New book offers families a fresh resource to recapture an old tradition
For Immediate Release (San Diego, CA) – According to a Pew Research Study, only 59% of parents of children under 18 pray on a daily basis, and 19% seldom or never pray. Though recent statistics show that a majority of families eat together at least most nights of the week, there continues to be a disconnect between family time and spiritual growth. With her new book, “A Spoonful of Grace: Mealtime Blessings in Bite-Sized Pieces,” author and actor Annette Hubbell seeks to bridge that gap.
“A Spoonful of Grace” is a collection of 366 evening meal graces taken from all 66 books of the Bible. They are designed to provide meaningful exposure to prayer and the Bible at a most opportune time: the family meal. Each one is inspired by its companion Bible verse(s), designed to be read in its entirety in about two minutes, and enhanced by a section called “Grace Notes” which are quotations and ideas to further illustrate the theme of the verse, promote more conversation, and to even answer questions generated by the Scripture. Hubbell says the idea for the book came about during lunch with friends.
“During lunch our host led us in a Lutheran grace prayer before the meal,” says Hubbell, “and the idea struck me like a bolt of lightning. I had grown up with the Catholic grace, and that was the only formal grace I knew. There must be others I don’t know about, I concluded. What if I were to collect them—from all over the world—and create a book out of it? I began to imagine the diversity of prayers said by families from across the globe. What I got back surprised me. It seemed there were, in fact, only a very few standard graces; most of them are made up every evening according to how the day unfolds. Even more surprising were the responses of those who never said grace but wished they did, and would if they had some structure.”
The graces and devotionals on Sundays in “A Spoonful of Grace” are celebrated with readings that are a bit longer to allow for favorite stories such as David and Goliath, Daniel in the lions’ den, or Jonah and the big fish. There is also a “Special Graces” section for celebrations such as Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays. Hubbell says early responses to the book have been positive.
“Mealtime conversation can often take on an intermission-like quality in a busy day, or saying grace can easily fall into an uninspiring routine, or something to get over with quickly,” says Hubbell. “Designed to capture a young person’s interest, especially in response to the social media evolution, these graces are witty and to the point. With minimal effort, mealtime conversation is refocused into conversations about faith and values such as sharing, honesty, friendship, and honorable conduct. When I tested A Spoonful of Grace with some families, one said, “This consumed the entire conversation during dinner.” Another family told me that their 15-year-old appreciated his family more because they spend quality time together.”
For more information, visit http://www.AnnetteHubbell.com or http://www.SpoonfulOfGrace.com.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
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About Annette Hubbell:
Annette Hubbell earned her undergraduate degree in Marketing from San Diego State University, her M.B.A. from Cal State University in San Marcos, and a Certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. She has been featured in over 160 performances, and starred in the DVD, of “Witness to Gettysburg” edited by 33-time Emmy Award winner, Robert Gardner. She was awarded Presenter of the Year twice at the Civil War Round Table of San Diego, and is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Hubbell lives in San Diego, California with her husband of 33 years, Monte. They have a daughter, Amy, who lives with her husband, Scott.
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