Small Graces: The Quiet Gifts of Everyday Life (Hardcover)

by Kent Nerburn (Author) "There are those who search for God in the quiet places-no churches, no public displays of piety, no dramatic or flamboyant rituals..." (more)
Key Phrases: blue moment, small graces

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Embark with the author on a personal journey that reveals the sacredness of the small things in life and what they can teach us about living spiritually fulfilling lives.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (March 16, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577310721
• ISBN-13: 978-1577310723
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #51,447 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very POWERFUL stuff here!, March 1, 2005

By	Blaine Greenfield "eclectic reader" (Belle Meade, NJ) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

SMALL GRACES by writer, sculptor and theologian Kent Nerburn caught me off guard . . . I wasn't expecting much from this short book of 20 essays, but as I got more into it, the more I was impressed with both its beauty and simplicity.

It made me think about moments in my life that I thought were ordinary--yet, in reality, are much more than that . . . as Nerburn notes, "We become artists when we see with our hearts instead of our eyes" . . . methinks that this is something that we all need to do, regardless of profession.

I find myself reflecting about one section, in particular . . . the author describes a teenager's anguish about having to walk around on crutches for a relatively short period of her life (because of an accident) . . . she naturally finds it upsetting, yet it also helps come to the realization that she'll never again complain when she comes across an older person walking slowly.

There were several memorable passages; among them:
* She smiles, helps Nick with his knife. In Japan, one who masters the gentle art of making tea can be declared a national treasure. I watch her hold his hand gently in hers. Should one who practices the gentle arts of making a home be revered any less?

* "No, your life isn't ruined. Now your life is your life. No one else can fix it or change it. No one else can be blamed. This is yours. And it is up to you what you will make of it."

* None of us is promised tomorrow. Today, in all its beauty and sadness and complexity, is all we have. This light we see may be the last such day we have on this earth. There is no certainty, beyond the fact that one day we will have no tomorrow, and that it is not ours to know when that day will be.

Powerful stuff!

And so, too, is the conclusion:
* Sometimes, it seems, we ask too much. Sometimes we forget that the small graces are enough.

I'll cherish SMALL GRACES for a long time and will want it to share it with others . . . you'll want to do the same if you give it a shot.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A scripture for everyday life, February 27, 2000

By A Customer

I love this book. It is so unassuming and poetic. This is the kind of writing and thinking that we need to help us find the core values of everyday life. Mr. Nerburn helps us see the importance of the people and moments we often ignore. I think everyone should read this book and use it to measure the greatness of their own heart.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Small Graces, Kent Nerburn, September 23, 2005

By	Amanda L. Sullivan (Spartanburg, SC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

After reading "Simple Truths" I found myself wanting more of Nerburns pure and basic wisdom. When I finished reading "Small Graces," I didn't want it to end. Nerburn demonstrates how to look at seamingly small things or routines in life and draw a moment of inspiration, peace, joy, or understanding from each of them. I'm able to find beauty or joy in things that might have previously seemed mundane or tedious. This comes in handy in so many ways since we all spend so much time in what we would describe as "going through the motions" of necessary stuff to get to the "fun" or "meaningful" things in life. I've always been able to do this to a certain degree-- more than some others that I observe in my life. But "Small Graces" helped me reconnect with that ability and gave me even more ideas on how to tap into it. So now I buy the book for others too. It's my way of spreading joy and introducing this ability to people who have not yet learned how to look for it or see it. The more I read of Nerburn's works, the more joy I have in the backdrop of everything I experience.