Benedictions is about the presence of the sacred in ordinary things: the ground beneath our feet, the ways we bless each other, loss and grief, the making of our homes, even doubt and darkness. In the everyday experiences described here, Gods presence is palpable and real. ""Cleave the wood and I am there,"" says Isaiah in the apocryphal gospel of Thomas. ""Lift up the stone and you will find me there."" These benedictions--literally good words, blessings, tastes of God--remind readers to live life with feeling and passion and art, to pay attention to the holiness of the commonplace. Each...