Thursday, December 19, 2013

The Ways of my Mother

I listened to an interview which was on Shalom TV(https://www.shalomus.org/television.php) by a priest about the song he recently composed.  The words went kind of like this:  "I remember those days when I walked holding on to my mother's fingertips and how she helped me make the sign of the cross,  she helped me say the name Jesus for the first time..." and it goes on.  

This made me remember my childhood days.  My mother was also a very strong woman of Faith.  She was a housewife and raised all of us in such a strong catholic faith.  What I remember the most about her is how she would take care of each one us so patiently.  I have never heard her raise her voice at me or anyone or acted upon her anger.  She was always full of love and patience.  After going through the whole day of cooking and cleaning, I remember her so tired but she would never end the day without bringing all of us children together in family prayer.  Our family prayer always had rosary and a time of thanksgiving.  Each one of us get a chance to thank Jesus.  I think this took away my shame and fear of praying in public.  There were some days where we all get to show our talents in front of my parents and siblings which was really amazing. Now I look back and I see how happy I used to be and how I never had any stage fright when I grew up to be doing anything in front of few people.  The fear and shame was taken away from me through these beautiful moments with my family members.  





I remember my mom telling me how I used to stay crying all night and she had to put me on her chest and sit in the kitchen and that is the only way I would fall asleep.  She would stay there all night and sleep sitting on a chair.  Even after having these sleepless nights, she never missed her morning mass.  Back then in India we did not have a car so she would wake up early morning and walk to church and run back so that she can make breakfast and lunch for all my older siblings and dad.  There were no cereal breakfasts in India.  That would have been a lot easier :)  She has to make full course Indian breakfasts for all of us.  



I never heard her complain about anything she had to deal with.  If I were to complain about anything she would always remind me of those who were less fortunate than us, those who were poorer than us and that stopped me from complaining and was able to thank Jesus for what I had.  She always taught me to hold on to Jesus every time I went through sufferings in my life.  I always remember her either praying rosary or just praising Jesus while she was in the kitchen.  

She loved each one of us and sacrificed everything for our happiness and joy, and beyond everything she put the seed of faith in us which grew and made us what we are today.  She showed us that clinging on to God and trusting in him is the way to achieve anything in this world.  

I'm able to appreciate all that she did so much more now because I have become a wife and a mother myself. I can understand it a lot better now.  I wish I could raise my children without getting angry or impatient.  I wish to be calm and gentle after having a hectic and tiring day.  I am not anywhere close to what my mom is but she is always the biggest example for me.  




The reason why I thought of writing about my mom is mainly because the sacrifices and faith filled life that she led laid a foundation for our family.  We were able to grow up in a family like this which formed our faith with Jesus as the center of our lives.  This reminds me now how important it is for me to show an example like this in my very own growing family which will eventually form the very strong foundation for this family. 

We learn a lot from our mothers even though fathers are very much part of our lives.  Especially in the very early years of a child a mother is more involved than a father.  They need a mothers nurturing love to sustain in the early years.  As a mother the Lord has entrusted these children under our care so that we show them what God's love is like.  To be awake with them in the night, to console them when they cry, to be patient with them when they pull a tantrum, all this is building up a trust, security, love, caring nature etc in a child which plays a vital role when they become an adult.  



My mother's love for me helped me to imagine what the Love of God is like.  I just hope and pray that I will be able to show my children a glimpse of God's love too.  






Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Snow and Advent

It snowed in Chicago.  I went to church this morning with George and Anna and it was so cold.  George never says he is feeling cold but today as we were walking back from the church to our car he said, "Mamma, its cold!" I did not feel it much since I was already sweating carrying the car seat with one hand and George on the other..haha
bundle of joy



George's new interest since yesterday is playing in the snow.  After his continuous plea I had to let him play outside our house for little bit.  I could not go outside with him since the little one was sleeping.  I watched him from the front door.  He played for good 15 minutes.  I never got to play outside in snow when I was a child since I grew up in India.  When I see George outside touching and feeling the snow, I try to imagine what kind of excitement it would be for this little 3 year old to explore snow.  









Not too happy to be back inside
                                                                                           


Today we had our morning offering at our little manger.  George actually sat through the morning prayer right next to me watching the candle light and talking about baby Jesus, the three kings, Mary and Joseph.  He asked me about the donkey and the sheep. :))  I was very happy that he actually sat down with me unlike the other times.  I am sure he loved sitting next to the manger.  




 

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Past four months

I cannot believe 4 months have passed by since we had our daughter Anna.  I don't know how I lived without her these past years.  She has all of a sudden become everything in my life and cannot imagine a life without her.  Isn't it so amazing how they become part of our lives just like that the second they are born.  It feels like I knew her all my life.  I felt the same with George when he was born.





Anna has been a very joyful and happy baby.  She sleeps pretty good in the night. She wakes up few times for her feeds but falls right back asleep.  George was different though.  He was also a very happy baby but sleep was a big issue.  The first two weeks after George was born I did not sleep in the night.  He would wake up at 12:00 am and was wide awake till like 6:00 am in the morning.  I stayed awake with him all night just staring at his beautiful little eyes.  It took him almost two and a half years to sleep through the night.  He still wakes up sometimes in the night asking for water or juice.

