Finding Answers In Every Day Life:

Earlier this week I posted about sloth...

I have gotten some really nice replies back which gave me some food for thought. However, I got hit by a 2 by 4 today while doing our daily devotions with the children. It's funny how answers can be found in the everyday life.

For daily devotions I'm reading the book "Devotional Stories for Little Folks" to the children. (If you are thinking of buying the book then I suggest buying it through Catholic Heritage Curricula, not only because it's cheaper then amazon, but because they also sell the sequel Devotional Stories for Little Folks too.) We haven't started the sequel yet, but I know between the two books I have enough to work with for a while now. I plan on re-reading the stories once we finish book 2. It won't hurt any to go back and re-read especially when at times, like today, the stories speak to me.

Today's story is about giving your 100% for God and the game of life: where our goal is to win heaven. This statement of course could be misleading for those that are non-Catholic Christians. Often when a non-Catholic hears a statement like that they say "See those Catholic-Christians believe you have to work/earn your way to heaven". That is so far from the truth!

We don't believe that we can work or earn our way to heaven. Heaven is a gift, a FREE gift, from God. We just have free will to USE that gift or NOT. We have free will to USE that gift today, but tomorrow that same free will could lead us to THROW that gift away. Every act we do is a result of accepting that gift (using it) or rejecting it (throwing it away). Mathew 25 is every clear that when our judgment comes we will be judge on our deeds not just our words. It goes with that saying "actions speak louder then words". We may have the words but may not have the actions to back them up. Do we give our Lord lip service? Or do we show him that we are true? Do we give him 100%?

The story, seeing it is geared for children, focused on chores: Do we do the chores completely 100%, or do we do the bare minimum? Example: sweeping the floor: Do we sweep the whole floor including corners, under cabinets, where some of the "real" dirt and grime could be hiding OR do we just do the middle of the floor so that at a quick glance it looks "good"?

These questions can so easily fit into all areas of life: Do we just go to church on Sundays (or whatever day you go) so that we can say that we were there? Or do we really listen to what has been said and try to apply it?

Do we just do the bare minimum with raising our children? Or do we reach in and get to the heart of the matter? Are we just doing things so that at a quick glance it looks as if it is done or are we really getting in there and applying some elbow grease?

I may have been hit with sloth, but at least I now I can see the antidote. I have to really truly cling to Christ and not only that but truly give him my all. My 100% all the time not just lip service but in action! Action everyday, all the time, at 100%. Sure I WILL fail at times, but at least I can say I gave it my all and an "honest" effort!!! (Assuming I honestly try)

We all have our paths, mine is to be wife, cook, keeper of the money, teacher, mother, maid, manager, taxi driver, etc. (We all know the life of a mother). It's time I accepted it, embraced it, give it my all....all the time. Not just some times or when the mood suits me, but ALL the time!

Now the question is how do I go about giving my all, my 100%, all the time? What method should I use? How do I go about doing it?

Have I Been Hit With Sloth?

Sloth is defined as spiritual and/or actual apathy or laziness, putting off what God asks you to do, or not doing it or anything at all. The Latin "acedia" can be translated as meaning "the don't care feeling". The History Channel last week was running a series entitled: The Seven Deadly Sins; which brought all of this to my front of my mind. Have I been hit with Sloth?

Why do I wonder? Well it's the state of my house that makes me wonder! It's my attitude towards schooling that makes me wonder! My house is a mess!! Sure it will never be perfect, but at time it's worst then others. I know what I'm suppose to be doing, I'm just not doing it.

Schooling has been slow this week... Caused by my lack of planning. I know that I have to do it, I just didn't do it. Sure it didn't get done when it normally does due to my nephew being here, but him being here shouldn't have stopped me dead in my tracks! Should it??

Maybe I'm putting off my calling from God to be a housewife/homeschooling mother? Perhaps I don't have my priorities in the right place? How do I know? What are my priorities? Is it the schooling first or the housework first?

Schooling is important but if the house is a mess it makes it harder? If I focus to much on the housework then I feel as if I messing up the schooling? I need a clear cut mission!! I need to clearly know that it is that God wants from me, but lately I feel as if I'm lost in the fog!

How will I find my way out of the fog??