Mother's Day Letting Go

Yesterday was Mother's Day 2018.  It was a really good day for me, resting, thinking, recharging, healing, believing in myself, having a support system in my family, getting breakfast in bed, a pizza picnic dinner out at a park in the evening. 

That is, there was margin and with that came personal time, with individual time with most of the members, including my husband, plus family time.  The pizza picnic got us all together.

Ironically, my husband spoke of how college is coming up and we will not be together as a family then. That got me thinking (beyond the financial) to spiritual growth together.  Are we growing in our journey toward trusting in God?

Yesterday, specifically, being Mother's Day, we did not meet for the class on apologetics; we didn't talk about God together. I may not notice the chances we are missing to go to Him, but I feel the lack by the end of the day or in the middle of the night.

The call to drink of the Living Water is there. 

There are ways to drink of that Water:

• through reading of Scripture;
• in meditating on His Words via Lectio Divina;
• via the offering of Himself at the Mass;
• within the pages of spiritual reading;
• in His individualized touch in our personal prayer;
• in asking Him questions;
• in listening to His answers;
• in leaning on what He calls us to;
• through taking action to do what He asks of us;
• in the strengthening of prayer with others;
• by talking and sharing with other believers, family, or friends.

I read that modern culture wants the Water without the going to the Well.  It wants the good stuff without the effort.  Yes, I am seeing myself in that.

I have turned to getting "self-improvement" without asking how to accomplish the vision God has for my life.

His vision encompasses my needs!  When we start high enough--when we become God's down deep--His Plan leads us to become our best self.

The other way, we are pulling ourselves up so painfully, trying to get our needs met.  

It is the St. Therese elevator method,

or the Little Child method of putting the hands up to know you will be lifted up without any other work on your part. One could think of this akin to instead of pulling up the full and heavy bucket of water from the well, being given a glass of fresh water to drink in our hand!

It is an entrusting ourselves to God, to trust Him to provide for our needs and then letting Him do that.

St. Therese acknowledged to God that she was too little to be able to do great things on her own.  She would not be able to scale great mountains like the saint giants of old.

She would need God to help her reach Him by providing an elevator she could get into and ride up all those stories.

Thomas Merton wrote Seven-Storey Mountain.  It is about the spiritual life and provides great imagery of a challenge in reaching God

because we have to re-create the way we think and act to be in His Image.

St. Therese surrendered her way of doing things to allow God to do His Bigger Way.  He is calling us each to allow Him to show us the Bigger Way.  We will get what we long for and more!  It is just that if we don't let go of control, we can't have that intimacy and trust in His looking out for us.

I let go of running the kitchen yesterday.  I allowed others to provide.  I became my better self of not controlling or not fearing for my needs.  It was such a humbling lesson because I was provided in such a bigger manner than I could have expected--so much love and thoughtfulness.

I continue on the journey.  Cooking resumes. Yet, yesterday, I learned in a visceral way what "Let Go, Let God" means.  I can move along inviting God into my life through the work of my hands, by my relationships.  I can meet Him in living my vocation and making my life a sacred meditation, a turning to God.



Ask Him what He needs for the building of His Kingdom.

May I allow Him to bless my marriage and motherhood and carry it out.

I turn to my Heavenly Mother (Happy feast of Our Lady of Fatima for yesterday), but that is another story for another time.

For today, I listen to Her "Yes" and let that lead me.

Happy belated Mother's Day!