Skip to main content

pondering all this

"Indeed throughout her earthly life she found her joy in listening to the word of God and living it out in the sanctifying course of her humble daily routine" Lk 8:21. (from the Magnificat, p. 432, describing the front cover artwork for the month.)

As anyone who actually reads this little blog knows, I am not a great writer or thinker. I do, however, have a great desire to be closer to God. I have always felt a special closeness to Mary, our Heavenly Mother, though I do not think I have been able to explain why. The words above are a far better explanation than I could ever give. I wish to be able to live out my love for God in my daily routine. I often fall very short of this goal. I want to be that quiet example for my husband, my children, and those whom I encounter each day.

"Education is much, much more than the subjects you study in a formal way. It is the sum total of your family life. Everything you do as a family affects the children." - Rev. John Hardon

How true and how scary! Anna and I will start our school year today. Each year, I have all these lofty goals for us and our little homeschool. But really, all day, every day, they are learning from me in every response I give, either good or not so good. I am ashamed to think about how many times, in an effort to "get things done", I have spoken to my children in harsh, irritated tones.

Also, how my husband and I communicate between one another is often an example of what not to do. We need to be more mindful of how our actions affect how our children will relate to others. This parenting thing requires so much energy!

"Any system of education which fails to discipline the will also fails to train the character." - Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

As the new school year begins, I pray that I may keep my eyes on all these goals, not just completing the work. I want to put more emphasis on training the soul and the will. Not only theirs, but mine especially. Please God, be with us each and every day as we strive to do your will in all things.

Comments

  1. What a lovely post, Jenny. Thanks for being so honest and open about yourself and parenthood. I will aspire with you one day.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Door Table

Once there was a store in Georgia. It is no more, but how I wish it was. I likened going in there to treasure hunting. One never knew what was going to be in there, and you had to dig through and wade through all the "other people's treasures" to find your own. I once found a set of blue and white teacups and saucers from England. I found lace handkerchiefs, a rocking chair, and an end table. But by far the best find was my kitchen table. I had stopped by one day while the kids were taking horseback lessons and the then little ones were asleep. The store was not open, but I went up to the window to see if anything new was there. And it was there. The table. And six chairs too! We were in need of a bigger table with Jack on the way. My mom had offered to give us her old one, which I was going to accept if I didn't find something I liked better. I didn't want anyone else to even see the table because I knew it was supposed to be ours, but one can never tell abo...

Walking a New Path

 Well now. It has been quite a while, hasn't it?  I have kept silent about my struggles for the past four years, mainly because I was in the midst of something that I never imagined could happen to our family. And it wasn't just my story. It still is not.  A friend once told me I am an external processor, and I suppose she is right. I find that saying things out loud help me find the answer, if there is one. There was no good answer, as it turns out. And so, I am sad to say, that I am now divorced. A single mother, navigating a life I never imagined.  But there are some things that haven't changed. My faith, for one. I know that God is with me on this journey and that He is way smarter and wiser than I could ever be. He has held me close as I wept and grieved the end of my marriage. He held my hand as I packed up what would fit in a moving truck and drove our belongings to a new home. He has led me to new jobs and I can only trust that all will be well if only I cont...

Fog and faith

 I stepped out into the coolness of the November morning to start the car and defog the windows, preparing to take Jack to school. Daylight had yet to appear. As we drove the many miles, the sky lightened, and we could see the mist hanging out just above the grass. We usually listen to a story together on our drive, adding commentary, exchanging a knowing glance or a shocked expression as the twists and turns unfold. I relish this time with Jack. I know that all too soon he will be preparing to leave the nest, like his sisters before him.  On the drive back, I pull my rosary from my purse and pray. By this time, the sun is just about to appear, making the sky a beautiful orange-pink on the horizon. I am pondering much as I pray, for the path I am on is once again rocky and uncertain. Such is life, whether we have faith or not. Faith makes it bearable. For the most part, the road home is a straight shot and I can see the ribbon of road laid out before me, narrowing in the dista...