Simply Surrender

We buy our 7 and 8 year old the weekly booklet called, "MagnifiKid!" I think we have been using this publication for over five years...our now 14 year old used it too. It follows the Mass with all of the readings and responses. It also goes over difficult words found in the readings and explains different parts of the Liturgy. It is awesome for kids to use to follow along with the Mass. They include a prayer to use after receiving Communion and also a different morning and evening prayer each week.
This week it featured a page about creating a prayer notebook. Both of my girls were completely excited about going home and making their own notebooks. I want to share the prayer that they gave the girls to start their prayer notebooks. It was written by Charles de Foucauld in 1896.

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures--
I wish no more than this, O Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.
Amen.

A beautiful prayer of confidence in God's will for our lives.

Please pray for a little boy. It is not health related...he needs Jesus.

Mary
Jesus, I trust in You!

What follows is taken from our Diocesan inservice for religious education certification. I have now completed the requirements for the Intermediate Religion Certification.
These prayers are beautiful...enjoy...and God Bless!

Lent is a time of reflection and renewal.

Father, I can be still and know that you are God. You have called me to serve you as an educator, and while no one ever said that it was going to be easy, you have promised to renew my strength.
When I need You to be strong, I say, "Yes, my Lord."

Lent is a time to hear God's voice.

Slow me down, Father. Give me a heart that understands the importance of stopping to hear you speak to me. If I have pressing matters at hand and must say, "Not now, later," let me treat that as a solemn promise. I expect others to listen to me, so please help me listen to you.
When my days seem dire and long, I say, "Yes, my Lord."

Lent is a time to "sweat the details."

Today I make an impact. Today, what I do, will make a difference. The difference may not be huge, but it will be important. Perhaps years form now I'll learn the results of these "little things" that happened today and perhaps I won't. But, Father, teach me to take delight in little things, and never, ever doubt their importance.
When I try to find my place, I say, "Yes, my Lord."

Lent is a time to strengthen our weaknesses.

Help me to see myself more as you see me. Help me to see the pattern of my days, so that I am not puffed up by success or cast down by failure. Give me a sure and steady perspective, help me to know myself with all my strengths and weaknesses, and with that knowledge, Father, help me to grow.
When I need you loving grace, I say, "Yes, my Lord."

Father, you who are the same yesterday, today and forever, help me to be consistent. Help me to be a presence in this faith community. I pray that it might be said of me that nothing was ever promised that was not given; nothing was ever said that was not true, and nothing was ever taught that had to be unlearned.

I say, "Yes, my Lord" in all the good times, through all the bad times. I say, "Yes, my Lord" to every word You speak.

Amen.

Mary
Jesus, I trust in You!

Who will be Christ to these little ones?

I'm a bit weary.
Forgive me in advance if you are reading this and feel offended at the closing of this post. Those of you who know me personally have heard me speak on this topic before...in fact, I'll venture to say that you may already know where this is heading.

I need to talk about children of today. I also need to talk about parents of today.
I won't get into everything, but this topic is the reason why I am so weary tonight so I must journal about it.

For some reason, which I have yet to understand, parents of today do not fully comprehend that in order to raise strong, independent, self motivated, hard working, children, they need to allow their children to grow.
Sounds simple.
Yet this simply stated fact rarely, if ever in today's world, is acted upon.
And...it is getting worse, much worse.
I started teaching upper elementary 22 years ago. I have seen a change in those 22 years and it is not changing for the better.
Everyday, I witness children not being held accountable for their own choices, and to make matters even worse...these children's actions and choices are not only downplayed by their very loving parents, they are made light of and brushed right off of their little shoulders.
There are no consequences of value.
There is no valuable growth and/or learning.
Continued childhood growth without the very necessary consequences of life creates disaster.

These parents have also "over-rewarded" everything.
What once was expected of children is now rewarded as above and beyond.
And...the rewards are outrageous. These children have everything over and above what they possibly could want. Just as an example, one of my most challenging students has been given much and has traveled extensively. His parents wouldn't dream of taking away one of the nights that he has sport's practice because of a consequence from his actions in school. He has learned from his young life many, many lessons.
His parents are his first teachers.

And...one more thing, just one.
How in the world can we blame these beautiful children for some of their choices when they learn how to act and behave by watching and listening to their parents.
Here's an example that comes to mind...
A big, black, leather seated, SUV drives up to pick up their child after school. Big smiles and happy faces surround this little girl as a large group of girls pile into the SUV. "Happy Birthdays " are shouted with laughter and smiles. The shiny black SUV drives away and two little 9 year olds are left standing in the dismissal line. Two little girls.
YES...this really happened last Fall.
My heart was absolutely broken for those two beautiful children.
WHY WOULD A PARENT ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN?
This is parent approved bullying behavior at its finest.
Yes, I have said it, bullying.
Google the definition if you do not agree.
These parents have set the stage for these two 9 year olds to be excluded from social activities in the future. Not just out of school but in school as well. This behavior will carry through to the classroom, gym, and outside to the playground.

NOW...do you see why Christ needs our hands and our feet? If we don't step in and force change, who will? Who will be Jesus to all of these children? Who will teach them about love, compassion...who will show them?

I've also wondered if a year of two of teacher influence will really make that much of a difference. Will they see Christ in their neighbor? family? friends? How about the people they dislike? Will they see Christ in those people too? ...or will they go back to the familiar and mimic their parent's poorly choosen behaviors.

We have entered the season of Lent. A time for penance, prayer and reflection. Pray for children everywhere. They need Jesus. Pray for parents too. They need Jesus, too.

Jesus, I trust in You!

Mary