George loves to hug and kiss and be around her all the time.  I just need to have my eyes on them all the time so that he does not fall on her..haha





He is so immersed in it when he plays with his cars and Thomas train



I have heard the first few months of having a baby is tough for everyone in the family.  I wouldn't say it was very hard but it did have its difficult moments transitioning into a four member family.  The hardest part is for George to get adjusted  with having a little sister.  Also he has to share all the attention he got to himself for the past three years with Anna.  He is doing really great though.  Myself and Sony really try to be in his life as much as we can so that he does not feel lonely or hurt with everything that is going around. He loves his little sister.  Its funny to see how Anna smiles so much when George is around.  I can already see a bonding that takes place within both of them.







He loves sitting on the diaper changing table and going through all the stuff

I have to say the past four months have been wonderful even though there were difficult moments when George wants to pee when I am feeding Anna or when he wants me to do certain things for him when I am just putting the baby to sleep.  Sometimes Anna cannot sleep because of all the loud noises of George playing with his toys.  It is frustrating sometimes and there are times I lose my patience with teaching George to behave and take care of Anna.  The funny part is you really think you are teaching and changing children in so many ways but the person who is really changing and learning is Me :))  My little George has taught me patience and how to love without expecting anything back.  Thank God for children.  What would life be without them??  Children bring so much joy into a married life.  I can only thank my Lord for all the beautiful things he has been doing to me.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Letter from an Angel

I think it brings joy to your ears when someone says something good about you.  We long for appreciation and care from others.  As a mother my job all day is to appreciate, encourage, give loud applause, sing lullabies etc so I can get George and Anna to behave and stop both from crying or pulling a tantrum.  At times I wish I had received the same appreciation and encouragement to do my job well but like most of the moms say our job is something that no one sees.

Today something very special happened in my life.  As usual I left for  noon mass with my lit one since George did not want to come with me and stayed back with grandma.  I was bit upset about him not coming but I had no choice and did not want to force him.  As I was driving I thought of how I longed for someone to say something nice about me, of what I do, I just wanted to hear something good from someone.  I was just sad about everything.  You know how devil gets into you and makes you feel like you are good for nothing, you are not doing things right.  Well, it was one of those days.

I get to church and since they were doing some work in the church the mass was in a hall.  Since there was no cry room I went and sat on the floor all the way at the back.  A good old man got up from his seat and brought the chair to me.  I was just too pleased by this man who was willing to carry his chair back to me. Thank God for such good people.  The next thing you know, one of the friends who loves George came and gave me a gift for George.  How nice of these wonderful people?  How can I ever complain right??  haha God was really showing me how much he cares and appreciates.  Well I thought that was the end of the story but of course our God is a mysterious man.

I get back home and was carrying the car seat, when I saw a bag with a note outside my door.  It said "To Alphy, With Love :))"  Hmm...I was surprised.  I get home and open the bag to see what is inside and guess what? I think God really had to send his angel down to bring all this to me.

A lovely note, three packets of chocolates (my favorite) a lip gloss (how sweet of this person) two coloring books and Crayons for George.  Each one of it had a lovely note on it.  I cannot ask for a better day than this.  Whoever brought this to me knows me very well but did not share their name instead asked me to share Jesus with someone else.  I just want to thank God and for this person for bringing such joy into my heart today.  I really needed it.
How did this person know I needed this.  I hope you can see the lovely notes on the chocolate bars.

This letter brought tears to my eyes.  It said" a mother raising a child is a lot like a builder of a great cathedral.  No one sees the builder lay brick upon brick, long days and tireless work they put in.  Just like that, it may seem that no one "sees" the work you put in, But, God sees:))  He sees every bath you give, every diaper you change, every meal you make, song you sing, and every single thing you do for Kids.  You are building great cathedrals, this is your vocation.  So when times get tough just remember you are doing God's will, and reward awaits in Heaven :))"

Ahhh...what a Beautiful message??  I am praying for whoever it is that the Lord may shower his blessings upon her/him.  My heart is still overflowing with joy.  It feels like a dream.


The lip gloss is my favorite. Thank You

Every mother needs to hear these words.  I pray for all you mothers out there that the Lord may give you the grace and strength to raise your children to be great cathedrals.  :))

Friday, November 1, 2013

Happy All Saints Day

Today during the morning prayer one thing that touched me from the Divine Office prayers was this: With all the saints we are given the power to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth of Christ’s love, which is beyond all telling.



I thought to myself how many times have I tried to grasp Christ's love.  Most of the time more than grasping His love I tend to fill up my day with complains, anxieties, worries etc that I do not have time to think of Christ's love for me.  When I read this prayer today I felt very ashamed of the many times I blocked myself from receiving His love.  I am created to only experience Christ's love and nothing else.  The Saints were able to understand this mystery and experience God's love through their sufferings and joy.  They happily welcomed suffering into their lives.  





I pray today that I may be able to welcome anything the Lord brings into my life with joy and happiness and to offer my life fully to the Lord.  Help me Lord to grasp the breadth and length and the height and depth of your love through my daily chores.




I th