The "everywhere" of His grace
Glorifying God in our tiniest floor sweeps, dish washes, and laundry folds
Last week my girls Bible study gathered together to help pack up and clean out the apartment of one of our group’s own. It was bittersweet, to say the least, to serve our sister in Christ in this way as she prepared to move across the country with her husband.
As I swept and swiffered and mopped, I thought to myself about how I could choose to make every sweep a mindless chore, or count every sweep as an act of gratitude for God’s glory.
Swish. “Thank You, Lord, for how this apartment has sweetly held my friend in her new marriage.”
Swish. “Thank You, Lord, for the friendships You’ve given us in this Bible study.”
Swish. “Thank You, Lord, for the privilege of having a friend to miss because I love her so much.”'
Swish “God, you are so good, and You love us so dearly.”
With this prayer-centered mindset, even the most mundane chores become moments of grace given so generously right here and right now. Everything becomes a gift from the divine, every millisecond of every day becomes an opportunity to commune with our Lord.
Saint Teresa of Avila had this to say for her fellow Carmelite sisters:
Oh then, my daughters, let there be no neglect: but when obedience calls you to exterior employments (as, for example, into kitchen, amidst the pots and dishes), remember that our Lord goes along with you, to help you both in your interior and exterior duties.
I’m not a spiritual master who has been blessed with visions of our Lord’s life, like Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich. I’m not a theologian who has offered a groundbreaking contribution to how we understand God’s love for us, like Saint Hildegard Von Bingen. I’m not a martyr who’s given her life in out of love for another, like Blessed Wiktoria Ulma.
But, as Saint Thérèse of Lisieux reminds us, I can love God well, with all my heart, right here and right now in the life He desires me to live because it’s the one He’s given me.
I don’t need, and can’t, to time-travel to the Roman persecution of Christians in the Early Church to die little deaths to myself out of God-breathed, selfless love for others. I don’t need to, and can’t, undo me and Will’s marriage to become a religious sister instead—every vocation is for our greatest opportunity for holiness. I don’t need to, and can’t, magically make myself witness a Marian apparition.
But I can, and God calls me to, do the tasks presented before me with prayer and honest diligence, love those around me with a tender heart and listening ear, be generous with the poor, receive the Sacraments, and listen for the sound of His voice daily in prayer.
I can offer every single sweep of a broom in thanksgiving for God’s love. After all, His love is sweeter, wilder, and better than anything else that exists in this world.
In Him,
-Eliza
ELIZA LIKES THINGS
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Unique necklace alert: put a favorite larger pendant on a pearl strand with a charm ring and watch the magic unfold. This pearl necklace by Susan Shaw does just the trick, and when Will got me this precious heart lace pendant from Goldbug for our wedding anniversary last month, I had the idea to combine the two an love the result as a statement piece!
One of my new year’s resolution was to be able to paint my own nails without making a mess. I mastered it a few months ago after a lot of practice, and now I’ve been experimenting with different shades to master my personal milky white/soap nails/lip gloss nails look…which is really just the light pink I’ve always gravitated towards, but more glossy :) Fairy Tailor by Essie’s gel-like line is a win, and I’ve had success with Orly’s rubberized bonder base coat to keep polish stuck down. Still looking for a top coat that’s really plump and glossy without causing shrinkage…if you have one, let me know!
Heads up: Target has even more colors in their $28 perfect-fit wide leg jeans. I own multiple—not because I’m a person who likes owning multiple colors of the same thing normally, but because these are the comfiest, nicest-looking, best-fitting jeans I’ve ever tried on, and the white and tan versions look really sleek and chic for work attire. Most sizes are still available in every shade! See all their colors here.
I’D APPRECIATE YOUR PRAYERS FOR…
Our friends who recently moved, and all who have been displaced from their families, especially refugees and immigrants—particularly in light of the USCCB’s statement yesterday.