Gifts

Today I held my youngest child as she fell asleep in my arms. What a gift to be able to hold her at such a peaceful and perfect moment in time and to realize what she and her siblings are to my husband and me - absolute gifts! Having little beings that love us unconditionally was not the motivation for bringing them into the world but what an awesome God we have that somehow deems us worthy of this blessed by product of a child's life...

Through parenthood I feel like I am learning how to better love and serve others through the gift of my children. God seems to use each child to chip away at our pride, shifting our focus from ourselves to others, and softening our view of ourselves and others. For today I am feeling that my moments of selfishness do not seem to run as wide or as deep as they once did...

So far having children has helped us to put aside thoughts such as, "What about me?" "What about my feelings?" "What about my needs?"

I used to tell my husband constantly, "This is what I need from you..." But thankfully this is changing as I grow in love for him, see that he is doing the best he can to meet all of our needs, and knowing his intentions are good and pure for our family. But it is also having little beings to intimately love and care for that helps shift the focus away from ourselves - praise God! Let us continue to ask God what it is that He is asking of us in our life as a family and thank Him for the glorious gifts of one another...

Prayer of Abandonment

Father, I abandon myself into your hands;do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you:

I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,and in all your creatures -

I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:

I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,for I love you, Lord,

and so need to give myself,to surrender myself

into your hands without reserve,

and with boundless confidence,for you are my Father.

Charles de Foucauld