Worthless Wednesday??

Do you ever have a day where you feel worthless?  Like you accomplished nothing?  Made no real impact on anyone else's day.  Disappointment around every corner.  Yeah, today was one of those days for me.

**Late start to my day, since Pookey was up coughing all night long.  Third day of fever and croup for him.  Both Rose and Yoda had to be checked often throughout the night to make sure their fevers weren't getting too high.  Not to mention the rain and storms all night.  This momma lays in bed, while her hero husband gets up regardless to go work for the family.  Just call me a lazy-bum, taking full advantage of the flexibility of being a stay-at-home mom and all plans being canceled today from having sick kids.

**We didn't even go anywhere today.  Didn't even leave the house.  

**Didn't get anything done.

**Dust bunnies are taking over multiple flat surfaces around the house.

**Ceiling fans are also covered in dust and needing a good cleaning.  But, thankfully, I learned you can mask this by keeping your fans on.  Shhhh - don't tell anyone my secret.

**No home-cooked meals.

**Canceled activities and sad kiddos because of it.

These items left undone and the let down can really weigh on you.  I can hear that voice, "you are worthless".  "You have so much to do, and didn't get one thing done"  "What a failure of a day"

SNAP OUT OF IT!

BEGONE SATAN!

MASTER OF LIES, GET, GET, GET!

PRAY AND LEAN ON OUR LORD!

++Lord, I need you.  I know you planned this day.  Your grace and your presence is here.  Somewhere.  Help me find it.  Help me see You++

"Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation of cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness"

~St. John Crysostom

I did what I was supposed to today.  I tried my best.

**I loved my kids.

**Took care of sick ones.  Took temps.  Gave meds.  The great Ibuprofen and Tylenol rotation.

**Fed kids two meals and cleaned after them.  Granted they were not home-cooked meals.  I just warmed up pizza from the night before.  But the tables got wiped, and dishes got rinsed.  

**I showered.  Four kids got showered, even though they are the ones who can shower themselves.

**I brushed my teeth.  Yes, this is a HUGE thing!!  

**Let my kids get the rest they needed.  TV may burn out by the end of the day.  Only got a break when we were eating meals.  I did introduce the kids to Cupcake Wars and we watched and enjoyed multiple episodes.  Now we are joking about how hungry we are for cupcakes!!  (cupcake delivery anyone??)

**I kicked up my feet and took a nap with little Yoda.  Ahhh, the pure sweetness of that resting time and baby lovin's.  

**Believe it or not, I did do two loads of laundry.  

**The house remained tidy and neat.  Mostly because we were all glued to the tv - lol!

**Got today's blog post up for a blog that I help run.  (Go read it!!  These mom authors are awesome and so very inspirational!!)


So, was today a worthless day?  Should we just fast-forward and skip to tomorrow?  No way.  We are called to live in the moment.  Not wish your worthless day away.  Embrace the suffering and all that doesn't go your way.  Turn the disappointments into prayer.  Look for joy.  Find joy.  Create joy.

"I cannot be downcast, since in everything that happens to me, I see the loving hand of Jesus"

~St. Therese of Lisieux

Wordless Wednesday

"Everyday Sacrament" book study

Our gathering is scheduled for an hour and a half, but this past study we went over a tad.  So really, two hours is probably a more realistic time for gabby moms.  With book studies, it's nice to do a chapter at a time, but also to include an introduction gathering to hand out the book and to meet the moms.  So, with this particular book, 8 gatherings would be ideal.

Like I shared before, our Altar and Rosary Society sponsored us, paid for all the books and provides food/drinks for us moms during our study time.  Feel free to go to your parish priest or president of your Altar and Rosary Society and ask them to do this for moms in your parish.  What a beautiful gift they can give you, and I'm sure they will all remember the much needed support when raising kiddos, as many of them were once there themselves.

So gather up local moms in your area, parish, and/or homeschool group and take this beautiful book into your hearts and homes!!

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3!!

#1 - Welcome/Opening Prayer - a prayer to the Holy Spirit is a great one...

