When Do You Stop Needing Your Mother?

When a child is born a mother is born. Recently, I read a quote that suggested that the goal of motherhood is to raise your child to not need you anymore. As I pondered this thought, I began to think of Our Blessed Mother. She is the most perfect of Mothers. She is the model for us as mothers. I reflected on her son Jesus. Clearly the most perfect son. What was their relationship? As Jesus went through His Passion, his Mother was there. He did not choose to go through that painful experience without his Mother by His side. Jesus was completely obedient to the Father. If it did not please God the Father that Mary was there He could have asked Jesus to send her away. He did not. Therefore as we think of this scene of Mary at the foot of the Cross, we see that even the son of God was not expected to go through His Passion alone. It was good for Him to take consolation in the love of his Mother and have her by His side. 
The road of a Mother is not easy. Today we honor Our Lady of Sorrows. Jesus was perfect and yet his Mother suffered a great deal in being His Mother. Yet who would ever want to imagine Jesus on the Cross without His Mother by His side. 

The picture above was drawn by one of the members of the Children's Rosary when he was 9 years old.

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Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website. By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

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A VIEW FROM HEAVEN 

UNA PERSPECTIVA DESDE EL CIELO

For more information about the Children's Rosary visit our website: www.childrensrosary.org
Visite nuestro sitio web en español para obtener más información: www.rosariodeninos.org

Pour plus d'informations sur le Rosaire des Enfants, visitez notre site Web:www.rosairedesenfants.org

Thanks Mom!

Our three children have been spending time at grandma's farm this summer. There has been considerable excitement as a set of chickens began sitting on eggs. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus a chick was born. 

The two mother hens helped to rear four little chicks. There was great amazement at how little needed to be done with the chicks. Normally this is difficult work keeping conditions just right for these tiny chicks that need to be kept at temperatures greater than 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet with the mother hens very little needed to be done by grandma or the kids. The chicks would nuzzle under their moms. At the sound of food coming they would emerge running at full speed...always under the watchful eye of mom. There was also lots of fun to be had. One of the chicks loved to climb up on its mother and slide down her back. (see top picture)

Grandma has had several sets of chicks which she got at the store. But she said these chicks reared by their moms were doing things the other chicks did not do until much later. She shared that as the chicks got big enough not to need to sleep under the heat of their mother, they began joining their mothers on the roosting bar. (See picture below) They were learning a great deal from mom. So through watching these little chicks grow the kids and I have learned a great deal, too. 

Today when we celebrate the Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major we thank Mary who is a Mother to all of us. In thanksgiving, a Mass was offered today for the intentions of Our Blessed Mother. Thank you Mother Mary!

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
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Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website. By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

For more information about the Children's Rosary visit our website: www.childrensrosary.org
Visite nuestro sitio web en español para obtener más información: www.rosariodeninos.org

Under the Protection of Our Mother

This past week I was walking in the evening praying the Rosary. The sun had gone down and it was almost dark. There was quiet and some things were coming to mind. Areas where I wish I was better, places in my day to day life with my family where I fall short of all that I hoped I could be as a wife and mother.  It was at that moment that I found great gratitude for being under the protection of Our Blessed Mother. For I trust that with Rosary in hand in prayer She sees my situation and is protecting me and helping me.

The next thought that came to mind were some mother hens at my mom's farm.  This requires a little back story to give you the context of the image that came to mind.  My mom lives on a farm. She has four flocks of chickens. All these chickens she purchased either at a store or farmers co-op when they were only a few day old chicks. Chickens these days at least in the United States have been bred not to have the brooding trait, meaning they no longer know how to sit on eggs. They simply lay an egg and go about their business. My mom has had a few chickens over the years who still had the brooding instinct and sat on eggs but sadly they never hatched as there was no rooster near them.  But this summer there was a rooster and two hens began sitting on eggs.  This process is not quick... it takes weeks. The two hens sat patiently waiting...keeping their eggs warm with wings spread wide to cover them. My daughter was at her grandmother's farms helping when something wonderful happened. On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus a chick emerged. It was black with a yellow dot. My mom had not seen the chick. It was my daughter, Alina, who discover the chick as the mother hen had the chick hidden under her wing. 

