From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:16–17 niv)

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:8–9)

My mother was blessed with the ability to keep order in a large and active family. The rule was simple—a place for everything and everything in its place. I often experience a sense of guilt and even shame because I fall far short of her example—feeling on many days insufficient, as I am engulfed by the chaos that greets me at my side door.

Off the top of my head I can say that we have created no less than four junk drawers around our house and we have purchased at least one large piece of furniture for the sole purpose of caging the paper monster that has followed my kids home from school all these years. The list goes on and on—the stack of papers on the kitchen counter, the desks in the hall and office, my bedside table, several of the drawers in the china cabinet, two drawers in the kitchen, under the towels, the blanket chest upstairs, the shelves in the living room…. In every room there are receptacles for stuff—junk I can’t seem to part with that needs a place to get stashed. The appearance of order is as good as order, right?

The task of cleaning and “ordering” is never completed and always demanding attention. Occasionally, when my filth threshold is reached I embark with good intentions to conquer the beast and I dive into one of these many drawers and cabinets. Amidst the screw drivers and rubber bands, a slip of folded paper will pop out that contains writing in big and small letters, misspelled, in crayon with a message for me, “I love you Mom, your friend Dominic”; or a string of large plastic beads with a masking tape tag that says "Love Becky"; a rock painted like a turtle; or a handmade card with a picture of a robot/ninja hybrid that says “Happy Mother’s Day, Love Joey”. Once I found a letter that described me as “the best Mom in the world because you are like a maid that loves me”.

As I go about my days opening and closing drawers, when I come upon these gifts and messages they make me smile and laugh and sometimes even cry. They are all sweet reminders of the chaos of love that engulfs me each and every day. I see and experience God’s grace in the love in the junk drawer. It sneaks out of the mess and restores my spirit. These random and often surprising discoveries reminded me that I am loved at all times by God—the source of all love.

Thank you Lord, for your many blessings that I do not deserve and for persistently restoring my spirit with your ever present grace. Amen.

Contributed by Jean
Published July 30, 2012
Liturgical Year B: Week 36
Liturgical Color: Green
Sunday Gospel reading:
Lectionary 17 (Proper 12)
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost