I too was at the Portland Fall Women’s Retreat. I’m sure you saw our picture at either Dawn’s blog or Mimi’s. I feel compelled to explain the “roller derby” joke…but Juliana’s blog post from awhile back explains it best.
I just wanted to share a couple highlights for me. These are from my attempt at notes. Do not take these as complete and perfect quotes.
-St. Silhoun said, “The best catechesis for our children is LOVE.” We put the cart before the horse when we try to TEACH our children asceticism. The one who is loved and learns to love will desire asceticism.
-The sorrow we feel for our perceived failures can burden our children with guilt. A young boy said, “I don’t ever want a Christian wife because she’ll just be miserable all the time like my mother.”
- We can respond to our children with our face rather than our mouth.
- The best discipline is LOVE!
- Someone asked about equality/feminism and she said…
We in our society have developed the mistake of thinking equality means doing the same thing. If we can’t do the same thing as the man/woman we are not equal. Wrong! We all know God because He created us persons. We are all person. We all receive communion from the same chalice. We are all baptized the same baptism. What are we after? A cassock? A label?
While at the retreat I bought her book “Conversations with Children: Communicating our Faith”. I have only read the Preface and a couple things really made me pause and are needed in my brain….
-Teaching, like praying, is spoiled when we stop to consider how well we are doing—when we are continually second-guessing. We teach best when we simply enjoy the company of our beloved children.
-A lot of things in everyday family life go on as a matter of course. When conscious decisions or spontaneous choices need to be made, being a Christian will make a difference, but often a variety of decisions can fit in with Christian principles. Orthodoxy does affect one’s lifestyle, but Orthodoxy can live in many different lifestyles. A combination of healthy principles seasoned with common sense means that life goes on organically. If spiritual principles are put first, many decisions make themselves.
-This book is offered to parents even if they read it piece-meal or in random order; concentrated reading is for many a rare luxury. AHHHH someone who knows my reading life well!!!! And accommodates it! J
2 comments:
And you distilled it perfectly, thank you!
man, that sounds like a great retreat and a great book. i see the fruit of the affects of love on children...they are so much more receptive to gentleness than harshness, at least mine have been. what is hard for me is disciplining myself and restraining myself enough to make this happen. it is so easy to get frustrated when things aren't going my way or they little people are getting in my way. i guess its shifting perspective before that happens and asking for God's mercy. before i get irritated and respond roughly and emotionally. hopefully it will get easier as it's practiced. Lord have mercy! do you have any tips for making love the natural response?
sorry. rambly rambly. you just sparked some thoughts here...thanks!
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