Yesterday, I attended the last field trip of the year with my oldest son - a fun time at Central Park with volleyball, bubbles, water balloons, tug-of-war, popsicles, and lunch.
During lunch, I asked the first graders sitting around me what they were going to do this summer. The conversation quickly turned from what they were going to do (because they didn't know), to who they were going to be with or without.
Little girl R said her Dad was going to pick her up on the last day of school, because he wanted her for one month, since her Mom gets her more than her Dad.
Little boy C, sitting next to her, said he never gets to see his real Dad because he moved far away and his mom lost track of him. When I told him "I bet your Dad misses you", he looked at me and said, "He's only called me once." Ugh.
Little girl D across the table said her Mom is supposed to get out of jail this summer. She asks if you won't tell anybody then tells you her Mom is in jail for "doing with drugs."
Next to her, sat Little J. He lives with his grandparents because his Mom is on drugs and his Dad is in jail. He's a great kid. Thank God for grandparents who pack his lunch, take him to Tae Kwon Do, and love him in all of the little ways kids need to be loved.
As the weight of our lunch conversations settled in on the drive home, I realized how blessed my children are to live in a home where things are as they should be. Nothing exceptional, just life as God intended it - with parents who love Him, each other, and their kids.
I generally think of this as a "given". I don't typically think I am blessing my sons just by showing up and being present. But, today I am reminded that just showing up can be a blessing. Not only to my kids, but to those kids who desperately need someone to look at, see, and listen to them.
Later that afternoon, I attended my kindergartner's year end party. The little boy I was sitting next to didn't have any pictures of his family during the slide show, because his parents are in CPS custody and he lives with his grandma, but she works. Another little boy pointed to the picture of his family and said "See that guy standing by me? He's dead." His Dad was killed a few weeks before when hit by a car on the side of a road.
My own father suffered horribly at the hands of his parents. With God's grace, he broke the cycle of addiction and abuse and has been nothing to his children, but a positive force - a pillar of strength and unconditional love. None of his children or grandchildren will ever see the ugliness and selfishness that would have been their inheritance without God's grace and his docility to the Holy Spirit.
In Apostolate for Holy Motherhood, the Blessed Mother says, "Be kind to your children. This is of the utmost importance. They need your undivided attention when they are small...Your children are your jewels, your wealth; guard them as the treasures which they are."
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the opportunity to join my son's First grade class for lunch today and my Kindergartner's year end party. Please bless them and children everywhere abundantly, Lord. Preserve them from repeating the mistakes their parents have made with them. Let them have recourse to You and the Mother we all share. Send Your grace upon their parents, who are probably repeating their parent's mistakes. Break the chains of abuse and addiction that bind them, so they may live in the freedom of love and give them the desire to embrace Your holy will. Please stand in the gap for us with Your Son, His Mother, and all the Saints. Amen.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tomorrow - The Last Day of School
Tomorrow is the last day of school. From all of the conversations I've had, it sounds like this is a bittersweet transition for most of us. We're excited for the change of pace to a slower one and the freedom that comes with not being bound by the hours of the school day, but it comes with the price of having little or no alone time. I'm looking forward to reading with my boys, lots of swimming, and day trips. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my school boys. I'm looking forward to not rushing out the door in the morning (and the yelling that has been known to accompany it). I'm looking forward to challenging them and enjoying them. I am looking forward to "soaking up the time".
I used to reflect on the days when I would have school-aged children. Time is really picking up speed.
August 21, 2009 - Friday 7:51am
I used to reflect on the days when I would have school-aged children. Time is really picking up speed.
I was just thinking about having just 1 more year with all
of my kids at home. This is our last
year for leisurely mornings…sitting on the couch watching movies or PBS w/
sippy cups in hand. Every one says time
really starts to fly when your kids start school. Walker
Wyatt is still getting up twice in the middle of the
night. He’s 5 months old now, I’m ready
for a good night’s sleep. However, I’m
going to have to relearn how to do that because I wake up every few hours
whether Wyatt is awake or not. He is
such a happy baby. He has the most
beautiful smile and he uses it constantly.
It is almost loud, it is so big.
I’ve started walking the dogs after Wyatt goes to bed. Brayton and Walker go along to ride their
bikes. It feels good to be giving them
some love, attention, and exercise. It
has been a really long time.
