When you think of the role of priest it is easy to see how we can become so involved with others that we are often sallowed up. Everyone seems to be asking us for something, seems to be taking bits of us away. As mothers of infants it seems we are doing nothing but tending to a newborns needs. Toddlers seem to always be on the go, tweens and teens are coming into their own; they look to us to give them what they need to grow and be all they are. We are always asking what do you need, what do you want, what would you like me to do for you?
These are questions which can be a burden on us, especially if we do not care for ourselves, refuel the emotional and spiritual tank. In our role as priest of our home, life and community these questions ask us to make sacrifices. When we choose, or had motherhood chosen for us, we made sacrifices; some of the things that are freely open to those younger or without children are not easily open to us. On the other hand, those doors, which seem shut are just waiting to be opened again; we can achieve what we are called to do, its just a matter of first things first. I believe this is the same for fathers as well as mothers, mothers just seem to bear a different burden.
But a burden non the less. We if are not careful we can become “mom” at the expense of everything and everyone else. We need to ask others what can you do for me? Here is how I would like to be helped out. I need ________. Consider the blind man Bartimaeus. He asked Christ for what he needed! What about us as moms do we ask, will we ask?
Week’s Theme: Priest Be sure to ask for what is needed in your life.
What will you do today/this week to ask for what is needed so you can be there for others. If you feel so called I would love to know what you did…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
Priesthood? Sounds a little strange to our ears, but it is what we are called to be when we were Baptized: To be priest. One of the many roles of priest is to be an advocate for the people. A priest prepares a way to God. A priest intercedes, mediates, and instructs. Look at what we do as mothers:
Pretty priestly don’t you think?
Week’s Theme: Priest.
If you feel so called I would love to know what you think…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
Purpose, brings us full circle. Purpose asks us to reconnect with our calling. It has us look at the questions: How am I doing, what do I need to change, is this truly what I am called to do, are there areas in the calling I have not looked at, worked on.
Many of us have mothering as a calling, but it is not the only calling we may have. Mothers may also be nurses, teachers, what the calling of motherhood asks of us is to balance all our responsibilities so nothing and noone gets left out and that includes ourselves.
Week’s Theme: Leaders/Serve Leaders need to regularly assess what they are doing and adjust accordingly.
What will you do today/this week to assess how you are doing. If you feel so called I would love to know what you did…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
Friday is all about helping others see the wisdom they all ready have. Sometimes we forget that we are the experts of our own life, family and world, we need someone to be our champion, to remind us of the talents and gifts God has all ready given us: A Spiritual Director can help.
Mothers today are so busy, that we need someone to helps us remember who we are and who God has called us to be. Spiritual Direction can help you tell your sacred story, because every life is filled with sacred stories.
Week’s Theme: Leaders/Serve Mothers are very much leaders, leaders also need to be heard, and to hear.
What will you do today/this week how will hear. If you feel so called I would love to know what you did…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
The Boys Are Back, with Clive Owen, be still my heart, looks like a wonderful honest film about how families cope with grief, and learn to grow on and grow well. What I have seen of the trailer I found moving and I liked, hope the movie lives up to that.
It is so easy for us as mothers to lose connection. When our children were infants we were so immersed in the everyday care of a newborn we didn’t realize how labour intensive it was/is. We have no time for connection then, it was/is hard enough to get enough sleep at times to connect with anyone. When life becomes easier and we experienced more “free time”; which in reality isn’t all that free. With each child we have the cycle renews and the more we become, if we are not careful, lost in the role of mom.
Free Time:
Free time with children is never truly free, not as free as it was without children. Our minds have how been set on mommy mode. Where ever we are we wonder: “Is little Johnny or Susy all right.” We must learn to once in a while turn off the mommy mind so we can be present to others, and truly be, if only for a hour. But that is not always a bad thing; it is the mommy mind that alerts us to troubles going on in our family. It is when you can’t turn the mind off that you should take that as s sign that something(s) may be up.
