"Mytwrn, Mytwrn." the baby now shouts and a reordering of who says what mystery we are "meditating" on (see above mention of the tractor ride and the four wheeler) causes another disruption. "But you said I could say the next one...why do I have to be the last...I'm thirsty, I want to sit by daddy now, she sat there last night...why does the baby always get to _______," and I wonder how 20 minutes stretched into 30 minutes seems so much longer.
And then we recall our day:
"Was I thankful today in every circumstance?" "Did I look for the positive?" "Did I practice the virtue of patience?" "Did I choose horses?" my oldest daughter reads. A small prick of conscience causes me to re-evaluate the last half hour in gratitude rather than frustration: we are all together, we are all healthy, we are all praying together...I really need to reclaim my joy before sending my children to bed.
A convergence of books for the month of January: The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life,
Small Steps for Catholic Moms, and the anticipation of One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
keep me focused on the year ahead...JOY.I gently pull each child to me after prayers. I take their hands and look them intently in the eye and say their precious name...
"You are a beautiful. wonderful. child of God and mom and dad love you, always and forever, no matter what."
And their shoulders relax as their bodies fill with my declaration of unconditional love. Every night, the various aspects of our prayer routine may vary depending on the movements and will of the youngest ones in the living room, but it always ends the same. They hang around and wait their turn, get really close, almost as if my love flows out through the breath expelling the words of love.
The breath of God formed them, but my breath of love teaches them. I am teaching them unconditional love. The supposed quiet of prayer may have been less than, but it did not change my love for them. The day may have held disagreements, and words later regretted, but the night holds only thoughts of love. If they do not learn, and I mean know and feel this unconditional love in the home, where will they learn it? Will they learn it? How will they be able to know a heavenly Father who loves them with a perfect, unconditional love if they lack that basic knowledge from their earthly parents?
It is above all in the home that, before ever a word is spoken, children should experience God's love in the love which surrounds them.
John Paul II
Small Steps for Catholic Moms
January 10
I am forever grateful to Elizabeth for her guidance in blog and book. I am pleased to link up with her for Small Steps Together.
Rosaries from Real Life Rosary.