I’m reading St. Therese of Lisieux’s autobiography, after
reading several books about Mother Teresa.
I have a strong desire to read about the lives of all the saints,
especially women. I don’t desire to
suffer, as these saints did. I suppose
when a person is close to sainthood, they see the unmatched beauty and
sanctification which takes place in a soul through suffering.
My friend, Kathy, has just experienced my worst
fear…watching one of her children die. I
pray that God never sends me this trial.
I wonder if God is going to send me more children, even though Brett
would like to be done. More and more, I
understand my vocation to be that of a wife and mother - Providing an
environment conducive for cultivating healthy and holy souls. (end)
Mark 10:45 tells us "For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Ransom is defined as "The release of property or a person in return for payment of a demanded price." Christ paid the price of our sins with His life. My calling is to be as Christ. My life is to be spent as a downpayment, so that my children may accept Christ's payment for their sins. If I don't lead them to believe in Him and accept His payment for their sins with my life, who will? How can they be released from their debt if they don't acknowledge that it has been paid?
Dear God of Summer and All Things Therein, Thank you for the change of seasons. Thank you for summer and for swimming pools and the opportunity to be home with my children. Please help me to spend my life joyfully and with great love for them. They depend on me to do this well. Please inspire me as to how I can provide the best environment for cultivating healthy and holy souls. This is time that I will never get back. Please help me to remember that. Amen.
Mark 10:45 tells us "For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Ransom is defined as "The release of property or a person in return for payment of a demanded price." Christ paid the price of our sins with His life. My calling is to be as Christ. My life is to be spent as a downpayment, so that my children may accept Christ's payment for their sins. If I don't lead them to believe in Him and accept His payment for their sins with my life, who will? How can they be released from their debt if they don't acknowledge that it has been paid?
Dear God of Summer and All Things Therein, Thank you for the change of seasons. Thank you for summer and for swimming pools and the opportunity to be home with my children. Please help me to spend my life joyfully and with great love for them. They depend on me to do this well. Please inspire me as to how I can provide the best environment for cultivating healthy and holy souls. This is time that I will never get back. Please help me to remember that. Amen.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Are You Dead, Yet?
I heard this poem several weeks ago on Red-C radio. I googled it this morning and found it on a website called Yahweh's Sword. This ties in perfectly with the "little deaths" I was talking about yesterday.
Dying To Self
When you are forgotten, or neglected,
or purposely set at naught, and you
don't sting or hurt with the insult or
the oversight, but your heart is happy,
being counted worthy to suffer for YAHSHUA,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are misunderstood
your advise disregarded, your opinions
ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger
rise in your heart, or even defend
yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you lovingly and patiently bear
any disorder, any irregularity, any
unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when
you stand face to face with waste, folly,
extravagance, spiritual insensibility-
and endure it as YAHSHUA endured,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you are content with any food,
any offering, any climate, any society,
any raiment, any interruption
by the will of YAHWEH,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you never care to refer to your-
self in conversation, or to record your
own good works, or itch after commendations,
when you can truly love to be unknown,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can see your brother prosper
and have his needs met and can honestly
rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy,
nor question YAHWEH while your own
needs are greater and in desperate circumstances,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can receive correction and
reproof from one of less stature than your-
self and can humbly submit inwardly as
well as outwardly, finding no rebellion
or resentment rising up within your heart,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
Are you dead yet?
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us. Please convict us of your love, so that we may joyfully and willingly die to ourselves daily, as a response to Your love. Amen.
Dying To Self
When you are forgotten, or neglected,
or purposely set at naught, and you
don't sting or hurt with the insult or
the oversight, but your heart is happy,
being counted worthy to suffer for YAHSHUA,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are misunderstood
your advise disregarded, your opinions
ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger
rise in your heart, or even defend
yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you lovingly and patiently bear
any disorder, any irregularity, any
unpunctuality, or any annoyance; when
you stand face to face with waste, folly,
extravagance, spiritual insensibility-
and endure it as YAHSHUA endured,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you are content with any food,
any offering, any climate, any society,
any raiment, any interruption
by the will of YAHWEH,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you never care to refer to your-
self in conversation, or to record your
own good works, or itch after commendations,
when you can truly love to be unknown,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can see your brother prosper
and have his needs met and can honestly
rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy,
nor question YAHWEH while your own
needs are greater and in desperate circumstances,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
When you can receive correction and
reproof from one of less stature than your-
self and can humbly submit inwardly as
well as outwardly, finding no rebellion
or resentment rising up within your heart,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.
