Life isn’t always pretty or easy or fun.  Life in a big family can just get plain crazy.  Sometimes it all comes to a head at once.  This is where I find God truly has a sense of humor.  He knows I’m easily agitated by prolonged chaos, noise and things generally going in opposition to MY plan; so He gave us 4 children so that I can work on that.  Repeatedly.

This Sunday, the first day of Advent I trekked it Mass with the kiddos (Hubby was working at went to vigil Mass Saturday) and they just took turns fraying my nerves with bickering, 16yo crisis of faith moments, etc etc.  By the time we sat in the pew all I could do was pull out my devotional and start pounding the prayers.  Any.  And.  Every.  Prayer. I.  Could.  Find.  All before the opening song.  Good times, I tell you.  Then I found this one that I never noticed before and I thought I’d share:

Father, 

Sometimes the family gets me down.

The children are noisy and bills pile up.

Relatives and friends make demands of my time and attention. 

I try to keep first things first and create and atmosphere where Your name is honored.  Your word observed.

But I get tired and a hard edge creeps into my voice.  Help me to cope with the daily strains of living in a family.

Help me to sustain a climate in which my partner can grow in Your love, to encourage my children to develop fully the talent You have given them and to make of my family the community of your love the Your Son came to bring.

Amen. 

I don’t know.  It spoke to me.  It worked for me.  The bickering stopped.  The 16 yo came around.  By the “sign of peace” all was restored and the day went on and we began the process of decorating and cookie making and I just shook my head at God and wondered how He does it, why I am worthy and so grateful He does.