Decalogue for Daily Living

I came across the following which is attributed to Blessed Pope John XXIII as I was organizing the documents on my computer.  I'm not sure where I found it but I copied it and hung it near my desk for future reference as I think it is something that will be helpful to refer to frequently.

1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7. Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.

8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

Bl. Pope John XXIII

Thoughts on Mother Theresa and Marriage

I read somewhere that when Mother Theresa was a child and her father came home, her mother would always drop whatever she was doing and immediately go to greet her husband with a smile. 

I've also heard that Mother Theresa told her sisters to not let it be said that a married woman loved her spouse more than they loved Jesus their spouse.

These two things seem to be related to one of the things that Mother Theresa is fond of talking about:  smiling at God--even when you don't feel like it.

There are a few things that come to my mind:

1) Isn't it amazing how much we can learn from a celebate nun about how to love our husbands?

2) That how much we love our husbands is directly related to how much we love God; and how much we love God is related to how much we love our husbands.

3) How much of an influence M. Theresa's parents love for each other must have had on teaching her about how to love God and others.

4) It is important for me to love my husband in such a way that my children understand what it is to love and be loved.  This means smiling at my husband--even when I don't feel like it.  This is how to set an example of holiness.

Mother Theresa, pray that those of us living the vocation of marriage learn how to love truly and deeply.

Monday Morning Musings

Right Now It has been a while since I have read blogs or written on my blog so I thought Monday Musings would be a good place to start.  It is 4:00 in the afternoon and raining.  It seems like the overcast days far outnumber the sunny days.  This is frustrating as I got a new clothesline this summer and it seems like I hardly ever get a chance to use it. 

This past weekend Saturday I organized my "office" shelves and got a lot of other things done.  Sunday morning hubby and I sat outside in the backyard (there was some sunshine in between the rain) and watched the two little ones play.  It was nice.  In the afternoon we went to latin mass where there was quite a good crowd for the first time in a long time.  Was it due to the time change from 3:00 to 1:30?  I know I prefer the new time. 
For Sunday Supper Hubby made a most delicious meal of Indian Food.  Really good!

Some Plans for the Week  Hopefully finish the online application for refinancing our house. If it goes through we would be paying the same montly payment but it would be a 15 year loan instead of a 30 year.  Clean the mold off the basement walls.  We finally got a dehumidifier and it works great.  It doesn't smell musty anymore!  Maybe play some music.

If I can find some time to myself I want to spend some time reading blogs and maybe writing a post too.  I would also like to work on my just barely started beginning knitting project--a dishcloth.  It's mostly for practicing purl and knit stitch.  I'm expecting it to be very imperfect.

Special prayer intentions Always or my dad who who lives in a nursing home about an hour away and who we try to visit every month or two.  And also for many in my family who have left the church.

Something that makes me smile

Big brother with little sister

For more Monday Musings see Nadja at Patch O' Dirt Farm.

Where It's At

After mass a few months ago I talked with a woman who had just had her ninth child.  I went over to talk to her and show my two year old her new baby.  She said something about how it is so good to come and see everybody at church.  I replied with sympathy, "You probably don't get out a lot, do you?" implying that with nine kids 12 and under it must be difficult.  She said without blinking, "It's overrated."
 
I have to admit I was slightly taken aback.  Getting out of the house is what we all long for as stay at  home wives and mothers, isn't it?  Yet in her brief answer she expressed a firm sense of purpose as a homemaker and mother that said, "The rest of the world doesn't know what it's talking about, staying home with the kids is where it's at because this is important and fulfilling work."  She implied that being blessed with nine beautiful children was way more important than being able to do whatever you want whenever you want to.  She radiated a sense of joy and confidence that made me think (despite all my doubts) that staying home with the kids really is "where it's at."

Though it is still nice to get out occasionally, too. 

Small Successes Vol. 3

1.  I think after four years I have finally found contentment (although imperfect)and have come to see the dignity inherent in being a wife and mother and how it is a truly great things to be able to stay home and take care of your own children.  This waxes and wanes, of course, but it it is gradually becoming more consistent.  I am starting to believe that this is really the place I am supposed to be.