Are you dead yet?
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us. Please convict us of your love, so that we may joyfully and willingly die to ourselves daily, as a response to Your love. Amen.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Obsession With Self-Survival
On this Memorial Day, the flags are flying all over town and we remember all of those who have died, and sacrificed life or limb in the name of freedom. My heart goes out to all of those who grieve for their loved ones who died serving their country. If only honor helped mitigate pain.
This day also makes me think about my own mortality. Fr. William Joensen turned on a switch in my brain one day when I read the following: "Humans become 'capable of death' by the willing embrace of the Word who helps us overcome obsession with self-survival." I began to wonder, "Am I obsessed with surviving?" The answer is yes. Not just yes to staying alive physically, but to avoiding little deaths, too. I think every bad personal choice ever made is an attempt to avoid the feeling of dying (suffering) - physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Drugs, sex, alcohol, food, politics, things, an excess of anything - we use these things to distract us or attempt to overpower whatever it is within ourselves that is languishing.
C.S. Lewis diffuses any attempt to convince ourselves that this approach might work:
"If you have not chosen the kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead! (Law) Women or patriotism, cocaine or art, whisky or a seat in the Cabinet, money or science. Does it matter to a man dying in a desert by which choice of route he missed the only well?"
Today is a good day to take inventory of the little deaths you might be trying to avoid or focus on what you want to do, no matter how much sacrifice is involved. What do you want people to say about you at your funeral? How do you live with the "End in Mind"? Miranda Walichowski has an excellent planner and website that encourages this kind of mindset as you live your life. You can learn more about her and her planner at www.miranous.com.
Dear God, Thank you for the freedom we have in the United States of America. Thank you for all of the soldiers and their families who have sacrificed to make it so. Thank you for your Word. Please give us the grace to embrace it. Please help us see clearly the route to the only well, and help us to stay on it. Protect us from all of the things that lure us away and give us the grace to see them for what they are. Help us to overcome our obsession with surviving by dying to ourselves at every turn. It is in these little deaths that we will one day be united to You. I love you. Amen.
This day also makes me think about my own mortality. Fr. William Joensen turned on a switch in my brain one day when I read the following: "Humans become 'capable of death' by the willing embrace of the Word who helps us overcome obsession with self-survival." I began to wonder, "Am I obsessed with surviving?" The answer is yes. Not just yes to staying alive physically, but to avoiding little deaths, too. I think every bad personal choice ever made is an attempt to avoid the feeling of dying (suffering) - physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Drugs, sex, alcohol, food, politics, things, an excess of anything - we use these things to distract us or attempt to overpower whatever it is within ourselves that is languishing.
C.S. Lewis diffuses any attempt to convince ourselves that this approach might work:
"If you have not chosen the kingdom of God, it will make in the end no difference what you have chosen instead! (Law) Women or patriotism, cocaine or art, whisky or a seat in the Cabinet, money or science. Does it matter to a man dying in a desert by which choice of route he missed the only well?"
Today is a good day to take inventory of the little deaths you might be trying to avoid or focus on what you want to do, no matter how much sacrifice is involved. What do you want people to say about you at your funeral? How do you live with the "End in Mind"? Miranda Walichowski has an excellent planner and website that encourages this kind of mindset as you live your life. You can learn more about her and her planner at www.miranous.com.
Dear God, Thank you for the freedom we have in the United States of America. Thank you for all of the soldiers and their families who have sacrificed to make it so. Thank you for your Word. Please give us the grace to embrace it. Please help us see clearly the route to the only well, and help us to stay on it. Protect us from all of the things that lure us away and give us the grace to see them for what they are. Help us to overcome our obsession with surviving by dying to ourselves at every turn. It is in these little deaths that we will one day be united to You. I love you. Amen.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
We Become What We Celebrate
Happy Birthday, Holy Mother Church! The Church was born over 2000 years ago when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and Mary. The Holy Spirit is just as present now as He was on that day! If we were in a Gospel church right now, you would hear a resounding "Amen!", here.
