Homemaker's Challenge : My Mission Statement

I'm a couple of days behind, but here is my mission statement. 
I'm a SAHM.. its all I've ever wanted to be.. God has blessed my desire and given me a lovely home and family.  I want my home to be a happy, peaceful place. I want it to be clean and beautiful because I want it to reflect the beauty and harmony that my vocation is supposed to be. Since God is the center of my life, my marriage and my motherhood, my mission statement is actually a prayer:

Dear Lord

Please help me to remember always

That I am the heart of my home

Let my homemaking be a reflection of 

Your great love and provision for me

Let my home radiate your joy and peace

Help me to use my time, talent and energy

To create an atmosphere in my home

That will nurture and encourage those I love

May each meal I prepare, each chore that I do

No matter how mundane...

Be done with love and in a spirit of servitude

May my home be a place of sunshine

Let your light radiate throughout

Bless the work of my hands, Lord

And may all I do.. honour You

Amen

“Oh Jesus, my Love, my vocation.. at last I have found it! My vocation is LOVE” 

St Therese of Lisieux

" Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love." 

St Therese of Lisieux

Update:

I attended Mass this morning and Father quoted St John of the Cross "In the evening of life we will be judged by our love" This quotation is one that St Therese based her life on. What an awesome confirmation for me of what was placed on my heart as I searched for inspiration! 

If you would like to learn more about St Therese of Lisieux , read this.

Marriage Monday - Sharing our Spiritual Journey

Today is a Marriage Monday link up over at Chrysalis. E-Mom has given us the theme of Faith.. how do we as a couple share our faith and spiritual journey.

Firstly, let me share a line from my wedding vows (which I wrote myself) "I give you my soul that its faith may be your inspiration". Standing on its own it may seem a little strange, but taken in the context of the whole, it is simply my acknowledging my belief that God had fashioned this soul to be joined with his and his to be joined with mine. This was my promise to share my faith and spiritual journey with my husband.

Unfortunately, this didn't happen right away. I was anointed in the Spirit early in our marriage. My faith underwent a drastic change and I was fired with new love and zeal for the Lord. I found that my husband was not ready to share this new life in the Spirit with me.

I had one daughter and was pregnant with another at the time. Having young children soon kept me from continuing fellowship meetings and my responsibilities at home had to take precedence over anything I wanted to do to become more deeply involved in church. I continued my spiritual journey with the Lord without that fellowship and group support.

About nine years later, my husband was anointed in the Spirit and his zeal was like rocket fire! He quickly became actively involved in church, joining prayer groups, teaching the faith to young people and even becoming a Eucharistic Minister. I am ashamed to say that I found myself jealous of how much he was involved and resentful at the 'loss' of my own joy and zeal to serve the Lord.

God in His amazing and incomprehensible way, used a great and painful trial in our marriage to catapult us onto the same path. It has taken many years, but we are finally journeying together. I have come to accept how my role as mother and homemaker must  take precedence. The needs of my family must always come before anything I do outside of the home. My husband supports me and encourages me and it is on his advice that I started my blog. This is my way of ministering and evangelizing.

Likewise, my husband has learned that he needs to balance what he gives to the church with the needs of our family. He knows  that he has my full support now and he now discusses with me anything he feels led by the Spirit to do.  He will always be more actively involved, serving at our Masses and attending meetings, but where it counts most, our spiritual journey is a shared one.


Meanwhile, we try to pray together every morning and every night, short prayers, asking God's blessing and protection for each other for the day and thanking Him for all his blessings at night. On Sundays we spend more time on in-depth prayer for the needs of our family and others, for God's blessing and instruction for the week.

We both attend daily Mass.. separately unfortunately, as he has to go early in the morning before work and I go after I've dropped our youngest to school.  When I am weak, my husband prays for me and I for him when he is the one who needs it. Very often we anoint each other and pray for health and healing of any infirmities. My husband likes to bless each one of us when we leave the home.. sometimes time doesn't permit, but a father's blessing is so important.

I know that my husband appreciates the fact that, as a SAHM I can spend extra time in prayer and when he's having a bad day or needs prayer support he'll call me and say "pray for me because so and so is happening". It is often in my own meditation that God speaks to us through  my heart.

He reminds me often that I'm the heart of the home and my husband the head. I present what I receive from God to him and he decides where we go from there. We pray about anything that we believe was placed on my heart for us to act upon.  Basically,  I receive but my husband is the one who acts and makes decisions. His role as provider makes it challenging for him to spend a lot of time in prayer and meditation.


 I believe that the sacredness of  the matrimonial state is the strongest bond for a unity of spirituality. God constantly reminds me that it is in our unity that our strength lies and we can do wonderful works for Him if we work together. It is my belief that He sees us as a single unit, our souls as one for scripture tells us in several places that the two become one .. Genesis 2:24, Matt 19:5, Mark 10:7-8, Ephesians 5:31, Malachi 2:15. 

At the moment, this is how we journey. Our roles are different but together we make the whole.We feel like together we're a strong team.. when we pray for others, there's always a strong sense of the Spirit working. Someday our season of life will turn over and our roles may change. We maybe able to do more together. This is where God has us for now. This is how we glorify Him.
 