Normally it is very challenging to raise baby chicks, one must keep the temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet the mother hen was doing everything. My mom put her hand under the hen and she said it was very hot. My mom and Alina quickly went to the store to get the special chick food. But when they first put it out the mother hen pushed it away. She had chewed something up herself and was giving it to the chick. Again the mother hen knew best. She had it covered. Several other chicks hatched. All were tucked safely under their mother's wing obscured from site.  Alina was lucky to catch some moments when the chick emerged to snap a few pictures. 

So it was this image of the mother hen with her little chick under her wing that came to mind as I was praying. I felt in prayer Our Blessed Mother was reminding me of the mother hen. She was showing me through nature how this weak little chick is protected in such a tender way by its mother. 
How much more, I thought, must we be protected under Our Blessed Mother's mantle.  

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Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website. By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

For more information about the Children's Rosary visit our website: www.childrensrosary.org
Visite nuestro sitio web en español para obtener más información: www.rosariodeninos.org

Mother's Day in Pakistan

This week we received these pictures from several of our Children's Rosary groups in Pakistan. The group leader shared that this is Mother's Day with the Children's Rosary and their Mothers.  

One can see there are cards for the Mother's and even presents given. 

I always think that one of the best presents to get on Mother's day is to receive prayers from one's children. So when Mother's Day falls on a day when we hold our Children's Rosary I am always very excited. Looking at the pictures that were sent I began to reflect over the last few days and the challenges that have come in the role as mother. I do not think my experiences are unique. But something very special happened on Friday evening. I was trying to discuss with one of our kids some behavior that needed improvement. I could see that although the wrong doing was clear their did not seem to be a clear motivation to change. As we were still together something came into my heart.  It seemed flooded with love...love from God. The same seemed to be happening to my child. Tears came into Kostin's eyes and I went to him and hugged him and told him that it is not too late. There is time to change.  He said he wanted to change and a tear fell from his face on my arm.  We talked and as I left Kostin, I said to him that our conversation could only happen through grace. I asked him if he saw this. He said yes. I said this is why we say our Rosaries. Through prayer one finds peace and forgiveness.  Prayer is so important in the lives of children and also the family.

I know I am a weak person. I struggle as a mother in so many ways.  God and Our Blessed Mother help to make up for so much. So it brings me great joy to see these children meeting in their Children's Rosary prayer groups and their mothers there with them. 

There is a quote from St. John Paul II that I like:

"We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures. We are the sum of our Father's love for us." John Paul II

Other Posts You May Enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary
Vocation of Motherhood
Resources to Help Begin a Group

Don't forget to unify prayers with the children during their meetings. A schedule of meetings is present on our website. By clicking "Join in Prayer" you can add your gold flashing light to our View from Heaven map.

Visite nuestro sitio web en español para obtener más información: www.rosariodeninos.org

A New Way to View Our Brokenness

There is a rather old story.  It involves a broken pitcher. Each day the pitcher was used to draw water at a well and was carried home.  Yet by the time it reached the house it was half empty.  Feeling very inadequate one day the pitcher spoke.  It apologized for being so inadequate and useless.  The man holding the pitcher knew the pitcher was broken but had a surprising response.  He brought the pitcher back along the path they had walked each day.  Along the side of the road where the broken pitcher had hung, there were flowers and vegetables that grew thanks to the water that fell from the pitcher.  On the other side of the road it was dry and bare.  The man explained that he knew of the cracks and defects in the pitcher but without such flaws such beauty would not have resulted as well as food for his family.

