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"Contemplating a significant sacrifice" by Janele Hoerner (CatholicMom.com) Pixabay (2016) CC0 Public Domain[/caption]

Sometimes I feel as if I am the biggest cause of stress for our entire family. I am usually the one trying to jump-start new things that will get our family to the best place that we can be. I feel called to accomplish so many things and that breeds an intense desire inside my being, which seems to lead to much disappointment inside my tired persona.

There are only so many moments throughout the day and most of them are spent on daily tasks that never seem to fully be complete. Wash with a large family of children never ends. Dirty dishes overflow the sink -- if just one meal is not cleaned up immediately, life with many little ones leaves the dining room floor always covered with crumbs -- and the list could go on forever.

Regardless of these unending daily tasks, my mind is filled continuously with new ways to elevate our family to become more like Christ. These thoughts refuse to let me become lax and most times seem quite positively unrealistic if not approached with caution. Yet I feel if I do not try it, disappointment will lurk in my mind to capture my thoughts. I will admit that I push this family of seven out of our comfort zone and I know I do, but honestly I feel I have to. It is my job! As the woman of my house, it is my job to help mold these little humans under my roof (and my husband) into the epitome of love.

Comfort zones are for this world; they are not for the true Catholic individuals who are attempting to live in the world, but be detached from it. It is not a fun place to be a large portion of the time, but we are meant to rejoice in that suffering. I have heard countless times that being Catholic is too hard and too depressing, that the Church as a whole focuses on too may rules. While I agree that it is a difficult lifestyle and sometimes feels impossible, I also believe it is in those intense moments that we must push through and keep strong just as if we are in labor to bring the next new life into this world. We cannot stop -- we must keep pursuing our goal -- to raise these lives to their final destination, their new life in Christ.

We are given our struggles so we can become closer to Christ and yet for most of the world, struggles are usually a time of whining and complaining because life seems to be getting more difficult. Yet while most people are irritably thinking about starting their Lenten journey and trying to pick the easiest way out, it is our job to find the most trying of a sacrifice to showcase our inner strength. God is gifting us by giving us these somewhat perplexing yearly struggles so that we may be able to prove our loyalty to him as we master control over our bodies.

I pray that each of us will find the inner strength to push our families out of their daily comfort zone during this Lenten season.


Copyright 2018 Janele Hoerner