiful in it's time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil -this is God's gift to man. " Ecc. 3:11-13

This song has been playing on repeat in my head the last few days.

 It is the inspiration behind this post.

( picture source found here )