"I feel the need to focus on being grateful and appreciative this Lent and suspect this would be a little but powerful gift I could give the Lord and one that He would greatly appreciate from me."
Actually, it appears that Tracy and I have been thinking very similar thoughts as far as focusing on being more grateful this Lent. Particularly concerning our vocation as Catholic wife and mother.
I have been pulled in many directions lately. As I already fully knew, staying at home is a full time job. But when exterior forces thrust a few minor changes in one's lap, ordinarily little things can become utterly exhausting.
Hubby Craig's mother is ill, so he has willingly (and as cheerfully as possible) been spending many hours fulfilling his obligations as her son. When the daily routine at home is out of whack, even the ordinary, little things can seem enormous at times. Children miss their regular routine, we're all feeling somewhat drained, and it has been very difficult for me to focus on my plans for Lent. But I've successfully been able to push every non-essential thing out of the way for a little while, and this is what I've come up with for myself.
After going over my options, and realizing how tired I am going into Lent, I've decided to really simplify my plans this year. I will read Holiness for Housewives by Dom Hubert van Zeller, and use this for the backbone of my Lenten journey. Van Zeller is a great spiritual director. Through this book he helps us to see how we might offer the busyness of the day as a prayer in and of itself, placing value on one's personal relationship with God and on mothering, emphasizing that housework and childcare can be a path to holiness, enlightening us to the fact that finding the spiritual and the sacredness in our everyday tasks can make us Saints. The book itself is a very short, easy read. Only 60-ish pages! I read it a few years ago.... straight through. But for Lent this year, I will read only one small section, approximately one to two pages each weekday - and meditate on it, journal my thoughts on it, and see where the Holy Spirit takes me through it. It is perfect for a busy Mama in a busy household. In other words, it is very do-able!
I find that if I decide to do a SIMPLE read/study, I tend to stick with it, and get much more out of it in the long run - especially with small children at home, going into this as a tired homeschooling mama and now with an ill mother-in-law for whom to have extra concern. I think I will be able to focus better with a simple plan. Otherwise I tend to resent the self-imposed read, probably because I do not have the energy to put into it. And ultimately I do not benefit from it as was my intent at the beginning! Someday, when this house has a more quiet mood to it, I hope to be able to do more in-depth Lenten practices as in the past.
I feel that the best way for me to journey through this Lent is to "Simply do little things with great love." (Mother Teresa)