We both feel that God is calling us and preparing us for some ministry in which we will work together. We are still unsure of what that is yet, but based on where we're being led so far, we feel pulled in the direction of marriage ministry. We are looking at joining the Marriage Preparation team at our church. We'll see what God has in store for us when He's ready. He has a great way of opening doors when the time is right!

If you get nothing else from this very long post ;-) I hope you get this:

• Your marriage is sacred in the eyes of God.. we are obligated to uphold such sanctity. I believe that God uses a holy marriage for His Glory.
• God will use you in whatever state you are in, whatever your vocation. Ask God what He wants your role to be and accept that it may not be what you desire. In my marriage, I have a spiritual role that is more supportive than active. God may be calling you in your marriage to play a more active role.
• Sometimes our roles have to change as time goes by.. God may wish to move us from an inactive to active role or vice versa. Consider Judith in the Old Testament.
• If you are in a spiritually unequal marriage, don't give up your faith and don't give up Hope. God will not stop pursuing your spouse. Keep praying!
• Prayer changes things.. even if it doesn't happen in your timing, it will happen in God's timing, which is always perfect!

 I pray God's blessings on your own spiritual journey with your spouse. May he bless your marriage abundantly! Shine on, shine strong for Jesus!

Also linked to:

Reshaping It All - 65 Day Challenge

I'm always amazed at how God somehow steers my little boat right where it needs to be at the right time!

This weekend I stepped on the scale and discovered that, not only have I put back on the weight I'd lost last year (it was slowly creeping up on me) but I've also put on an extra few pounds as well! I was so horrified and depressed... well, who am I kidding.. I cried like a baby. It really shouldn't have been a surprise.. I've been seeing the tyres on my stomach coming back and my chin is expecting.. twins it would seem ;-) I guess I was living in denial. After my good cry and some loving supportive words from my husband, I agreed with him that we both need to get the weight off and start eating healthily. Where to start though?

Well, I opened up my blog tonight to find the perfect solution. I'm sure most of you know Candace Cameron (DJ on Full House) and many of you may also know of Darlene Schacht (Time Warp Wife), she's an amazing writer and I learn so much from her. I'm sure you're aware that they teamed up to write a book "Reshaping It All" that hit the New York Times Bestselling List a couple of months ago.

Well, Darlene is having a 65 Day Reshaping It All Challenge. Check it out here. The Challenge starts tomorrow so link up and join in.. all we have to lose is pounds and inches ;-)

Even better news a couple of bloggers are giving away free copies. Gina of Chats With An Old Lady  is giving away three copies and  Bethany at A Big Red Pot is also giving one copy away. So head on over there and see if you can win yourself a copy. Or you can order one here.

While it isn't necessary to own a copy to participate, the book is chock full of great tips, recipes and you wont just be finding out how to feed your body properly but there's a good bit of food for the soul as well.

I'm really excited to participate and I just KNOW something amazing is going to happen. Its going to be great to have accountability and know that we're doing this with so many other people. Darlene has promised some amazing stuff (maybe even some input from Candace!)  Wont you join us?

Love & Blessings

Tornado Victims Need Prayers

Hi everyone

I wanted to forward this prayer request to you, just in case you haven't received it yet. This is devastating and heart breaking and I will be definitely praying for these families. If you hear of anyone else that needs our prayer please let me know.

Here is the link to read about the tragedies.

May God be with these people in their time of need and bless all those who have banded together to bring relief and the comfort of prayer.

Love & Blessings to you all.

Ever had one of those days? 

You know... the kind where you seem to have a sign on your back that says "Hello demons from hell.. I'm a little weak today.. come use me for target practice!" Ever had one of those days when you do something stupid because your brain seems to have decided it didn't feel like coming along with you when you left the house?  You can feel free to laugh... Kristin B are you there? ;-)

Today, I left the house without taking a shower, with greasy hair and flip flops on my feet, old jeans and no make up.. just to drop my daughter to school and make a quick stop for gas and to the bank machine. I jumped out of  the car and when I got inside I realized that the machine was out of order. I was a little annoyed that I'd have to do my transaction later on and hurried back to my car, whereupon I realised...

I'd locked the keys inside.. along with my handbag and cellphone!

I felt a knot of panic rise into my throat and swallowed it down. We've become so used to cell phones that there wasn't even a pay phone I could use. I started saying "Lord, please send someone to help me". After a few minutes I saw someone I knew from my daughter's old gym school and she lent me her phone. I tried to call home (I'd left the other two daughters ).. no answer. I tried my mother in law.. no answer. I didn't remember anyone else's number. I had a few seconds until the owner of the phone came back from using the ATM. It was useless to call my husband who was too far away (even if I had remembered his number.. I know .. that's terrible, but speed dial is it for me)

I tried home again and this time my daughter answered. I hurriedly told her what had happened and to try to get on to her grandma (who lives two streets away) and where the spare keys were. Then, I handed back the phone and stood there chewing a hole in my lip wondering what to do next.

