Dear Mom,

To my mind I believe that the gracious and loving Lord has richly blessed you with a lovely resolve, engaging sense of humor and a docility of spirit that will serve to uplift and guide your efforts. You and your husband are indeed on a journey.

Small children are a challenge, aren't they? It seems that as soon as you figure out how to cope with a challenge the whole game changes and you are right back where you started. Having had at one time 4 children under the age of 5 I can understand your frustration. The best advice that I can give you is to make certain that you and your husband are a true team when the challenges of parenting are overwhelming. It is not enough that your husband may understand the work of caring for young children as much as he be willing to take on some of that work. In the same respect it is important that moms walk the talk and work equally hard to do all that is necessary to help the household run smoothly. For my husband and I the children remain the highest priority. My work and his work likewise remain centered upon the care of the children. I worked within the home (when the children were very young) and he outside the home to ensure the well being, safety and nurturing care of our children. With this as our focus, we see our time together as a premium to be protected and nurtured for its own right. Working together to get the children in bed at a decent hour meant that we had some precious time together to share a glass of wine and talk about our day. Discuss the challenges that each of you are facing and work on plans that will help you to overcome them. Remember that the Holy Spirit desires to direct your efforts.

Marriage is a relationship that is truly alive in that it must change to meet the needs of husband and wife as they mature through their years together. There is a well-spring of powerful graces waiting to be used. Unfortunately many couples fail to call upon the strength of these graces. A Sacramental marriage is a holy witness and therefore requires great work to tend and protect this witness. Go to the Lord together. Make your family prayer time the highest priority. Pray for your husband and ask him to pray for you. Pray together and ask the tender Jesus to enfold and protect your marriage. Sit before the Blessed Sacrament and allow that the outpouring of graces available shower the two of you with the necessary guidance to become a working and loving team.

I admire you very much. You are concerned about issues that are important. I sense that you are a woman of prayer. Keep up the work of prayer and I will pray for you as well. The Lord has found in you a loving and attentive mom who desires to be united to the will of the Father. Praise God.

Let us say a Hail Mary for all the families that are struggling through difficult times which threaten to erode the fiber of their family. Lord, we ask that You guard and protect those parents that must journey as single parents. Give them the clear knowledge that Your love for them and Your desire to uplift and uphold is far greater than any earthly challenge. Amen.

Sending out a prayer,

Rita Munn