2.  I went to see my three nephews who are visiting their dad (my brother).  There is a good chance they will be here next week too.  I was hoping to see them twice this week but don't think we'll make it.  I am hopeful that I wll be seeing them more this summer.

3.  I made it to a play group that was started by someone from our homeschool group and I was glad that I did.  It ended up being a lot of fun.  I thought about bringing my nephews but decided we would see how it went with just us first.  Maybe next time.

Thanks for stopping by! For more small successes click on the above logo.

Dreams of a Clothesline Realized

Alleluia! I finally found a workable solution for a clothes line at a fairly reasonable price.  On last weeks quick takes I talked about my woes in digging a hole in the ground for an umbrella style clothesline and how some of the freestanding clothes lines online were $200 or more.  Well I took a look at the local hardware store and what did I happen to find but a Sunline Tripod Portable Clothesdryer with 64 feet of drying space at about $60 dollars.  Here it is holding its first load of laundry.  It didn't hold everything from my relatively large load of laundry but it held just about everything.  I can use it indoors too.  I think that's pretty good and am very happy with it.

Seven Quick Takes Vol. 15

1.  I got a haircut on Saturday!  I think it has been at least a year since I got my hair cut.  It's amazing how good I feel.  It was really long and I wore it in a pony tail all the time.  I had it cut above my shoulders and layered.  I'm just thrilled with it and my husband likes it too;)

2.  It was hot at the beginning of the week: the upper 80s and maybe 90; but the past couple of days have been so beautifully perfect.  Yesterday I went on a weed pulling rampage.  It was easy because the ground was just the right amount of wet.

3.  It looks like we may have to look for other options in my wish for a clothesline.  We got an umbrella clothesline that requires a hole to be dug in the ground for installation.  

We called to have the underground utilties marked but it seemed like no matter where my husband dug he always ended up hitting an underground cable t.v. line anyway. Some other possibilities are  Mrs. Pegg's Handy Line and something that attaches to the house like this one.  They are kind of expensive but it seems that these may be the best options for our limited space and it will end up paying for itself (though maybe not as quickly as I would like).

4.I hate Facebook.  When someone says something that rubs me the wrong way (i.e. discusses politics) there are times when I feel I just have to comment and tell them (politely of course) that they are mistaken and here is why.  That is in the heat of the moment and then comes the next day when I feel embarassed and am loathe to check my email in fear that they may have responded back.  Sometimes they don't but when they do I just delete the response and hide from the whole situation.  Isn't that silly?  I recently did yet again but this but this time I moved the email with the with the response to a special folder and will perhaps look at it later when I have time to think about it and not become upset or preoccupied about it.  I think I have a misplaced sense of guilt about speaking my mind. 

5.  Memorial Day weekend is the annual Renaissance Fair.  We may go to this as we haven't been in a long time.   Much of what goes on isn't purely "Renaissance" but a mix of many time periods and there seems to be a certain Wiccan element as I recall.  Something cool I remember from last time I went was a woman who made cookies form medieval times.  She talked about how it was the man's job to beat the eggs because they didn't have mixers and the eggs had to be beaten for a long time.  The cookies were beautiful as they were made with a cookie mold.  I think it will be fun.

6.  Smileyboy's first birthday is July 3rd and I often find myself thinking how hard it is to believe that at this time last year I was pregnant.  He was due July 2nd and I was sure he would come late as my first two children were induced at two weeks past the due date.  My water broke on July 2nd and my labor wouldn't get started because of how he was positioned.  Thank goodness he moved to a better position before it was time to push.

7.  Our garden is starting to look really good.  I wish I had a picture handy to post.  It will be interesting to see how much stuff we get.  It's a small garden but maybe we will get enough tomatoes to do a little canning.  We have beets so I may be able to try pickling some and maybe freezing the greens.  I have never done this before so it will be interesting to see how it goes.

Have a good Memeorial Day weekend and for more Quick Takes go to http://www.conversiondiary.com/.