Saintly Solutions

Our older children attended Catechesis of the Good Shepherd when they were little.  It is no longer available to our little kids which saddens my heart greatly.  I remember a song that the teacher used to sing that had a line, "I see the love of God in you."  I can still hear her voice and remember how fondly she looked at each child in their eyes while singing that song to them.

Let me introduce my newest companion.

I discovered this book last week and found that it would be easier to highlight the parts I don't want to remember as I am highlighting the whole book.  I will become yet annoying again about a book and my love for it.  The book offers extremely practical advice to many of life's struggles and shows how the saints attempted to overcome them.  You can skip around to whatever topic is on your heart at the moment.  I would buy each person a copy if I could.  Please get it into your hands.

I have been praying with this book in the mornings as I get ready for the day. Today I read,

"To overcome argumentativeness, we must first, in the words of St. Vincent de Paul, "love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love."  We would not dare speak disrespectfully to Jesus himself, so we must remind ourselves that He dwells in other people-even those with whom we're angry."

I made this my prayer and motivation for the day.  I told myself that Jesus dwells in each of my children and those I encounter today.  What I am speaking to them, I am speaking to Him because he dwells in THEM.  Treat them as such.

I really realized today the value of attempting to be in constant prayer and union with God.  After I prayed this prayer, I walked out of our bedroom to a major blowout.  No big deal. We have been doing a lot of batch cooking as of late so I was browning 12 pounds of turkey meat to make three huge pots of soup.  As I was doing that, there was another leaky diaper and several other stops and starts to the soup making process.  Although, nothing crazy yet.  As we usually do each morning, I began sending the children off to take a shower and get ready for the day.  Suddenly, one of the disclosed children came running out, "MOM, the toilet is flooding and water is all over the floor and carpet.  I can't get it to stop."  I run back to our room to try to stop the overflowing toilet.  The best part is the child had used the toilet and all her contents were on the floor and were leaking onto our carpet.  I am majorly gagging and the offender stood near me in horror and apologized over and over.

The grace of morning prayer was given at that moment. I recalled the words I had read just thirty minutes before about Christ dwelling within each child and person you meet.  I turned to her and reassured her like I would if it were Christ standing next to me.  That incidence set the tone for the rest of the day for the good.

I couldn't wait to share the little wisdom offered by St. Vincent.  Let us pray to continue to handle each person as if Christ were in them. 

6 1/2 weeks old.

I have to plug my favorite Catholic bookstore, Gloria Deo.  Not only is it run by a beautiful family, the store itself is the Narnia of Catholic bookstores.  I could stroll the aisles forever.  I know it is easy to order off the internet, but I enjoy supporting a local businessman and his family.  They did not ask me to write about their store, I just wish to support them.  To order this book or any other for that matter:
Call 402-420-1830.