Are you feeling over connected.
Being over connected to your children can be a sign that attention needs to be paid. Attention is a conponent of connection; if we are not attentive we can not, (”see”), attend to situations. There are times in motherhood when we will be consumed with our children. It is something ingrained in us. Infants need constant care, toddlers need watching, children need teaching and teens need guidance. Problems come when we are so consumed that our children are the only thing we are thinking about.
Here are some thoughts to ponder:
Am I over connected to my children because:
Look at each situation for the truth that it holds. That truth will guide you in the direction you need to go and the actions you need to take to solve what ever problem maybe occurring. Even in the darkest situation there is always a blessing, it comes when we look beyond the guilt and see the progress, such as: A child on drugs is a horrible thing but if communication between parents has been strengthen you can consider that one of many blessings.
Week’s Theme: Leaders/Serve Mothers are very much leaders, and a good leader needs to be connected and attentive.
What will you do today/this week to be connected. If you feel so called I would love to know what you did…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
Oh won’t it be wonderful to just sit! Yes it would be if life was perfect, children took care of themselves, families didn’t need feeding and we didn’t need to work, at home or otherwise!
Yes it would be wonderful, but that doesn’t mean that we still can’t renew ourselves. It can be as simple as a good nap…ummm naps!
Week’s Theme: Leaders/Serve It is important to care/love yourself, because with out you at your best, healthiest, well rested, or as well rested as you can be, you can not be leader.
What will you do today/this week to care for yourself. If you feel so called I would love to know what you did…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
You need to care for yourself better than that!
Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Leviticus 19:18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
I love Twitter, and I often find little pearls like this one from a fellow Twitter Dayna Garrett: “..watching the sunrise and clearing my mind, focusing on the beautiful things of day..” We have been called to love ourselves as we love our neighbor and God. It might be easier for us to think of love as care for ourselves, how do we care for ourselves, or for many its how do we not care for ourselves. Many of us find this very hard to do, for whatever reason, but if we can spend time to return to the presence of God we will regain love for ourselves.
Week’s Theme: Leaders/Serve It is important to care/love yourself, because with out you at your best, healthiest, well rested, or as well rested as you can be, you can not be leader.
You know how it is, we have all done it, you are upset at yourself for something, calling yourself every name you can think of and the phone rings; immediately you are sweetness and light to the person on the other end. Why is it that we can be gentle with others but not ourselves. What will you do today/this week to care for yourself. If you feel so called I would love to know what you did…leave a comment, email me or twitter it. My email is spirituallivesofwomen@gmail.com
Can you be great and serve others. We as moms are often the last, our dinner gets cold while we tend to baby’s need. We are tired and ready for bed but still clean up the kitchen. We come home from work and find chaos. When we take on a calling we have to take all that comes with it, and being a leader may mean putting yourself last. But last must never mean worthless, or servile; no, we are called to have great strength because being leader means being strong!
What we are called to do is find the balance. We must care for ourselves, our family, our community, our world, but never at the expense of losing our focus as leader. We may be called to great things, to great and difficult decisions, to great choices, still we must remember that we are creating the life we are called to have; and for that we are powerful. ~ Proverbs 31:10-31 An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.
Saint Gianna Beretta Molla (October 4, 1922 – April 28, 1962) was an Italian pediatrician, wife and mother who is best known for refusing both an abortion and a hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child, despite knowing that continuing with the pregnancy could result in her death. She was canonized as a saint of the Catholic Church in 2004.
I think about when I was pregnant and thought about how I would react if something was wrong and there was a choice between me and the baby; would I be brave enough to let go of my own life? I don’t think so. But Gianna Molla was a woman who followed her calling as a woman and mother. She was willing to give up everything for her child. Here is her daughter’s story
Gives new meaning to the saying: “No greater love is there than this to land down one’s life for a freind.”
Proud member of Spiritual Directors International since 1998
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