Here are just some random quotes and notes from this book for myself and might as well share them all with you:
"Are there areas of my life where I tend toward self-sufficiency?" page 16
Fr. Mark-Mary continues with another question which is a great one, but didn't feel it pertained to me. The above question does because we are supposed to be relying on God, not ourselves, and yet self-sufficiency is so ingrained in me that I don't even think about taking something in prayer. "I do it" said in my inner toddler voice.
"How can I sanctify my day? How can I sanctify my week? How can I sanctify my month? How can I sanctify my year? I will write this down and share it with my husband or wife if I am married, or with a friend, roommate, or small group. If I have a plan and share it, it will bear fruit." page 24
I need to revisit this question and since this is vital for me, I am going to start another blog post just for this a reminder to myself. Stay tuned.
"When I entered religious life and consistently allowed by brothers to experience me in my weakness and my struggle and my failure and even my sin and selfishness, I experienced a much more profound level of love." page 30
"Another thing to do is to set goals together. Have a time each year when you set goals, personally or as a family or community, and then put them on paper. Again, this will look different for you depending on where you are in live, but I'll give some examples. You can apply them to your journey. One of these goals might be that you as a dad or mom will have a play date with your son or daughter at least once a month..." pages 45-46
You know I love me some goals. Why haven't I thought of family goals though? I mean, I have goals for my family such as family meals and adventures that I get feedback from my family on, but not goals as a family. Could be powerful to ask to brainstorm on a family goal for the year that reflects your family such as your family motto or the like. For us, our family rule is that "We Are A Loving Family!" How cool would it be to set a family goal each year that reflects that?
"You and I are the recipients of a merciful love and not a condemning love." page 77
"How deeply do I live from the truth that I have been loved with a merciful love, a saving love? Does this draw my heart to love likewise, or do I hesitate to love others because they 'don't deserve it'?" page 77
"When something went wrong in her life, Mother Teresa had a beautiful attitude. When she missed out on good things because of her fidelity to Jesus, she knew these were little sacrifices. What Mother Teresa was able to see is that these little sacrifices were not just good things she missed out on but good things that were actually offered to God." pages 85-86
"Can I take a moment and prayerfully reflect on ways in which I am already making regular sacrifices out of fidelity to Christ?" page 86
I think this is an interesting practice. My tithing is one form of sacrifice that I haven't stopped to reflect on. I do it out of obedience and kind of leave it there. I don't pray for it that it might be used for God's greater glory. I don't consider what sacrifice it is. I must ponder this...
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