Good Evening Ladies. Habemus Papam! God Bless Pope Francis! (Am I the only one who cannot say “Pope Francis” without saying “Pope Saint Francis?”)
Have you started reading our book club selection for the month yet? I remember reading Holiness for Housewives: And Other Working Women
In the introduction, the author states this book is for women, “…although burdened with the cares of the household, are anxious to serve God seriously and advance in the practice in of prayer.”
Hmm…”…anxious to serve God seriously…” I have to say that stopped me quick. I am anxious about many things (Just call me Martha).
But am I anxious to serve?
Am I anxious to serve God?
Am I anxious to serve God seriously?
I am telling you all, this book is coming along at the right time in my life. Have I told you I’m tired? See I can do that here. I don’t have to put on my Walmart face in front of you all. I can tell you I’m tired and your response is not going to be, “Well, you know what causes that (meaning children) and there are ways to stop that you know!” No, your answer is going to be about grace. And I’ll take your grace and raise you some grace and not one of us will fold in this wonderful game of life will we?
“If the mother looks upon her children as obstacles to the prompt response to grace, she is missing the whole point.”
Holiness for Housewives: And Other Working Women
And thanks be to God there is this awesome community here at Suscipio that will make sure to gently remind each other, what exactly the whole point is.
“The only thing that really matters in life is doing the will of God. Once you are doing the will of God, then everything matters…So if God wills that you should be bowed over the sink instead of over the pew in your favorite church, then washing dishes is for you, now, the most perfect thing you can do.”
Holiness for Housewives: And Other Working Women
WOW! How does that change things sisters?
So since God wills I should be changing a diaper–it is the most perfect thing I can do…unless I complain and act grumpy and then there is no perfection in that menial act. Oh get this! My attitude towards the Will of God can either sanctify (Definition:hold in highest esteem Synonyms:absolve, anoint, bless, cleanse, consecrate, dedicate, deify, enshrine, glorify, hallow, purify, set apart, worship) my actions or make them a menial task to begrudgingly get over with and move on to the next unhappy chore of life.
When Emily mops, her act of submitting to the will of God to mop her apartment, glorifies God.
When LuAnne prepares her music, that task becomes worship of God.
I hope we make it through this book in a months time, but it seems like the next sentence is better than the last!
“The whole business of serving God becomes simply a matter of adjusting yourself to the pressures of existing conditions. This is the particular sanctity for you. You will be tempted to say that it is impossible to serve God while worrying about the upkeep of a house; you will tell me that you get so irritable that you cannot see this principle of substituting your present duty for the envied prayer time; you will point out your inability to direct your intention toward God when you are so exhausted that you cannot think; you will quote your repeated failures, your bitterness, your manifest decline from what you were before you came to be overwhelmed with household cares. You will say you are unsuited temperamentally, physically, spiritually, by training…But none of these things disqualifies. It can only be repeated that your whole business is still to look for God in the midst of all this. You will not find Him anywhere else. If you leave your dishes, your housekeeping, your telephone calls, your children’s everlasting questions, your ironing, and your invitations to take care of themselves while you go off and search for the Lord’d presence in prayer, you will discover nothing but self.” (emphasis mine)
Holiness for Housewives: And Other Working Women
Ok, it’s getting late. So, what do you think about the book so far?
Share your tips on sanctifying your work.
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by Fr Jacques Philippe.
Thank you Jenny for posting this book! This sounds like the book I need right now in my life. Ordering it now!!! God bless!
Yes Nikita! The reasons for Suscipio!
Great analogy of dishes and sin piling up.
Jenny recently posted..Book Club::Holiness for Housewives and Other Working Women
I’m in the middle of babysitting my granddaughter for a few days while her mom (my daughter-in-law) did some unexpected paid work. She’s looking for a regular sitter, which would save me driving 200 miles round trip every time she gets an assignment, so we could use your prayers!
Anyway, my older daughter came to visit the baby and me while I was sitting yesterday. She asked if she could check Twitter for the status of the conclave’s votes, and of course I said yes. “WHITE SMOKE!!!” she exclaimed and then dashed off to be with her godson and his siblings when our beloved new pope showed himself.
So there I was with a six-month-old. And the baby got hungry. It would be so easy if I could just nurse her, but yeah, well, no.
So of course I had to heat up some of her mom’s milk, and I kept dashing back to the computer to see what was up.
I did get to see our Holy Father come out, and I saw and heard a lot of what he said at first, and then I had to deal with the baby away from the computer. (Her parents don’t have a TV.)
Thank God! I was blessed with the insight that I was called to care for my granddaughter, not watch the new pope’s first few minutes as I wanted! I can always watch them on youtube, but the baby had to have her needs met immediately. Instead of being resentful, I was happy that I could do what God wanted. This is completely new for me! Praise the Lord!
