Being Mindful

Being more mindful is something I wish my children were. Sometimes they are; sometimes they're not. And isn't that how we are, as parents? I would say that I try to be mindful most of the time, but all of the time? No, not 100% of the time. And that's why I enjoy these Loyola Press retreats so much. I've strayed away from them in the past weeks as I've been writing every day on my To Give God blog, but I need to get back to them because these retreats always stretch me spiritually.

For instance, in today's retreat we are reminded we must "do everything for the glory of God." Everything. It didn't say 80% or 95%; we are supposed to give glory 100% of the time. And that's hard. But that's what God wants. So I will try harder to get closer to that 100% mark. Even when I want to yell...even when I can't bear to look at another dirty glass in the sink. What is wrong with the concept of one glass per day for each of the six of us? Not 24 glasses per day? These ordinary, everyday fits get me every time. Maybe tomorrow I won't let them get to me. Maybe tomorrow I will wash them all and offer it up "for the glory of God."

~ Maureen :)
Being Mindful 1/29/10

Do You Speak the Language of the Holy Spirit?

Today's Loyola Press retreat asks us if we feel the power of the Holy Spirit. I am happy to say that I have felt the power of the Spirit alive in me for the past week every day - each day more steadily than the previous. I think He knows I'm ready for Him. I've said my yes, and He's taking hold of me. He's making my life more purposeful. (Please read the collection of blogs I've written on my To Give God blog page since the start of the year and you'll better understand.)

We must be still enough to hear the Holy Spirit. We moms cannot keep running around trying to be Supermom every waking moment. It's a choice we must make. Choosing ourselves every once in a while is not selfish; it is imperative for our well-being and therefore, the well-being of our families.

Listen to the Holy Spirit today. What's He saying to you?

~ Maureen
Come, Holy Spirit 1/08/10

Shared Meals ~ Shared Selves

Today's Loyola Press retreat reminds me of a post I wrote on my To Give God blog back in May of this year. I'll post it here again as it fits beautifully:

If you love one another God will dwell in you. And if you take yourself, your blessed self, filled with the love of God, break yourself open and give yourself to others, you are fulfilling God's plan.

Jesus repeatedly emphasized this point. He took, blest, broke and gave to His disciples at His Last Supper with them, and among the five thousand, as well as when Jesus ate with friends after His Resurrection. The theme is clear.

Jesus came for us. He took, blest, broke and gave the bread. God took, blest, broke and gave His Son. We take, bless, break and give ourselves every day as moms.

In quite literal terms, one can easily understand the effort a mother puts forth in preparing a family meal: she plans, drags out cookbooks, walks the grocery aisles, dropping food into the cart, onto the counter, out to the car, into the house, to the cupboards and fridge. Washes, chops, bakes and boils on and on until finally her meal is ready to be scarfed down in 10 minutes by her hungry brood. 10 minutes!

Hardly seems fair, does it? Took, blest, broke and gave. Nothing at all mentioned about fair. And it isn't fair. Life is not fair. We are to break open ourselves. The example is clear. Break. Not gently, carefully, tenderly peeling back layers of self. Break. What was once whole is suddenly in pieces.

Merriam-Webster's first definition of the verb "break": to separate into parts with suddenness or violence. Other definitions: fracture, rupture, violate, destroy. Get the picture, moms?

We live in a constant state of destruction - if we are doing this thing called raising Christian children the right way. We have all seen the hands-off parents. They don't get messy. They don't expend too much energy raising their children. More often than not, the energy is eagerly expended not upon the children, but on the parents themselves. Sadly, I imagine we can all quickly bring to mind one such parent.

But would you want to be that kind of parent? I never would want to be. Never was. Never will be. We need to break, to get dirty with our kids in the backyard - not buy them the NintendoDS Gardening Mama or the current cooking game. C'mon - garden, cook, get messy - for real. Be an in-the-trenches mom, not the sideline mom. Break yourself open for all the world to see.

~ Maureen :)
Shared Meals 11/23/09

Just Forgive ~ It's Easier

I think moms are the best forgivers on the planet. Mine was to me; I am to my children. Much of forgiving just has to do with realizing that by the time it gets around to forgiving our kids, they've already learned their lesson, whatever happened is over, and it's time to move on. Holding grudges is stupid, childish and unproductive.

What if God held everything we've ever done against us? Every bad decision, every thoughtless act. Nothing was wiped clean. How awful! Let's remember this the next time we elongate a bad situation, especially with our children, by gripping it tightly, feeling the hurt, unable to let go. Do unto others...remember?

~ Maureen :)
I Forgive You 11/16/09

One of Love's Challenges

Today's Loyola Press retreat asks the question, What is "challenging about living life with a loving attitude?" I think the clincher in this question is the word, "life." Life doesn't always run smoothly; it's not sunshine and yellow roses. It's hard. It's confusing. One day we are sure of something and the next we haven't a clue.

Life. I've often thought of life as a four letter word. But that's all we've got. So we have to make the most of it. For me, the most challenging part of living life with a loving attitude is when I am living that life in an atmosphere not conducive to love - not conducive to all those lovely words that St. Paul used - when I must be the one to bring the love. I'd much rather jump headlong into a basket of all-encompassing love, like I used to jump into autumn's fallen leaves. Just jump right into a place where the love already is present and overflowing. And in real life it's hard to locate those places.

So, as moms, we try to create those places, those pockets of love, in our homes for our families. Somedays are tougher than others. On those days we must remember that this too shall pass, that God is with us.

~ Maureen :)
Loving Others 11/13/09

Who Do You Say that I Am?

Jesus asks His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?"

Since I am a definite work in progress, it has taken me most of my life to feel like I know who Jesus is. And most of my life to know who I am. Funny how the two go hand-in-hand, isn't it?

As moms of young ones we wear so many hats we have to look into the mirror to decide exactly who we are at any particular moment. We are so many things - and all extremely important. As we grow older we change and learn, just as our children change and learn. We feel confused and upset and proud and worthwhile. We certainly run the gamut of emotions, don't we? Sometimes I don't know how moms survive!

I think as long as we keep asking questions like, "Who do you say that I am," we'll all be OK.

~Maureen :)
Answering the Question 11/9/09

The Balance Beam Mom

A balanced mom could be thought of as a freak of nature! I was never a balanced mom as my children were growing up. Full throttle - that was how I did it. I wished I had not, but that's how I did it. Looking back I see the error in my ways. Did I start every day saying the Our Father, spending quality time with God before accomplishing the million things I had to do? Heck no!

But that's how I begin each day now, and it centers me. Life is hard in so many ways, but beginning each new day of life in the presence of your best Friend is a great way to ease the hardship and multiply the joy.

Try it tomorrow if you don't already do it. Our Father... - You know the words.

~ Maureen :)
Balance in Life 11/08/09