“When you have to give orders, do not humiliate anyone. Go gently. Respect the intelligence and the will of the one who is obeying.”
St. Josemaría Escrivá, The Forge, 727.
Call me a control freak and I’d say, “Wash your hands and wipe your feet.”
(I may say it with a smile but still.)
I get ever so tired of hearing myself bark commands, don’t you? How can you not, though, when you’re The Mom? By going gently.
(I love that line.)
Yes, I am uber-busy with this new baby. I’m uber-busy anyway. Unfortunately, my response to the stress and the mess of a large family is to [try to] control my environment. I’m starting to sound like a football coach! Except there are no postpartum coaches in the NFL (to my knowledge) and this is for good reason.
Well, thank goodness for the grace of a good confession last night.
Thank goodness for this morning’s holy hour—my first one in over a month!
And finally, thank goodness for the wisdom of the saints. We’ve got a busy couple of weeks coming up—scratch that; a busy month—and consequently I will be asking the intercession of my beloved friend Josemaría more and more in the weeks to come.
‘Cause he knew busy and he didn’t care.
His response was still…go gently.
AMDG,
Very good timing Margaret. I cringe to think of how much humiliating I've been doing lately.
I tried my hardest to give up yelling for Lent and failed miserably. I'll be trying to Go Gently, too. I will pray for you if you'll do the same for me. 🙂
What a great reminder.
I like that, I really like that!
If you've ever watched "The Duggers" on TLC (I think it's called 18 and counting), the mother is like that, she is gently commanding. I am always amazed to watch her. (of course she's on camera, but still)
Have you seen "The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio"? stars Julianne Moore. Anyway, if not, you should, it's a story and this woman had like 12 or 13 kids and was amazingly saintly and gentle. Not a movie for kids, but a great one for moms (and dads).
Thank you for sharing your food for thought!
Thanks for the reminder. I was ready to lace into college boy when he got up today. Now, I'll "go gently."
I just got The Way by St. Josemaria Escriva and I loved it. They were just little tidbits of thought. Loved it.
I keep hoping that a copy of The Way, Furrow, The Forge will fall into my eager hands, Sharon.
So far it hasn't…but hope is a virtue, right? 🙂
Beautiful. Thanks Margaret, a very welcome and needed reminder. I've been finding myself in drill sergeant mode all too frequently of late. Including right before Mass this morning. Ugh.
My husband and I read from The Way, Furrow, The Forge every day…such amazing wisdom from him.
God bless you!
Thanks for the gentle reminder, Margaret. Good one too as we begin our summer.
I'm writing it down and sticking it on the fridge tonight!!
Interesting point Jamie on Michelle Duggar. I just pointed that out to hubby the other day and used her as my reference in telling him that maybe I have to work harder to be like gentle, southern, Mrs. Duggar! 🙂
Thanks for this reminder. I'm a "control freak" too Margaret. Only it never works…… why is that?????
These last few days of school are stress filled, what with Kindergarten Graduation practices, doing the slide show to entertain the parents :p ( I know I am bad) and getting report cards done. My poor husband was trying to be nice to me a little while ago and I barked at him "Stop that I can't concentrate!!" Then I apologized immediately, which I guess was a step in the right direction…. Wish me luck this week and next. I could never imagine doing all this with a newborn Margaret. It would be IMPOSSIBLE. I saw a dear little one at Mass this morning and was reminded of you. Sweetness.
I needed to read that… it's very hard to go gently, but we must. I respond much better when someone "goes gently" with me and I struggle to remember that. They are, after all, still little and trying so hard. (Well, mine are still little!)
thanks Margaret. I'm starting to sound like my dog and its rather awful.
i need to GO GENTLY.{she leaves the computer screen whispering her new mantra…go gently…go gently…go gently}