BTW…I talked to my spiritual director last night and she said she can’t say Pope Francis without saying Saint before the Francis LOL!
Theresa recently posted..Inspiration::a Carmelite Nun
I gave this book to someone years ago but read it several times before I did so these quotes will refresh my memory. I have forgotten what a lovely book it is!
I am telling you…I.need.these.quote.right.now.
Yes…I am the wife and mother who longs to be *left alone* to be with my Lord…and with myself…*can you just leave me alone?* I am the President of a Carmelite Community that balks at business matters and sighs when yet another email communication comes through to address. I just want to be a hermit…can you just *leave me alone?*
Okay…I got it out…in all honesty.
I love being a wife, a mother, a Secular Carmelite. I know I give God the greatest glory by fulfilling His will and using the kitchen counter as my *altar*. I know that when I *put the Kingdom of God first*, then He will give me everything besides…and that includes time alone in prayer with Him. What I need to do it truly and confidently put it into practice…and stop all that *sighing*!!
This will be a great discussion, it appears *winks*.
Theresa recently posted..Inspiration::a Carmelite Nun
Oh…”the kitchen counter as my altar” nice visual. I need to go clean my altar…
Jenny recently posted..Book Club::Holiness for Housewives and Other Working Women
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
on your own intelligence do not rely;
In all your ways be mindful of him,
and he will make straight your paths. Prov 3:5-6 NABRE
*grins* I remember teaching this verse as a song in Bible School when the kids were little. Honor God in ALL things, at ALL times. Every nuance of our lives, whether we’re on our knees in prayer or on our knees scrubbing a toilet, is a proclamation of thanksgiving for His never-ending Grace!
Angela Pea recently posted..PSA #5 – Move It, Sweetheart!
Ah…life is too sweet to choose grumpy and unhappy.
“…a proclamation of His grace.” I love the word “proclamation” there. It sounds so boisterous and joyfilled!
Jenny recently posted..Book Club::Holiness for Housewives and Other Working Women
yeah. That’s me. Joyfully Boisterous!
Wow, these quotes are powerful. I read this book a long time ago and your post has me feeling like I should revisit it, thanks!
Yes, Allison, a must revisit. I don’t know that I even remember those quotes.
Jenny recently posted..Book Club::Holiness for Housewives and Other Working Women
I am sad that when I went to buy this book it was sold out. But I intend to purchase as soon as I can.
That said – I totally identify with God being in your life, your tasks, your soul. If we do things well, we honor Him. If we do things joyfully, He smiles.
We are blessed.
xx oo
Oh and I’m tired too!
em
Emily Davis recently posted..JOYFUL NEWS! WE HAVE A POPE!
Hi Emily. What a pleasant thought, making God smile.
Jenny recently posted..Book Club::Holiness for Housewives and Other Working Women
Interestingly enough I have not yet said, Pope St. Francis yet.
The first quote that you presented from the book about children being an obstacle brought a few recent memories that kind of go hand in hand. Right before I was to be married I had many conversations off and on again about children.
My husband and I were both in favor with the Church by being open to life. This caused a problem with some of family members of each my side and his. They looked at children as that obstacle to a good marriage. I mean at one time my husband was taught vehemently that having more than two kids is a bad idea. (He believed it until about month or so into our relationship.)
I can say my husband and I have said to many of our friends (since we have decided to not argue with our family members) that how can you consider a child an obstacle when it is one of the greatest outward signs of your marriage, but also your love for one another. (I strongly hold on to that truth.)
This book seems interesting, though it will take me awhile to get my hands on many of the books that will be covered here on Suspicio, being able to give my little inputs, but also learning from other women their opinions really brings out the great joy of saying we are one family with God.
As to the latter question, there are times when I am cleaning the kitchen that I think of it as going to Confession. I am not kidding!
When I was dealing with my upset stomach these past two weeks (thanks to all who pray for me) I had not been cleaning the kitchen as much (my husband two days ago really took care of me and even did all the dishes, I felt really bad he works so much anyways, but he said he would do it again and again….) but when I saw dishes piling up I thought of those sins which are little to start with (so maybe one or two forks in the sink) but little by little the more you ignore them or let them become constant you build up this large pile of sins.
When it gets to that point especially cleaning dishes, you do not want to go through them. You wish they could magically disappear. But, it won’t happen with magic, no you have to physically take on the challenge. With the pile of sins you do the same, except the difference remains that you have to be willing to acknowledge them and then deal with them by means of the “cleaning” Confession.
Just something I think when I clean, a reminder that cleaning is part of understanding our interior and our relationship with God.
(Sorry for the long comment)
Nikita recently posted..A New Pope: Pope Francis