Little Ways

As a mom,whether you have one child or several, we can find ourselves rushing here and there-doctor's appointments, sports events, music lessons, while amidst all of this trying to get the laundry done, dishes, cleaning bathrooms and fixing meals.  All of these things are necessary to keep family life afloat.  In the thick of it all we experience joys, sorrows, frustrations, and at times pure exhaustion.

I recently have found myself in the sorrow/frustration/exhaustion category, as in the last two years we have dealt with some life changing events in our family.  Our now 3 year old son was diagnosed with a profound hearing loss (pretty much deaf without hearing aids) and more recently our 16 year old daughter was diagnosed with very advanced thyroid cancer. 

People have choices when faced with less than perfect situations in their life.  1) defeatism or 2)to fight.  What makes a person choose one over the other?  Most of us would say things like faith, family support and friends.  Some may even go as far to say money, societal status, intelligence or even ethnicity (e.g. Germans are more stubborn).  Realistically, at some point in our life one or more of any of these come into play.

As a Christian, I believe that all of these factors are because of the One who created me.  Who are we without Christ? 

As mothers I think we need to remind ourselves that Christ is not only there in the big things, but in the little as well.  He's there when we are cleaning the floors, doing the laundry, wiping runny noses and cleaning poopy bottoms.  He's even there when we are pulling the kitten's paw out of the sticky mouse trap (that happened to me today).   I was reminded in my devotional reading that if we can't glorify, trust and turn to God in the little things, then will we when faced with the big?

St. Therese of Lisieux has a saying, "In my little way, there are only ordinary things."   My devotional has three sections for each day:  THINK, PRAY and ACT.  Today's prayer was to ask the Lord to help me see that my own sanctity lies in embracing the little things that come our way-small sacrifices and tiny crosses.  In the ACT section it challenged me to say only "Yes" to God, to be faithful in every small chore or unpleasant situation that came my way-to answer yes immediatley and with joy.

So, I tried it (failed a few times), but what a difference.  Cleaning floors wasn't just about cleaning floors, but a way to glorify the Lord.  Suddenly, my sorrow/frustration/exhaustion turned to joy, thankfullness and renewed strength. 

I encourage mom's to get the book, "Small Steps for Catholic Moms by Danielle Bean and Elizabeth Foss.

Blessings,
Rebecca