A post from sunny California

Realized I never posted this- wrote it back in 2010. I like what I wrote so I thought I'd post it now anyway.

Yesterday, Joel and I attended Mass at St. Lawrence The Martyr Parish near our son's home. The priest who said Mass spoke about the reading for the Gospel which told the familiar story of Mary and Martha. Mary listens to Jesus speak as Martha bustles about preparing a meal. She asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her. Jesus replies that Martha is concerned with many things, and yet has not chosen to do the most important thing- listening to Him. He tells her that Mary has chosen the better part, "and it will not be taken from her."

Oftentimes when our children were growing up and I heard this story, I would think: I think this passage of scripture means I should spend less time worrying about whether the beds are made, or even the brownies baked. Instead, I should think that the time I spent doing whatever it was that was needed that day to ensure my children were happy and well grounded in their faith, was the best possible use of my time. (Not to say that I should forget about the mundane tasks as those are an important part of providing an orderly existence for children too.) Our lives often seemed centered around the mess that five boys create, and how to get it back to "normal". I think I should have listened more to my own sense of what was really needed and less to my concern about what the neighbors would think if they saw my wreck of a house!

Those days are over, unfortunately. But I am still here. So now, my question has to turn to "how can I best serve God with the remainder of my days here on earth?"

I think the answer is the same, in a sense, without small children in the picture. I have to live my life in a way that will provide a home for my husband that is peaceful and full of the joy of being married to him. In addition, I need to listen to God for the lessons he is offering to my life. I find that in some ways, I have been trying to do just exactly that, by being a member of the Legion of Mary and performing my service hours, by writing this blog, by trying to treat every person I meet as I would treat Christ himself, and in a small way, by my art. It is comforting to realize this, but I know that I cannot be too complacent. I know I can do more to serve God. The question only remains-- what more can I do? I think I need to be open to what God will ask of me, and willing to say "yes!".