Matthew Kelly (same writer of the children's book I recommended two days ago)writes more beautifully and succinctly about the power of celebrating than anyone else I've ever read. In Rediscovering Catholicism, he writes:
~ "The essence of Catholicism is transformation. You cannot become more like Jesus Christ and at the same time stay as you are."
~ "We become what we celebrate."
~ "The best way to defend life is to celebrate life. The best way to defend our faith is to celebrate our faith."
~ "The best way to speak about God is to thrive in the life He calls us to live."
We can best celebrate life and everything it contains by living well - making choices based on things that are important to us: God, family, all of the people in our lives, and ourselves.
Jesus tells the disciples it is better for them (and us) to have the Holy Spirit as Advocate than Jesus Himself! In John 16:7-11 He says, "But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned."
When I think of the greatest gift the world has ever been given, I think of Jesus Christ. However, Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is the gift that He gives us. The gift that remains.
In today's second reading from Galatians 5:16-25, Paul writes, "Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want...If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit."
Dear Loving and Righteous Father, Thank you for Jesus Christ and sending the Holy Spirit to remain with us after You called Jesus back to Yourself on the day He ascended into Heaven. You know we can't find our way to You without help. Thank you for always giving us what we need, long before we ask or even know we need help. Please give us the grace to celebrate our faith by living as You would have us live. Thank you for the Church and her wisdom, as received by the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Matthew Kelly (same writer of the children's book I recommended two days ago)writes more beautifully and succinctly about the power of celebrating than anyone else I've ever read. In Rediscovering Catholicism, he writes:
~ "The essence of Catholicism is transformation. You cannot become more like Jesus Christ and at the same time stay as you are."
~ "We become what we celebrate."
~ "The best way to defend life is to celebrate life. The best way to defend our faith is to celebrate our faith."
~ "The best way to speak about God is to thrive in the life He calls us to live."
We can best celebrate life and everything it contains by living well - making choices based on things that are important to us: God, family, all of the people in our lives, and ourselves.
Jesus tells the disciples it is better for them (and us) to have the Holy Spirit as Advocate than Jesus Himself! In John 16:7-11 He says, "But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned."
When I think of the greatest gift the world has ever been given, I think of Jesus Christ. However, Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit is the gift that He gives us. The gift that remains.
In today's second reading from Galatians 5:16-25, Paul writes, "Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do what you want...If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit."
Dear Loving and Righteous Father, Thank you for Jesus Christ and sending the Holy Spirit to remain with us after You called Jesus back to Yourself on the day He ascended into Heaven. You know we can't find our way to You without help. Thank you for always giving us what we need, long before we ask or even know we need help. Please give us the grace to celebrate our faith by living as You would have us live. Thank you for the Church and her wisdom, as received by the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Choices
This is sort of Part B to yesterday's post... From time to time, I realize the weight that each choice in my life carries and how unconciously or selfishly I make them most of the time.
I felt continual pressure and guilt when my kids were younger (before they started school). When I was cooking or cleaning, I felt like I should be spending time with my boys. When I was spending time with my boys, I felt like I should be doing something around the house. I became very occupied with trying to figure out how much of my day was supposed to be spent with my kiddos. I even called and wrote to Focus on the Family. My thinking was that if we know how many hours of sleep the average person needs, surely they can figure out, on average, what percentage of our time needs to be spent engaging our kids. However, they were no help. They just assured me that I was a good mother for even asking the question, said there's no way to know (the same kid can have different needs on different days), and left me to my own devices.
Following is my journal entry from January 16, 2011, which illustrates one of the times when my choices forced me to look at them head-on:
I am wondering how many choices I make in a day's time. Not about what to eat or what to wear, but about what to do next. There are things I now do automatically because of choices I made a long time ago. For example, today is Sunday. I will go to church at 11. No brainer. This no longer registers as a choice in my brain. Just as, when I wake up every morning, I drink a cup of coffee and read something to feed my spirit and help me live my beliefs. So today, I'm going to focus on those moments when I am choosing what to do next, not the choices that are made for me, like making meals to feed my family, changing a diaper, etc... I want to make choices based on what is important to me. (end)
For the 7 days that followed, I kept track of how many actual choices I made during a normal work day. The number of recorded choices I made in a day ranged from 4 to 13. Anything from playing Legos, sweeping the floor, to reading a book. The choices can be lumped into three groups: Spending time with the kids, Cleaning/Cooking/Errands, Doing something for myself. Out of 39 total choices, the boys got 46% of my time, the house/chores got 33%, and I got 21%.
