Then something happens and you begin to realize that while yes, there are some really self absorbed people in this world, and also some very misguided people in this world, there are also a whole lot of good people in this world. It makes all those petty problems in your own life seem just that, petty.
There's a little boy up here in WNY who is dying. He's only 4 years old. The fact that he's only 4 is what really hits me hard. The fact he has an aggressive form of brain cancer not usually found in children hits hard, too. But what is really amazing to me is the mom of this young boy.
The little boy is a twin. He also has a younger sister. They've given him weeks to live and quite frankly, if you heard how he was doing, you'd think it was longer, but that's the scary thing about cancer. It's so sneaky. Slowly killing a person on the inside and sometimes no signs are even there until the bitter end.
This mother is so amazing and I'm sure she would balk at me saying it, but her strength is out of this world. And to be true, it probably is out of this world. So many thousands of people are praying for this family and a miracle for the little boy, that I'm certain it's what is carrying her.
It certainly put it all into perspective for me and my family. There is a lot of drama in this world. Sometimes I feel like I have to apologize to so many people for how my husband and I choose to raise our kids. I'm that person that would just as soon blend into the wall then stick out (and with six kids, sticking out is exactly what we do). Lately, it seems as though the evil one has been testing us to the limit. Almost testing us to the point that I'm ready to call it quits....he's very good at being very manipulative and remember my earlier post about sin? It would be easy to avoid it if it were nasty and scary and gross..... but for me, wanting to run away and hide and avoid all conflict is exactly why I know it's from the evil one.....
So this mom, amazingly enough, gave an interview with the local television station last week. She encouraged people to enjoy the moment and what is important. Wow.
My faith, my relationship with my husband and my kids are what is important. Spending time with these three are what I should focus on. She is spot on. And perhaps, I will try to make that my Lenten focus as well. It's so easy to fall into that woe is me trap. It's so easy to let the anger of others, the problems of others, dictate how we live our lives. It's so easy to lose focus of what is important.
Putting our faith first. Placing God and time with Him alone is most important. I tell my kids all the time, how do you learn about someone? How do you grow closer to someone? You spend time with that person, read about them, pray with them, focus on them. Our relationship with Christ is no different. How are we to ever grow in our relationship with Him if we never spend time with Him? Reading His Word? Sitting with Him in prayer. Praying before the Blessed Sacrament? I currently have my 5th grader memorizing scripture and this week our focus is on John (which by the way, happens to be my FAVORITE Gospel writer of all time because of John chapter 6....but I digress) This week is verse 1. "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."
That verse is so simple, yet so very profound. Literally it means, In the beginning when there was nothing but God, Jesus was with Him and Jesus was Him. Kind of how we figured out that whole Trinity thing??? You know, God in three persons, but one God???
Let's focus on those three things. God, (our faith), our spouses, and our family. Perhaps by placing these three things first (what is most important), we, like that awesome mom with that courageous little boy, will discover what is truly most important. And perhaps, those days when we wake up and can't find that darn easy button, or even that do over button, we can still stay focused and remember what is most important.
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| A few of my most important peeps... |
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