To Do the Will of God

Reading from a conference to her spiritual daughters by St Elizabeth Ann Seton (from today's Office of Readings)

I will tell you what is my own great help. I once read or heard that an interior life means but the continuation of our Saviour’s life in us; that the great object of all his mysteries is to merit for us the grace of his interior life and communicate it to us, it being the end of his mission to lead us into the sweet land of promise, a life of constant union with himself. And what was the first rule of our dear Saviour’s life? You know it was to do his Father’s will. Well, then, the first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will.

I know what his will is by those who direct me; whatever they bid me do, if it is ever so small in itself, is the will of God for me. Then do it in the manner he wills it, not sewing an old thing as if it were new, or a new thing as if it were old; not fretting because the oven is too hot, or in a fuss because it is too cold. You understand – not flying and driving because you are hurried, not creeping like a snail because no one pushes you. Our dear Saviour was never in extremes. The third object is to do his will because God wills it, that is, to be ready to quit at any moment and to do anything else to which you may be called....

You think it very hard to lead a life of such restraint unless you keep your eye of faith always open. Perseverance is a great grace. To go on gaining and advancing every day, we must be resolute, and bear and suffer as our blessed forerunners did. Which of them gained heaven without a struggle?...

What are our real trials? By what name shall we call them? One cuts herself out a cross of pride; another, one of causeless discontent; another, one of restless impatience or peevish fretfulness. But is the whole any better than children’s play if looked at with the common eye of faith? Yet we know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life, that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.

But we lack courage to keep a continual watch over nature, and therefore, year after year, with our thousand graces, multiplied resolutions, and fair promises, we run around in a circle of misery and imperfections. After a long time in the service of God, we come nearly to the point from whence we set out, and perhaps with even less ardour for penance and mortification than when we began our consecration to him.

You are now in your first set out. Be above the vain fears of nature and efforts of your enemy. You are children of eternity. Your immortal crown awaits you, and the best of Fathers waits there to reward your duty and love. You may indeed sow here in tears, but you may be sure there to reap in joy.

New Year's Meme

Stealing a blog meme from Arwen. Also probably some of her answers since our lives have some notable parallels--like we both gave birth to a son last year.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?


Like Arwen, I gave birth to a baby boy.

Also, I finally realized a life-long dream of being paid for something I wrote.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


Like Arwen I didn't do any formal resolutions in 2009. Having a new baby is enough of an accomplishment for one year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?


Um... me. Also my dear blog friends Melissa Wiley and Margaret in Minnesota and Katherine and Katherine. (I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody or two or three but can't think of who....)

4. Did anyone close to you die?


No. But I suffered with several friends who lost loved ones.

5. What countries did you visit?


None. I think it's safe to say that we won't be doing any international travel for a few years at least.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Greater peace of mind and heart. More patience.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 9: the day Benedict was born. Definitely the year's most life-changing day, and the one on which I was proudest of myself.

August 2: the day Ben was baptized and my birthday.



8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


See # 1 and #7: Giving birth to Benedict.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Constant. Loss. Of. Patience.



10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Pregnancy isn't really an illness or injury but it can sure feel unpleasant. Ditto a c-section.
We all got the flu in November, just in time to almost ruin Thanksgiving.



11. What was the best thing you bought?

The shelf for my relics and holy pictures.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Bella gets kudos for potty training and for being an awesome helper around the house.

My sister for being an awesome babysitter and baby holder.

My mom is my hero for putting up with me in all my postpartum crankiness.

Dom for always being my rock.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?


My own. (See #9.)

14. Where did most of your money go?

Diapers. Food. Hospital bills. Ok maybe it just feels that way. Probably the mortgage.


15. What did you get really excited about?

Ben's birth. Our garden. Watching my girls grow and blossom. Birds in our backyard. My new MacBook. Our new couch. Our new television.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Probably a toss up between Lisa Loeb's version of Jenny Jenkins and Sufjan Steven's Come Thou Font of Every Blessing. Thank you, You Tube and my daughters who can't get enough.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


– happier or sadder? About the same. My life is good, full of blessings. I don't feel as sick and exhausted and defeated by housework, though, so perhaps a bit higher on the happiness scale.

– thinner or fatter? About the same. I hadn't yet gained too much pregnancy weight at this time last year. I think I'm down to about where I was.

– richer or poorer? Richer. Much, much more aware of all my blessings. And I have one more child. How could I not feel richer. (I have no idea about monetary issues.)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?


Getting out of doors. Exercising. Enjoying my kids. Living in the moment.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?


Yelling, complaining, losing my patience, being a grouch.


20. How did you spend Christmas?


With my family. Watching the kids open presents, going to Mass, visiting the extended family


21. Did you fall in love in 2009?


Like Arwen, I found my little boy has won my heart. How can you not fall in love with a baby?

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Favorite long-time program: Lost. Favorite new program: Castle.


23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?


No. I don't hate anyone.

24. What was the best book you read?


So many good ones. Probably Sophia House by Michael O'Brien.
Favorite kid's book: The Saving Name of God the Son.

Honorable mentions: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Dahlia, When You Reach Me.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?


dunno, maybe L'Angelus, perhaps Rolf Lislevand Ensemble

26. What did you want and get?


A safe delivery. (Also a new couch, a new tv, a new computer....)

27. What did you want and not get?


A patio for the back yard, a digital SLR camera. But with everything I have received I'm not complaining.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?


Up. (Keep in mind I watched two films in the theater and perhaps two or three more at home.)

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?


I turned 35 on August 2nd, which was a Sunday. We had Ben baptized and had a great party afterward. I didn't mind a bit that I was not the star of the shore. A baby born into eternal life is the best present I'll ever get for my birthday. (yes, even better than the macbook.)

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?


Not stressing about a messy house.



31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?


Jan-Jul: I'm pregnant
Jul-Dec: I'm now a mother of three!

32. What kept you sane?


My faith, my family, books, blogs, friends, prayer.



33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?


Pope Benedict. I love our Holy Father.


34. What political issue stirred you the most?


Life issues.


35. Who did you miss?


My parents and brothers who live too far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I'll just echo Arwen: "If you have a new baby in a year it makes the answers to some of these questions kind of obvious and lame, huh?" Ben is by far the best new person of the year.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

I'm not in charge, God is. I'll have to learn this one a few hundred more times before I die, I'm sure.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"God we praise you, God we bless you, God we name you sovereign lord."

I've been attempting to memorize this hymn this yer and I think it quite apropos to sum up the year.