Thoughts for Thursday

What am I cooking? On this busy day of preparation before Christmas I am enjoying silence as my older two children play outside and my babies nap.  We spent the morning peeling pomegranates for our Christmas salad, baking and freezing Christmas morning waffles, making the gravy for our Christmas Roast, and listening to Christmas music.  Amidst the hustle and bustle, my children chattered with excitement about Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  Amazingly, my mind was clear and I thought of that lowly manger.  My  heart was at peace.

What are my weekend plans? The Christmas Eve Children’s Mass, lots of time with Family, hosting, presents, warmth and lots of hugs and kisses for my kids.

What are my prayer intentions for the day? For the 4 year old son of our dear friends.  He is suffering terribly with brain cancer and will spent his Christmas at the hospital.  Have mercy on them Lord.

What can my children do instead of watching TV? Sing Christmas carols.  Peel pomegranates.  Make paper snowflakes.  Make Christmas cards.

What have I done for my marriage this week? Organized my inbox and changed my e-mail account.  Weird, I know, but my husband loves order.

What am I reading? This NPR piece on the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia in Nashville Tennessee.  NPR actually wrote a nice story about some young orthodox sisters!  A must read.  Enjoy!

What’s challenging me lately? My heart.  It seems I often go through the motions.  At Mass, I pace with a fussy baby, missing most of the homily and many of the readings.  At family prayer time, I speak softly to quiet a chatty toddler.  During Advent I spend most of my time preparing my home and family for Christmas–in a very material way.  I purchase gifts, I wrap, I cook, I clean, I send out Christmas Letters, and I take the kids from one Christmas activity to another.   Materially I have everything prepared, but my spirit is not yet ready for the Christ Child.  At confession this week, I realized I am often busy with bitterness, wishing for more quite time, and more time to just be.  I want to be Mary, but instead I am Martha.  My pastor asked me to focus on one thing during my final unavoidable material preparations–Christ lying in that Manger.  So this morning as I baked waffles and listened to Christmas music, I thought about baby Jesus.  And not surprisingly, it was a wonderful morning.

Something that made me think? I took Gus to the doctor yesterday.  While we waited for the doctor, there was nothing I could do but read to and enjoy my son.  Just Gus and I, together, reading, laughing, hugging, and talking.  Waiting can be such a grace-filled time, but only when we get rid of the distractions.