The Art of Motherhood?

Is motherhood really an art? Some days it feels more like one big experiment. Jacob being experiment number 1 and Caleb following closely in the number 2 spot! I have really struggled lately with whether what I am doing is right?! I love my boys to death and yet I worry that I am too strict with them and expect too much of them or maybe not enough. I want what is best for them and yet always question what I am doing. Is it enough? Is it right for their personality? Does it bring them and me closer to God? Am I doing what God has called me to do? I think it is natural to always second guess yourself, no matter what your vocation. Through vigilant prayer, I hope that I have the courage to listen to God and what He is asking me to do. I have learned that what He asks of us is not always the easy thing nor is it always what we want to do! A neat quote that I found in a book I'm reading goes:

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something that I can do" by Hellen Keller

This really spoke to me as I was reading the book, "Good Families Don't Just Happen". It is a wonderful book that has been very inspiring to me and I'm grateful to my good friend Jaime who has lent it to me. I can't do everything and I can't be a perfect mother, I will fail at perfection. But God did not make me perfect, He made me in His image. He asks that we live Holy lives for Him. So, that means that I must step up to the plate each day and do the best that I can. I won't always succeed at my goals, but I must try to do what I can. That means that I can't be a lazy parent, even though that is often the easier path. I must discipline my boys, expose them to our faith and encourage them to be warm, empathetic, loving, God fearing, compassionate, strong men! When I think of this, I get overwhelmed and really question why God would give us so much responsibility as mothers. It is then that I turn to Mary, the Mother of God who is the ultimate mother of all. In my prayers to her, she brings me closer to her son, Jesus. It is Jesus who gives me the strength to persevere on days when I just want to lay down on the couch, put a movie on for the kids and read a good book. Doing what is best for my boys is not always the easy thing, but God somehow gives us the strength to keep going. I look forward to the coming years when I can see the fruits of my labor now. I pray that my children choose to follow Jesus and be active Catholics who are changing the world by helping others.

Another book I am reading is "The Heart of Motherhood". This book was written by a woman who knew Mother Teresa very well. This book has really spoken to my heart as well. The last several months I have struggled with watching my husband succeed in his career and questioned my worth and value as a stay-at-home mother. This book has really pointed out how Satan has used our society to de-value a mother and her importance in the world. Society tells us we must be successful in our careers, raising children, cooking, cleaning, etc. They paint an unrealistic picture of what a woman should be. Yet today, the families in America are falling apart. Divorce is high, premarital sex is the norm rather than a sacred action between a husband and wife, and we are told that we must do everything for ourselves. What will make you happy? Do it! And so this book emphasizes the importance of the woman in the home and her role as a full time mother and wife. It has really strengthened my committment to these roles and helped me to realize how important they are. Being a good wife and mother is just as important as the surgeries Brian does every day to save lives. Here are a couple of neat quotes that are worth sharing!!

"How can we profess faith in God's Word and then refuse to let it inspire our thinking, our activity, our decisions, and our responsibilities toward one another? Faith is always demanding because faith leads us beyond ourselves . Faith imparts a vision of life's purpose and stimulates us to action." Pope John Paul II

"We must deepen our life of love, prayer, and sacrifice, for compassion, love and understanding have to grow from within and from our union with Christ." Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

"Holiness is not a luxury of a few but a simple duty for you and me, so let us be holy as our Father in Heaven is holy. St. Thomas says "Sanctity consists in nothing else but a firm resolve", the heroic act of a soul abandoning itself to God" Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

I am so blessed to have friends who share in a similar vocation as me and I have learned so much from all of them. They inspire me to be a better mother and a better wife. If you are to succeed, you must surround yourself with people who have similar goals and aspirations. This is what I will miss the most in Temple, my good friends who have helped me to become a better version of myself!