Well, it's been a month since I've posted here. Maybe if I'd been able to get to daily Mass more this summer I'd have been better about this as well. I had grand plans for daily Mass this summer. If you read my other blog you'll know "grand plans" are a real problem for me these days! The kids are finishing up three weeks of Theatre camp tomorrow. Theatre camp is right around the corner and starts at the same time as Mass which is about 10 minutes away. I thought that I could drop the kids off early and get to Mass, maybe even everyday. I probably could have a lot of the time. The problem has been with the planning I guess. We usually carpool with another family (read: most days I drive two more kids to Theatre) and having everyone ready on time and me showered and ready for church, well, it just didn't happen much. Last week I was really good about at least listening to my audio morning prayers on my ipod (still love that thing) and audio rosary. This week I haven't even done much of that:(. One step forward two steps back. Here's the thing with daily Mass, I love going. Here's the problem, sometimes when I haven't decided beforehand if I'm going to try to get there, I get myself in this whole stress/guilt cycle. "I thought of going and now I'm not there, so I must be a bad person". No not really that bad, but I have the internal conversation with myself that is similar and sometimes ends up with the thought that if I plan on not going I'm better off.
I ordered this for Jonathan for Religion for this year. I can't wait to get it in the mail!
Jake is doing a lot of Catholic Heritage Curriculum for 2nd grade. It includes a unit on First Commuion preparation. I need a lot of help and prayers to prepare him to recieve the Eucharist. I'm not sure he's made it through a whole Mass without laying down yet! He does keep mentioning that he'd like to be an altar server and knows he must receive his First Holy Communion first, so he has a little motivation anyway.
Speaking of altar servers here's another issue that has been plaguing me. Madi is an altar server. She enjoys it, she decided this would be a good way for her to serve in the church. (she's also in the children's choir, but they don't meet much of the year and aren't terribly active) Since she's started doing this, I've come across a contingent of people who strongly believe this is only a ministry for boys. Mostly it was just stuff I read on the computer, but I'm pretty sure I know people in real life who feel this way. I understand that ideally it is for boys who may be considering the priesthood. In our church, at least half the servers are girls, as well as the director of Religious Education and the Youth Minister. Can't Madi be contemplating these vocations serving in a place that is needed? Yes, I think so. Unfortunately, I'm also intimidated by my thoughts that people are thinking she is doing something wrong by serving. Well I was praying about this while she was serving on Sunday and it came to me. Right up on the screen...
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa
I was judging too, by assuming people were judging us. I can't do anything about it if people are judging me, but I can try my hardest and ask God to help me not judge others by assuming that they are judgemental.
