I have so much to do this weekend that I really have no business blogging.
You are thinking, “I have so much to do this weekend that I really have no business reading your blog.”
Should we just ditch it all and go for coffee?
I’ll give you but one example of the title of this post in action and then I will open up the comments for discussion. ; ) Yesterday was a crazy busy kind of morning, mainly because my 8-year-old had an appointment at the eye doctor’s at the painfully early hour
of 8:00 a.m.
Now you need to know something about this homeschooling family of seven. We are not an early morning kind of group! Well, the mother in this family is…but she prefers to profit from the first few hours of the morn to tend to her needs, if you know what I mean.
(This puppy, by the way, has thrown my schedule for a loop. She starts yapping from her crate in her cute but annoyingly loud way at 6:00 a.m. I shush her but she does not yet get it.)
So to have all five kids dressed and ready and in the van by 7:30 was practically all that I could handle. The thought of actually making it downtown, finding a parking spot for our big white barge, and then (I dreaded this most of all), shepherding five groggy kids into the office and getting the 3-year-old to behave the whole time was…unbearable.
I’m thinking at that point that I needed another eight cups of coffee.
And I’m also thinking, “Well, Lord, this certainly isn’t my will. I assume it must be Yours.” I tried to give myself over—yucky, tired, fearful feelings and all—to Him.
I’ll tell you. Grace took over.
Grace came in and took the wheel.
Having been given a copy of this beautiful CD for my birthday, (thank you, Jamie!), I spoke to the kids about St. Faustina and the Divine Mercy revelation. We then gave the sung version of the chaplet a listen.
Believe me, this was a much better, much more peaceful option than putting up with my noisy, crowded cocktail party of a mind the entire way.
When we arrived at the office, I was so very relieved to see that the reception area had been designed by an architect who—unbelievably but thanks be to God—seemed to have the needs of the clinic’s youngest patrons in mind. Toys, an aquarium, a magnetized dry-erase wall, and an lovely little amphitheatre (!) with Disney’s Peter Pan in progress all worked together to make our time there more than bearable.
Of course it was more than bearable. I had asked for help and we’d received it.
Oh, and my 8-year-old has perfect vision. 🙂
Have a beautifully crazy busy kind of weekend, my friend. I promise
I’ll do the same.
Ad Jesum per Mariam,
Yes. It’s time for a break for tea and cookies.
I keep peeking into your site (because I am avoiding doing something else, of course–coffee sounds great!), and every visit is a joy.
I just love your sense of humor! I think we have a similar funny bone. 🙂
And stories of the little miracles that happen (that’s, of course, what they are–when you ask for help and then actually *get* it) bless me more than you can know.
Thanks!
Warmly,
Eileen
I also received this CD as a gift from my husband several years ago, before the birth of our 3rd daughter. I began playing it each time I was able to get away to nurse her at nap and bedtime. She wasn’t a good sleeper and needed rocked to sleep until she was almost 2 – thanks be to God. Now it is her lullaby, and I was able to spend at least 15 minutes in prayer twice a day, sometimes more. What a blessing!
We have a no *noise* (read: no cd/music/ipod/radio/etc…)rule in the car on the way to school each morning. I load all 7 of us in the car at 7:30 each morning to get everyone to school ontime-talk about grace…
Then, once the big kids are dropped off and the little ones remain, it’s Mommy’s turn (the only one all day) with the radio/CD player in the car to listen and pray the rosary.
I find that this is a much more peaceful entrance into the day than one full of extraneous sound.
Sorry about the 6 a.m. wake-up yips. That is my doing…that is when dh leaves for work, so it became an alarm clock for puppies!
My mil told me she always sings the chaplet. I had no idea there was a CD. I’m in the dark, but will put that on my wish list. Thanks for the tip.
That CD is one of our favorites. We play it on the way to mass every Sunday. It’s supposed to keep everyone calm, focused, and not fighting. It mostly works. 😉
I love your blogging. You’ve got it all, Margaret. Another great post.
Oh, and the reason I’m always up late is my sweet baby. He enjoys spending two hours nursing every ten minutes before actually falling into a deep chunk of sleep. I find it almost torturous to lay my head down only to have him wake up in ten minutes. So, I have a great excuse to blog!
Wow, I was not expecting the Divine Mercy part in your story and it brought tears to my eyes!! I am SO glad you liked it! I have almost worn out mine playing it while making supper (and singing along)! The kids always seem to get wild during this time waiting for daddy to get home and not getting attention from me.
On the weekends EWTN plays this version on at 2pm central time. We always miss it because it is “get ready for nap time”!
I forgot to mention it always brings me back into focus while the kids are wild during this time…
I have so much to do this weekend that I really have no business going for a cup of coffee with you, but I’d do it in an instant, and would call it grace in action. Love you, Margaret!
p.s. I’m so glad to hear about the perfect vision! I took both my older girls in for check-ups this summer, and neither one needed glasses. I did a happy dance. 🙂
Sorry Margaret, but that’s great that the puppy lets you know it’s time to get up and get on with the day with a trip outside to the grass. You will find your dog will tell you the time (esp after that first year)for getting up, going out to take care of business, for meals, when the kids are into things etc. Once you learn the system the family falls into the rhythm the dog sets!!!
You’ll love it!
Thanks for sharing this – I realize that I so often expect the worst without even hoping for God’s grace to ease the situation. Thanks for the reminder of how grace can get us through the rough spots in our days!