The discovery of this story in itself is a story.  Several weeks ago my son had brought a paper bag to the kitchen table where I was in the middle of eating or working but otherwise occupied.  Several times he asked me to read a story that was written on the bag.  Several times I had told him I would read it later.  That time unfortunately did not come.  Then this past Sunday he and I attended a Mother-Son retreat.  Having a defect of my own that involves a disability with my hands I can not carry a purse so the things we needed for the day were placed in a brown bag which my son carried.  When we got to the retreat we met one of the priests there.  To my surprise the first thing my son asked the priest was to read the brown bag he carried. The bag was something we received by chance to carry food from a store.  I still did not know what was on the bag.  Feeling a bit embarrassed that he should ask the priest to read something that appeared long I tried to discourage my son from persisting in having him read it. Several other mothers came over and I lost track of the situation.  A short time later at Mass the priest was speaking about Motherhood and how so often we come to this broken and feeling inadequate.  This resonated in my heart as this is often how I feel.  He mentioned the story of the broken pitcher.  The priest when on to share that even though we come to parenthood with faults it is okay, the Lord can work through these and still bring beautiful fruits.  The priest said our children see our faults and that is okay.  As he was speaking I looked over to one of the mothers, she is one of our Children's Rosary group leaders in another town.  I saw a tear roll down her face.  I too was moved in a very deep way as I was at the retreat hoping to grow in love toward all my children. After the Mass the priest approached both my son and I. He thanked my son for saving his homily.  I did not know what he meant.  He shared that the homily had come from the brown bag I had so many times passed over.  I began to think about my son.  One whom I was hoping to reach out to through the retreat.  A bright light began to shine in my heart.  The fact that my son had seen the story and wanted me to read it meant that he understood my faults and he was accepting me and then as I thought more I realized maybe it was also his way of  saying his cracks are there for a reason, too.  

Life is an interesting journey.  May I humbly share the first time I saw my son is in the picture to the right. He was 4 years old and the picture was taken shortly before we adopted him. We also adopted his biological sister from an orphanage in Kazakhstan.  In one day we went from having a one year old child at home to having three children ages 8, 4 and one.  In many ways we have stumbled along the journey in our parenting role but somehow this little story made me feel a lot better about all my own flaws and more accepting of those I encounter in my children. In the recent weeks I happened on this early picture.  It brought back wonderful memories from the first time we saw our little son who only spoke Russian at the time.  

Reflecting on the story, I am beginning to re-evaluate times when I feel I am a dissappointment to my children.  I would humbly invite others feeling less than they could be to to look at the broken vase above and all that lays beneath.  

Vocation of Motherhood

"God does not choose the qualified but he qualifies the ones he chooses" -Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

A truly beautiful quote and so fitting for those called to motherhood.  Few are ready for the trials of raising children in love and faith.  So often there is a feeling of inadequacy and failure.  Yet such is the path Our Lord laid out for us.  As we heard in todays second reading in Mass:
"But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps" (1 Peter 2:20-21).

On a day when many in the United Sates honor mothers I found myself again feeling so often I fall short of the mother I wish I could be.  It is then that I take such consolation in the assistance of Our Blessed Mother.  So often I have written of the graces that are bestowed on our children as they pray in our different Children's Rosary groups.  Receiving the fruits of obedience and purity from the fourth joyful mystery and the second sorrowfu mystery.  Yet today there is a recognition of the grace that we mothers receive from praying the Rosary with our children.  The fruits of the second joyful mystery: love of neighbor and the fourth sorrowful mystery: patience seem all too needed as a mom.  Yet even despite all these graces, there is even more consolation through the Rosary that Our Blessed Mother makes up for our deficiencies with our children when we ask her in prayer to help us.  Yes, Mother Teresa's words speak so beautifully about a role she herself knew much about, for those closest to her called her simply: Mother.  Indeed she was Mother to many and although hard to imagine I'm sure struggled in such a role as well.  For such is the road which Our Lord set out for us.