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.  

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

#2 - Go through the questions (found here) one-by-one and let each mom have a chance to share her responses.  Our leader also goes through a couple pages at a time, and has moms share anything that stood out or maybe something they underlined or highlighted as they read it.

#3 - Closing Prayer/Send Off - Send the moms off with a reminder to read the next chapter between gatherings, hand out their questions (see step #2), and close in prayer.  We use this prayer - "A Daily Blessing for Children"...

Through the sign of the cross may

God protect our children

and deliver them from all evil.

Blessed Mother, cover them with your mantle

and protect them always.

Send legions of angels to help and guard them.

We place them in the

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

We offer them with Jesus in each Holy Mass.

May the Holy Spirit always be their guide

especially in choosing their

vocation, profession, or marriage partner.

Jesus, cover them with your precious blood and

fill them with Your Spirit of Peace.

Help them to love You,

to love themselves, and to love others.

Keep them safe from all harm,

danger, sickness, and disease and from the

snares of the world, the flesh, and the devil

now and forever.

Amen.

++May God bless you as you gather, learn and grow in love with the calling of motherhood that He has chosen for you!!++

"Everyday Sacrament" book review

Our church started a book study a few weeks ago on an adorable book for moms - Everyday Sacrament.  How blessed our parish is to have the Altar and Rosary Society sponsor the study - they bought all the books and are providing food/drinks for each of our meetings.  Like I have said before, our church just has a beautiful way of meeting us all where we are (even us moms!!) and helping us feel welcomed and included in our church.

I have been in Mom's Groups before and done many book studies, but it's been a while.  Even though I'm a mom to a 14 year, I am still a mom to a 1 year old and a toddler, so I can still very much relate to even the younger moms in the book study.  These groups are always such a blessing and an opportunity to help us grow more in love with the beautiful vocation of marriage and the fruit (children!) that have been born from it.

The book is divided into seven chapters, and as you could probably guess by the title, each chapter takes one of the Sacraments and shares how we can find the Sacraments in the messiness and stickiness of everyday mothering...

Chapter 1:  Bathed in New Life - Baptism
Chapter 2:  Celebrating Grace - Confirmation
Chapter 3:  Broken for You - Eucharist
Chapter 4:  From Frustration to Forgiveness - Reconciliation
Chapter 5:  Helping to Heal - Anointing of the Sick
Chapter 6:  Everyday Vows - Marriage
Chapter 7:  Challenges of the Calling - Holy Orders

I'm hoping to share some highlights from the book as I read it.  It may be done a couple chapters at a time and a pretty short summary, but enough to tease you into getting it for yourself and the little nuggets of wisdom and encouragement from the author!  ;)

Why I am not a very good blogger...

Because my schedule revolves around these 7 little birds who are the light of my life and keep me busy-as-ever, and even when I am not busy-as-ever, I may just want some downtime with them and my wonderful hubby!!  I've tried the blogging schedules and blogging weekly on certain days, but always seem to get caught up in what-matters-most and this place seems to get neglected first. So, I admit it and place *all* the blame on these gorgeous kiddos, whom I am mothering and loving and snuggling and feeding and cleaning up after and running them around and teaching and on and on and on...  

...happily and gladly and super blessed!!!  :)

My 7 little birds and I on Mother's Day - 2014

School pics 2013

We had pictures taken last month and I am SO happy how they turned out!  I guess I should expect that from a bunch of cute kids though, huh?  (just a tad biased, eh??)

**Fone - 12 years old - 7th grade**

**Mario - 10 years old - 5th grade**

**Melody - 9 years old - 4th grade**

**Ariel - 7 years old - 2nd grade**

**Max - 5 years old - kindergarten**

**Pookey - 4 years old - pre-school**

**Rose - 1 year old - pre-pre-pre-school**

++Thank you, God, for these beautiful children who call me "mom".  You have given them to me and appointed me to the best job in the world, in leading them closer to You.  Please help me be the best mother I can be to them, and bless them every moment of their lives.++