He's ready ~ Are You?

What mom doesn’t love to bestow gifts onto her children? I do. It’s one of my favorite things. This Christmas eBay and I struck up quite a friendship. I had a blast buying what I thought were just the perfect gifts for my sons. Not always an easy task as my boys are in their late teens and early 20s, so great thought is required. Even with the great thought some gifts missed their mark this season. One Notre Dame hat didn’t quite fit, sizes or colors a bit off. I was a little disappointed because I chose each so carefully and since it was eBay - no returns. Still a very happy Christmas all-in-all with much appreciation shown.

I wonder though, how God feels when He bestows on us what He KNOWS is best for us and we don’t think it’s quite right. He knows it; He doesn’t just think it. It is in His plan for us and we don’t use what He gives us as He wishes we would. Why not? Too time-consuming? We don’t feel we are ready? Objections to God’s will abound more often than not in most moms’ lives. We are so busy! We listen to everyone. Sometimes it’s just too darn hard to hear God through all the other white noise of our lives.

That’s why we need to make a place where we go to God regularly to listen to Him. Just as each one of our children savor precious one-on-one time with us, our Father wants us to make the time, to carve it out, to be with Him. Today, do it no matter what. A few minutes. Get the ball rolling. He’s always there. Show Him you’re available. Pencil Him in.

~ Maureen :)
1/28 Christian Living

Welcome Home Spirit

Body image and moms. Hmmm… not body image and runway models, but body image of our bodies: bodies that bore one or more little bodies. A tall order - or more precisely perhaps, a wide order. A wider, more robust order than the day we all walked down the aisle, most likely. Sad but true. Sad but Real. A mom’s body isn’t just for show. A mom’s body gives life, feeds life, nurtures life, is life. All of us should be proud of our bodies knowing that we are God’s creations.

However, I must admit that I do not wake up each morning praising my own body, grateful to inhibit my own skin. But I should. I know I should. And I know I should take better care of it by walking more, eating healthier foods. This retreat forces me to think about what I am doing to my body.

How do you care for your body? If your body is the very temple of the Holy Spirit shouldn’t the Spirit feel welcome in a well-cared for place? I’m not talking beautiful here. I’m talking welcoming, gracious, hospitable. How does the Spirit feel as He enters into your being? Does Spirit feel like it’s a place to call home? What can you do right this very second to be more welcoming to God the Holy Spirit in your life? You must first be right with yourself before you can convince others that God is Someone worth following.

~ Maureen :)
1/27 – Growing in Holiness

The Spirit's Fruit Salad

Nearly a year ago I seriously took a long, hard look at how the fruits of the Holy Spirit manifested themselves in my life. I encourage you moms to do the same. How do you exhibit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? This is about you, not your children, you. Give yourself the time to think. Take it. Nowadays moms are on such a crazy rollercoaster. How can you think and plan zooming around life on a rollercoaster? You can't. You simply react to things that occur. That is not fulfilling God's plan for your life. That's not living. Reacting is not living. Steal the time somehow and begin your journey to see what God wants of you.

I began my journey a year ago and I can happily say that I know what God wants of me now. A year ago I had no clue. I hated many parts of the past year - hated them with a pasion. But God was always there with me. No matter how low I went there was God right with me holding me. I felt Him. He raised me up. He showed me my way. Let Him show you yours.

~ Maureen :)
1/26 Loyola Retreat - God Calls Us to Obey

STOP, moms!

Remember, "Here is the church...here is the steeple...open the door...see all the people," to the giggles of your young child? How many times have we folded our hands inside-out to illustrate God's church to His young ones?

In this mini-retreat I was first struck by the the complementary shades of skin forming our Father's church. Skin - same function, same softness, slight variation in shade.

Next, what mom doesn't feel depleted most, if not all, of her days? STOP! Just stop, moms. Stop giving long enough to receive, to receive from God, to be replenished. You'll have so much more to give than you'd ever dreamed!

~ Maureen :)
1/24 Getting to Know Jesus

Faith-filled Moms

As I looked at the photo in this retreat I wanted to be on that mountain. How very peaceful. As a mom I have always longed for peace, quiet, solitude. Haven't attained them very often but still strive to experience moments. Four sons make noise any way you look at it. But plenty of the sounds are joyous.

Don't we moms live our lives on this premise: Do not be afraid; just have faith?

"Is she still breathing?" you worry as you stare at your newborn just home from the hospital. She hasn't moved in a while in her bassinet.

"Do you think we'd better put up the baby gates now? Kate's moving around pretty fast. Soon she'll reach the stairs."

"Tomorrow's Mikey's first day of preschool. How will he get along with the other kids?"

"Why aren't they home from the movies yet? I just heard sirens."

"Today Bonnie graduates from college. Will she find a job?"

Different stages; same worry. Mom worry. There's no other like it. But through it all we have faith. And somehow we survive...and so do they! Don't forget for an instant Who gives us our faith - Who keeps us going day after day, year after year. Thank you, God!

~ Maureen :)
Meeting Jesus 1/23/09

The Best Years of Your Life

If you are a mom you are already a fisher of men – little men and little women – but "fish" nonetheless. A church sign near my parents' house proclaims, "You catch 'em. God will clean 'em."

Every good and noble act your children witness sinks into their being. They will remember. So keep doing them!

I had to laugh as I was experiencing today's retreat: What have we moms left behind? Oh my, let me see...
1. any fraction of time for oneself
2. including solitary bathroom time – why do bathrooms even have doors?
3. peace
4. quiet
5. higher brain cells used to decipher topics above cartoons
6. make-up
7. fashionable clothes
8. the you you used to be B.C. (Before Children)

You moms know the list is endless. I would grow roots to my chair before I exhausted it. But you moms also know there is no greater love, no greater joy – so today do your very best to actually enjoy it. As my mom warned me very often years ago, "These are the best years of your life."

~ Maureen :)
1/22 Loyola Press Retreat - Following Jesus (Check out the archives!)

Peacemakers

Isn't peacemaker a synonym for mom? It is in my house. Four sons aged 18-23! Can you imagine the fights I've settled in the past 24 years? It boggles the mind. Surely, one day has not gone by when I haven't been forced into the peacemaker role because we moms love peace. Peace and quiet. They go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Oftentimes I've chosen peace over justice not taking the time to find out who was "right." I didn't care. I just wanted peace. And that was wrong. Wrong but human. So the next time you must play peacemaker here's a little trick I heard but never had the guts to try: Sit the offenders down opposite each other and cover both their heads with a kitchen towel. It's so ludicrous the squabblers can do nothing but laugh! Tell me if it works, will you?

~ Maureen :)
1/21 Loyola Press Retreat - Living a Moral Life