Inside Knowledge

I love the little things around our house that make us a family--like the ugly gray and maroon coffee cup I'm drinking out of that says "Dental Associates" on it. I can't bring myself to part with it because my middle son bought it for me for a quarter from our parish rummage sale. His class went downstairs a couple of years ago to shop there as a reward.

He said he bought it for me because he knows how much I love coffee.

A gift with intention, unaided by any adult.

Farming Souls

This is related to my recent meditation about my children. Check out this post at this beautiful blog by Ann at Holy Experience.

Motherhood

Something I'm meditating on the last couple of days is an idea I read on someone's blog, or on one of the internet boards I'm part of:

Raising my children is not a detour, or a diversion, in my life that temporarily keeps me from my goals, it IS my life work.

Discipline

I ran 11 miles the other day.  It wasn't really fun, but I had to do it if I'm going to run the half marathon I registered for.  And I was thinking that training for a run is a fitting activity for lent.  It is sacrifice.  It is discipline. 

 

Then I was thinking about how discipline in one area of our life flows over into other areas--like how if I can make myself run 11 miles even if it doesn't feel the greatest, it's easier to have the discipline to pray when I don't feel like it, and vice versa.

 

I was listening the day before that run to a talk given by Fr. Larry Richards to the men of our diocese about a month ago.  This was what stood out to me (actually, it smacked me in the middle of the forehead):

 

Which of us, if our children were being attacked, or if physical harm threatened to come to our spouse wouldn't step in to intervene, even lay down our life for our loved ones if necessary?  Yet every day we leave our loved ones wide open to the enemy without protection.  The enemy sneaks and prowls to destroy our families, and we are lazy, sitting on our butts, and too foolish or selfish to spend time in prayer to cover them.  We say "I'm too tired",  "I'll do it later",  "I'll watch this tv show first",  "Tonight's too busy, I'll do it tomorrow", "(you insert your excuse here)". 

 

It's amazing what that visual image does to my motivation to pray more. 

 

Lord, help me to be disciplined.

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that. "

1. I cooked my husband a birthday dinner complete with rhubarb pie for dessert and he felt loved.

2. I managed to get to stations of the cross with Mary this week with my 8-month-old in tow.

3. I kept the sap pan filled and the fire going for cooking it down while my husband was away at work.

What are your successes this week? This is a great exercise in holding ourselves accountable and patting ourselves on the back. Mothering and homemaking don't have built in performance reviews and bonuses. The internet can be a source of support and encouragement. Let's encourage one another in our small successes. Share them at Faith and Family Live!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to King Nebuchadnezzar: "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up." (emphasis mine)

But even if he will not.

Lord, give me the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.