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Mary Lou Rosien discovered that both gardening and raising children are affected by things outside her control. She explores ways to minimize the impact of outside forces.


This time of year, my thoughts turn to harvesting my garden and then putting it to bed for winter. My kitchen looks like a canning factory and we eat a lot of “dump meals” so that I can focus on building up our food supply for winter. Some years are very successful and some are less so.  

It has been frustrating to me, as a relatively new homesteader, that my success in gardening is so heavily dependent on issues beyond my control. Things can be blooming and growing well, then a lack of bees, too much rain or even a scorching hot day can tip the balance from bountiful to scarce. 

 

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Outside influences can affect our children

It seems to me that this is a metaphor for life and especially raising children. When I was young, I thought that if I followed certain principles and guidelines, my kids would turn out a certain way. Do A, B, and C and kids will be D. Sadly, this is not always the case.  

Just as we do in our gardens, we can till the soil, plant the right seeds, nurture the seedlings, and pull the weeds that we are able to. However, the outside influences still affect our children and their faith journey, no matter how hard we try to shelter and protect them.  

This can be a discouragement for parents, especially of teens and young adults, but there is hope! Prayer is a strong shield against the outside influences of the world. Parents can protect their children by frequently blessing them and consecrating them to Jesus, through Our Lady. When we learned we were pregnant with each child, we immediately consecrated them (in the womb).   

 

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A parent's blessing is a strong protection

The power of a parent's blessing cannot be understated. Especially a father’s blessing! God designed it this way; parents have authority over their children.  My husband made a practice of blessing each child as they left the house (or he did) each day. He would make the sign of the cross on their forehead and say, “May God bless you and protect you and bring you safely home at the end of the day.” 

 

When children wander away from faith

When one of my children wandered from their faith, I felt as if my heart would break! He was one of our children who had completed the Thirty Days to Morning Glory and had consecrated himself to Our Lady’s care on the Feast of the Holy Rosary.  

I couldn’t understand how this could happen. He actually seemed anti-Catholic at times. Then a young friend reminded me that Mary cannot lose one of her children. Christ would not allow it because it would be an insult to his mother. I clung to that and prayed often for my child’s return to faith. He did return!!! This has given me so much hope for others who meander in their faith journeys.  

I’m reminded of a story my friend, Father Paul, shared. The mother of one of those crucified with Jesus was in the back of the crowd. She was crying to the Lord, "I taught my son well. I took him to the Temple. Raised him in the faith. How could this happen?" What she did not know was that at that very moment, Jesus was promising that man that he would join Him in paradise.

God always makes a way, even when we don’t get to see it. I hold fast to that. God bless. 

 

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Copyright 2024 Mary Lou Rosien
Images: Canva