Day 1 of "Grace in Small Things"

Today's Graces I discovered in...

-My husband and my children and my family
-Hymns, and the incredible depth of their lyrics
-Coming home from choir tonight and being greeted at the door by my son with arms open wide, running full speed forward right at me, as though I'd been gone for much much longer than just 2 hours!
-My health and the health of my family
-A husband who works hard and enables me to stay home with our children
-Lent, and the richness of the Church's liturgical calendar... how it breathes life and meaning into everything!

Okay... not bad for a first day of doing this, eh?

First Confession

Our Sunday conversation must have sparked something in M, because this morning on our way to Mass she brought it up again...

M: Mama, can I go to Confession when we go to Church today?
Mama: Well... do you think you're ready? Do you feel that you have sins you need to be forgiven for?
M: Yes. I think I'm ready. I think I need some sins forgiven.
Mama: Like what, Sweetie?
M: Like, when I don't obey you or Papa...or when I'm not kind to my brother...or when I don't share... or when I'm not patient...or when I don't pay attention at Church...like those things.
Mama: Oh. Well...we'll talk with Father after Mass today and see what he thinks. Let's talk a little more about the Sacrament of Confession so you understand more what it's about.
M: Okay...cause I really want to go to Confession. So tell me.

(So, I talked with her again about what the Sacrament is first. Then I talked with her about the actual steps of making a good Confession. She listened intently. Then we got to Mass. I wondered if she would forget about it, but halfway through Mass, I noticed she was paying extra special attention and participating as best she could. As Mass was coming to an end she turned to me...)

M: Okay, Mama...let's go talk with Father about going to Confession. I really really want to go.
Mama: Sure...go ahead and say some prayers first, asking Jesus to help you have a good Confession.

Father has been holding daily Confession during all of Lent, and today it happened to be right after Mass. So we made our way over to the Chapel. I went in first, while a kind friend from Mass watched the kids. At the end of my Confession, I mentioned to Father that M would like to come in and make her Confession- would he be alright with that?
Father: Absolutely. Let her come in.
I opened the Confessional door, and M looked up eagerly at me.
M: Can I??
Mama: Father said 'Yes'. Do you want me to come in with you?
M nodded. So, in we went. M decided to sit on the other side of the screen rather than sitting face to face, across from Father.

She looked up at me nervously, and I whispered to her, reminding her how to start off her Confession...

M: Bless me, Father...this is my first Confession ever.
Father: Okay. And do you have some sins you would like to confess?
M: Yes.... (and she went through her own litany of sins that she had rattled off to me in the car earlier).
Father: Okay, very good, M. And are you really sorry for all these things?
M: Yes, I am.
Then Father proceeded to give her absolution, along with an appropriate penance ("Go and kneel for a few moments, and just look up and the face of Jesus on the crucifix and think about Jesus while you look at him.")
M thanked Father and we headed out of the Confessional. I told her that she could do her Penance right now, and I'd let her go ahead and kneel by herself to have some prayer time by herself. She knelt for about 3 minutes, looking up at Jesus' face and had her own little prayerful conversation with him, while I had my own penance nearby. I noticed her wiping her eyes while she knelt there... though I'm not sure if she was crying or not. She came over to me and asked me:
"Why was the screen down when I went into Confession?" I whispered a quick answer to her and then asked if she was done praying. "No, I have to ask Jesus one more question, then I"ll be done." When she finished her precious inquiry of our Lord (how I would have loved to see inside her mind at just that moment!), she got up with a huge smile and came over to me, patiently waiting to leave. When we got outside she actually started humming and dancing around outside.

M: You know, Mama- you were right! My heart and soul do feel beautiful now! I LOVE that I just made my first Confession! But- are you sure Jesus got every spot on my soul cleaned?
Mama: Oh yes, M.... AND He gives you special grace, too, when you go to Confession, to help you to work even harder at not sinning anymore!
M: Oh that's so good!!

Ah. To be in the presence of 'Little Saints', these beautiful little children, who are so full of faith, so full of eagerness... sometimes this gift overwhelms me. God is so good!

What if it misses a spot?

(After Mass this morning, we were having an intense discussion about Confession...)

M: So, when can I go to Confession?
Mama: When you think you're ready, we can talk to Father about it.
M: But how? How can my sins be forgiven? How can my soul be made clean?
Papa: That's the cool thing that happens when you go to Confession. It's called "absolution" of your sins.
M: What's 'absolution' mean?
Papa: After you've confessed your sins and are very sorry for anything you've done to make Jesus sad, Father will lay his hands on your head and, through Jesus, your sins will be forgiven....
Mama: ...and your soul will be totally clean!
M: But... what if it misses a spot?
:) Hmmmm. Looks like you'll have to ask your GodFather about that one!!
(Conversation continuing...)

M: So, Father is a man and he's a priest. How come girls can't be priests? Why can they only be nuns? (Note: During Mass today, M wrapped her sister's blanket around herself and whispered to us: "I'm practicing being a nun." And she kept it on her the entire Mass! After Mass she matter-of-factly told some friends of ours "I've already decided that I'm going to be a nun when I grow up and live my life for Jesus.")
Papa: Well, God made men and women different, and there are some very special jobs just for men, like being a priest, and some very special jobs just for women, like being mamas or being nuns.
M: Hmmm. But why? Why can't I ever be a priest? Why could only Liam do that in our family? Why???
Mama: Go ahead, Papa. :)
Papa: That is a question you should probably ask Father to get a better answer.
M: Okay. I have another question, though. How did Jesus rise from the dead?
Mama: Well, because He's God, and that's what he came down from heaven to do for u.
M: I know, I know. But HOW did he rise from the dead? HOW?!?
Mama: Babe, that's what you call a 'mystery'... it's just something I can't give you a good answer for, because I don't even understand it. But I believe it with all my heart, even though I don't know how to explain it, and didn't acutally see it myself.
M: Oh...like 'faith', right?
Mama: Exactly.

The Amazing SleepMan

This kid can seriously fall asleep ANYWHERE in ANY position!!!
Too bad there's not some contest for this valuable skill!!!

Sabbath "Rest" from Lenten Fast....?

M and I had a discussion today about Lent, because I indulged in a little bit of chocolate. She realized what I was doing and began to scold me for eating chocolate...

M: Mama! It's Lent! No chocolate, remember???
Mama: Actually, M, on Sundays we don't have to keep our fast. It's a day of rest, even from our fast. So, we could have meat today if we wanted to, because it's Sunday (note: Papa and Mama gave up meat for this Lent). And Mama can have a little chocolate today.
M: Oh. Because it's Sunday. Okay.

Fast forward a couple hours.....

Papa, sitting at the dinner table with M, notices that she's starting to pick her nose. (note: M has been AMAZING about being faithful to her commitment to 'fast'... she has seriously put me to shame with her determination and perseverance thus far!)

Papa: M- remember your Lenten fast, no picking your nose!
M: It's Sunday, Papa. You can have meat if you want. Mama can have chocolate. I can pick my nose.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um.... all I can say is this girl is going to keep us on our toes!