I am happy to see that my boys got more time than anything else, but I also know it isn't always that way. I want to give them more of myself, but they are getting older and don't seem very interested most of the time. They would rather play a video game or play with their friends. After all, I'm not very good at playing guns or swords (probably because I don't really know what to do and I don't really enjoy it). Instead, I offer to play Uno, Battleship, but that isn't usually what they have in mind, either. I think this is a natural progression, but in the poorly lit corner of my mind, I still wonder "Maybe they just gave up on me a long time ago (because I've been too selfish) and they have ruled me out as somebody to play with."
The important thing for me to realize is that it is not about whether or not they take me up on my offer. It is about seeking them out and offering them my most coveted gift, my time. If they don't accept, then I can let go of the guilt (at least for a little while). So, for now, I will make it a point to make myself available to each one of my boys at least once a day, and they can take it or leave it. I'm going to write their names on the white board on my refrigerator. Once I've offered, I'll put a smiley face by their name. Accountability is good.
"The diminuitive chains of habit are generally too small to be felt, till they are too strong to be broken." - Unknown-
Dear Heavenly Father, I am going to have to stand before you one day and give an account for my life. I am going to see all of the times when I passed up opportunities to love and serve You, my family, and those people you have placed in my life. Please forgive me where I have fallen short. Please give me the grace to do better by living more selflessly, starting right now. Thank you for time, chances, and choices. You are a loving, generous, and merciful God. I love you. Amen.
I felt continual pressure and guilt when my kids were younger (before they started school). When I was cooking or cleaning, I felt like I should be spending time with my boys. When I was spending time with my boys, I felt like I should be doing something around the house. I became very occupied with trying to figure out how much of my day was supposed to be spent with my kiddos. I even called and wrote to Focus on the Family. My thinking was that if we know how many hours of sleep the average person needs, surely they can figure out, on average, what percentage of our time needs to be spent engaging our kids. However, they were no help. They just assured me that I was a good mother for even asking the question, said there's no way to know (the same kid can have different needs on different days), and left me to my own devices.
Following is my journal entry from January 16, 2011, which illustrates one of the times when my choices forced me to look at them head-on:
I am wondering how many choices I make in a day's time. Not about what to eat or what to wear, but about what to do next. There are things I now do automatically because of choices I made a long time ago. For example, today is Sunday. I will go to church at 11. No brainer. This no longer registers as a choice in my brain. Just as, when I wake up every morning, I drink a cup of coffee and read something to feed my spirit and help me live my beliefs. So today, I'm going to focus on those moments when I am choosing what to do next, not the choices that are made for me, like making meals to feed my family, changing a diaper, etc... I want to make choices based on what is important to me. (end)
For the 7 days that followed, I kept track of how many actual choices I made during a normal work day. The number of recorded choices I made in a day ranged from 4 to 13. Anything from playing Legos, sweeping the floor, to reading a book. The choices can be lumped into three groups: Spending time with the kids, Cleaning/Cooking/Errands, Doing something for myself. Out of 39 total choices, the boys got 46% of my time, the house/chores got 33%, and I got 21%.
I am happy to see that my boys got more time than anything else, but I also know it isn't always that way. I want to give them more of myself, but they are getting older and don't seem very interested most of the time. They would rather play a video game or play with their friends. After all, I'm not very good at playing guns or swords (probably because I don't really know what to do and I don't really enjoy it). Instead, I offer to play Uno, Battleship, but that isn't usually what they have in mind, either. I think this is a natural progression, but in the poorly lit corner of my mind, I still wonder "Maybe they just gave up on me a long time ago (because I've been too selfish) and they have ruled me out as somebody to play with."
The important thing for me to realize is that it is not about whether or not they take me up on my offer. It is about seeking them out and offering them my most coveted gift, my time. If they don't accept, then I can let go of the guilt (at least for a little while). So, for now, I will make it a point to make myself available to each one of my boys at least once a day, and they can take it or leave it. I'm going to write their names on the white board on my refrigerator. Once I've offered, I'll put a smiley face by their name. Accountability is good.
