I was at the park this morning, alone with my four year old daughter. We were enjoying the beautiful overcast day. I thought to myself what a relief it was to have a break in the recent run of 90 degree temperatures, day after day, for weeks. My big kids have all started back to traditional school after having home schooled for the past eight years. It has been so long since my eyes were only required to be focused on one child so much that I really wasn’t sure what to do with myself.
Recently though, I’ve been feeling this tremendous tug to really relax and enjoy these small moments of life. This is such a challenge for this momma on the go. I am typically a taskmaster, carefully scheduling every last minute so I can get the most ‘BANG’ out of my day. I enjoy moving and doing, but I also am beginning to recognize the benefits of the slower times of life and even just the deliberately lackadaisical days.
Eight years of homeschooling two of my children, always with a baby or preschooler at home, has forced me to really learn to treasure my time and use it wisely. I never wanted to waste a moment. However, recently, God has been showing me that slowing down a little more and ‘wasting’ time with my kids and family is exactly what He is calling for. Indeed, it is what my soul needs right now. Although I am perfectly capable, or so I think, of keeping up the pace I set, I am realizing there are slower seasons of life, and the time right now is one of them for me.
I felt like I had my life relatively balanced. I had a daily routine – prayer, family, friends, homeschooling (yes that is it’s own category), and outreach (my apostolate- more on that another day). An occasional check in or tweaking is necessary every now and then. Now is the time. My older three children are in high school, middle school and elementary school. My 4 year old will begin preschool three mornings a week in just two short weeks. This is the first time in eight years that I have had one on one time with the youngest. Also, the first time in eleven years that I will have regular ‘free time’ each week. In just 2 short weeks, I will have a whopping total of nine me hours each week.
Everyone remarks, ‘What will you do with all your time?’ My first thought is, ‘It’s really quite a short time,’ and my second thought is, ‘Write and get all the things done that I’ve wanted to do for the last eight years!’ Anyone who has homeschooled can attest to the fact that so little gets completed around the home during the school year and for us, summers too! However, as I listen to Him talking to me in my prayers, I have realized that He is asking me to take this year one day at a time. He wants me to reflect each morning on what He wants of my day. Should I:
- Rest?
- Spend time in relationship with my family, my mom,my sisters, and/or my friends?
- Work around the house, run errands, or offer my help to friends who have little ones who homeschool?
- Volunteer in the community, lead or assist with activities at the children’s schools?
- Enjoy park time with my youngest, reading books either alone or with my kids?
- Write blogs, prayers etc.?
- Create crafts?
- Lead small groups for spiritual?
I simply but deeply ask, ‘What do you want me to do today Lord? My days are yours.’ The possibilities are endless, but if I turn my eyes to Him, the endless possibilities narrow and my days should be made clear. It will all come to focus when my heart rests in Him.
So today, He asked me to enjoy the outdoors with a curious four year old, make a trip to a wholesale store to keep our pantry well stocked for all my hungry people, then tackle some laundry and writing while the tired preschooler napped and recharged. Today, that is enough, who knows what tomorrow will bring, but in this moment my soul feels full from resting in Him and allowing Him to guide me and my minivan!
Where in your life is He asking you to listen? What season of life are you in right now and how is He asking you to take time for Him?
Call to Act: Look at your day, are you making time each day to reflect and turn your time, as minuscule as that seems right now, over to Him? I challenge you to pray this simple prayer each morning before you swing your feet out of bed and the rubber meets the road, ‘Your will be done today Lord, not mine.’ This simple turning things over to Him will change the course of your day and allow your soul to rest knowing you are doing as He asks of you. “You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way,” the great Dr. Seuss encourages us! Go climb that mountain sister, the mountain the Lord asks of you. He is right there with you, He will lead the way.
Saint Bernard and Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini pray for us as we climb the mountain of life, always keeping Christ at the forefront, allowing Him to truly lead us on this journey in all we do each day, as we grow closer to him in all things. We ask this through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
St. Bernard grew up in a noble home. His pious parents were dedicated to his education and spiritual formation. Shortly after joining the newly formed Cistercian order, he was asked to found a new monastery at the foot of a mountain which later became known as the Abbey of Clairvaux (meaning peace). St. Bernard grew to become a French abbot, Doctor of the Church, advisor of popes, and reformer of the Cistercian Monastic Order. He is well known for speaking truths of the faith and revitalizing the Cistercian order. He preached the second Crusade, yet was disappointed in the sins of the Crusaders. Many miracles are attributed to St. Bernard. Read more about him here.
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-bernard-of-clairvaux/
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=559
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini
St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, also known as Mother Cabrini, is best known for founding the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was born in Italy prematurely and lived her life in poor health. Along with other young women, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart to care for poor children and eventually to serve immigrants in the United States after Pope Leo XIII urged her to help in the west. Laboring to aid many poor and sick, especially immigrants, Mother Cabrini established institutions, including schools, hospitals, and orphanages in New York, Colorado, and Illinois. She was an extremely determined, resourceful sister. St. Frances Xavier Cabrini is the first US citizen to be canonized. Read more about her here.
https://www.mothercabrini.org/who-we-are/mother-cabrini/