What if they couldn't get anybody to come? I could take a taxi home but then what if they did get someone and that person was on the way. I also didn't like the idea of leaving  my car with the keys hanging in the ignition and my phone and purse inside.  I paced about and then asked a passing security guard if there was a phone I could use (it was too early for any businesses to be open yet) He said no. I walked all the way to the guard booth at the other end of the plaza and asked there. To cut a long story short, I got another phone borrowed and called home. My daughter said that her aunt (who lives several miles away) was on the way.

I heaved a sigh of relief and got to thinking  while I was standing there.. with greasy hair and looking a mess (I wondered if people thought I was begging.. I did get some strange looks from passersby) that God's hand was in this too.

The spare keys are usually in my handbag. I had switched handbags and the key had been left in the one that was at home. Thank God.. this could have been worse, I thought, the spare could have been locked in the car with my handbag. What then!

My daughters were both at home, which wasn't supposed to be either. I wouldn't have had keys to get into the house to get the spare (assuming it hadn't been locked in with the other bag).My mother-in-law was without a car, the odds of my sister in law being at home at that hour.. well.. Praise God!

Am I confusing you? Is your head spinning?

Mine is.. spinning with giddy relief and joy that God never abandons me.

So, if you are having one of those days...I totally empathize! So does Tami.. you need to read this post. It is going to make you smile and nod your head because I don't know any woman who cant relate.

Thank God for His love and His promise to be with us always! 

Sure hope I made you smile today.. we could always use a good laugh! Shine on shine strong for Jesus!

Hope and Thankful Thursday

Oh Beautiful Saviour, how much I have to be grateful for. As I count my blessings of the past week I can see Your loving hand was there, supporting and guiding. When I was at my weakest, driest and lowest.. you never left my side. You have a plan for my life.. it is your masterpiece.. as your brush strokes add colour and substance to my life, I thank you for Your great love that endures forever.

151. Beautiful church services.
152. My 4 year old singing her heart out (at the top of her lungs) in church.
153. That she slept through the long liturgical part of Mass so I could focus on the Word.
154. How she rang the life out of her bell at the end of Mass :-)
155. For loving, encouraging words.
156. For strong shoulders to lean on, cry on, rest on.
157. For family fellowship.
158. Wonderful food.
159. Visual reminders of what Jesus has done for me.
160  That He shoulders my burdens and carries me when I'm weak.
161. For Grace that keeps my faith alive and well.
162. That He comes after me, the lost sheep, in the wilderness into which I've wandered and lovingly leads me home.
163. For words which flow from a heart which was under siege.
164. For love which heals and restores.
165. For a return to routine and restoration of my 'quiet time' with the Lord.
166. For the awesome feeling of being in His presence.
167. For that sense of "coming home" when He embraces me.
168. For "living water" which quenches my thirst.
169. For His leading me to new places and people I share a common bond with.
170. For sharing time with my husband playing a computer game (there's a first time for everything!)

Lynn asked that we write about Hope this week. All I can say is that my hope rests  in the Lord. He is all I have to hold on to sometimes. I rest secure in the knowledge that He never leaves my side and that no matter what turbulent waters my boat may sail into.. He's my anchor and my compass.. I know He'll lead me safely to where He wants my little boat to be.


That means for me.. that I can hope for great things from Him and trust that He wont fail me.
 For me, Hope is wrapped up in a great big bouquet with Faith and Trust. They're like the leaves of the shamrock.. you cant have one without the other.

Counting my blessings daily gives me great reason to hope in Him as I see the myriad of ways His hand is in my life.


I hope you have good reason to count your blessings too and may you shine brightly for Jesus! ;)

We are the Easter People

Easter Sunday has come and gone... yet the Easter season in our church lasts for 50 days... straight up to Pentecost. That magnificent day when the One who the Lord had promised would come (Luke 24:49) and bring power from on high...that day when Holy Spirit fire fell and timid men became brave and bold, illiterate men became knowledgeable and they all spoke in other languages.

Easter is the fulfillment of the promise made by God after the fall of man.. that He would redeem us and wipe away our sins.. that we would be made whole and clean and able to enter the gates of Heaven... that our separation from Him would end... that our sins would be paid for in full!

Easter is the celebration of our return to the bosom of our loving Father.. it is the proof of His great abiding love for us. It is the joy of that Resurrection morning when the tomb was empty and God had conquered death and sin.. for us.

Easter is the realization of all our hope in the Lord. It is the dawning of a new faith.. it is putting our hands into Jesus' wounds like Thomas.. it is knowledge of the great price He paid. It is freedom from the bondage of sin and death!

Easter is the trembling, awe-filled  wonder of our Lord ascending to Heaven and the promises He left to comfort and empower. It is His beautiful, infinite majesty and His promise that He will always be with us.


Below is part of the exsultet sung at the Easter Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday night:

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!


Easter is a time of  joy, hope, renewal of our faith in the promises of God.


"Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and Hallelujah is our song" Pope John Paul II


May the joy and hope of Easter reign in your hearts and homes and I pray that you cling to the awesome promises of God to us... 
His Easter people!    HALLELUJAH!!