"The diminuitive chains of habit are generally too small to be felt, till they are too strong to be broken." - Unknown-
Dear Heavenly Father, I am going to have to stand before you one day and give an account for my life. I am going to see all of the times when I passed up opportunities to love and serve You, my family, and those people you have placed in my life. Please forgive me where I have fallen short. Please give me the grace to do better by living more selflessly, starting right now. Thank you for time, chances, and choices. You are a loving, generous, and merciful God. I love you. Amen.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Becoming the Best-Version-of-Yourself
"Well, Max, if a fish is good at being a fish, and a bird is good at being a bird, then you Max, are good at being Max. You are not here to be Michael or Hannah or Will, you are here to be you...You are here to become the-best-version-of-yourself."
My stepmom (Grandma Meg) just bought this book for my boys and excitedly read it to them a couple of nights in a row at bedtime. The source of this quote and this idea are already making a huge impact in my family's life. It is entitled Why am I Here? - a story about becoming the-best-version-of-yourself! by Matthew Kelly.
Yesterday, on the way home from school, one of my son's friends fell off of his bike. His elbow was all bloody and he kept holding one of his shoulders. My boys jumped into action! One of them ran home (unbeknownst to me) and came back with a Band-Aid. My other son walked his friend's bike to his mom. When we got home, my oldest son said, "I need to call Grandma Meg!!" "Why?", I asked. He said, "I need to tell her about being the-best-version-of-myself!!! She told me to call her when that happens!" So, he called and I think his Grandma has had few prouder moments. He got it!
He was so thrilled at having been the-best-version-of-himself that he wanted to find more things to do. He made a card for his friend and we rode bikes over to his house to hand-deliver it. His friend wasn't home, so he just left it at the front door, but he was beaming! He was so proud of himself and I know he is eager to repeat the experience of being the-best-version-of-himself and the wonderful feelings that go with it.
If you have children and want them to become the best-version-of-themselves, this book is an awesome way to communicate what that looks like, and they can grasp it!! It is an awesome way to start the conversation. It's good for grown-ups, too!
I don't think we can be reminded too often that the sum of our life is simply all of our daily choices added up. Our choices are important!
Dear God, Thank you for the idea of becoming the-best-version-of-ourselves. We know what you want from us, but it is not always easy to put it into words or understand what it is supposed to look like. Thank you for grandmas and people who want the very best for us and our children, and who know how to love them well. Thank you for children and so many chances to make the best choice. I love you. Amen.
My stepmom (Grandma Meg) just bought this book for my boys and excitedly read it to them a couple of nights in a row at bedtime. The source of this quote and this idea are already making a huge impact in my family's life. It is entitled Why am I Here? - a story about becoming the-best-version-of-yourself! by Matthew Kelly.
Yesterday, on the way home from school, one of my son's friends fell off of his bike. His elbow was all bloody and he kept holding one of his shoulders. My boys jumped into action! One of them ran home (unbeknownst to me) and came back with a Band-Aid. My other son walked his friend's bike to his mom. When we got home, my oldest son said, "I need to call Grandma Meg!!" "Why?", I asked. He said, "I need to tell her about being the-best-version-of-myself!!! She told me to call her when that happens!" So, he called and I think his Grandma has had few prouder moments. He got it!
He was so thrilled at having been the-best-version-of-himself that he wanted to find more things to do. He made a card for his friend and we rode bikes over to his house to hand-deliver it. His friend wasn't home, so he just left it at the front door, but he was beaming! He was so proud of himself and I know he is eager to repeat the experience of being the-best-version-of-himself and the wonderful feelings that go with it.
If you have children and want them to become the best-version-of-themselves, this book is an awesome way to communicate what that looks like, and they can grasp it!! It is an awesome way to start the conversation. It's good for grown-ups, too!
I don't think we can be reminded too often that the sum of our life is simply all of our daily choices added up. Our choices are important!
Dear God, Thank you for the idea of becoming the-best-version-of-ourselves. We know what you want from us, but it is not always easy to put it into words or understand what it is supposed to look like. Thank you for grandmas and people who want the very best for us and our children, and who know how to love them well. Thank you for children and so many chances to make the best choice. I love you. Amen.
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