Thursday, July 30, 2009

Convicted

Thanks to lots of breakfast-time tomfoolery, I have mopped my dining room floor three times in two mornings. Twice before seven thirty.

Yesterday, on the third go 'round with puddles of juice and paper towels and mops, I was feeling completely justified in grumbling while I did the clean-up. Kids were upstairs crying, and I was sweaty with indignation.

When one of the sniffling spillers ventured downstairs, I warned them not to push me any farther. "My patience is all GONE," I growled.

After the clean-up, I sat down at the computer and found this waiting in my inbox:


"There are many who excuse themselves, saying that if they were in other
circumstances they would be much more patient. This is a grave mistake, for it
assumes that virtue is a matter of geography, and not of moral effort. It makes
little difference where we are; it all depends on what we are thinking about."

Fulton J. Sheen



Still working on it.

8 comments:

  1. I'm still working on it too. Yesterday afternoon was awful: extended family stress, potty training mess and I did a lot of grumbling, cursing, crying, and screaming. I'm glad I saw this here this morning. Absp. Sheen is always good for reminding me where I ought to be. He gives me the smackdown I need.

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  2. Coincidence is when God works a miracle and decides to remain anonymous....looks like another "coincidence" that this message was waiting for you :)

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  3. Ouch! I need to start every day with that quote.

    My patience has been tested on an almost daily basis this summer. It seems as though most of my summer has been spent yelling and then regretting it. I am still a work in progress - especially on the patience front!

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  4. Fulton Sheehan....a wise one.
    Tomfoolery...now a new favorite word.

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  5. I'll remember that when I'm cleaning up the bathroom floor AGAIN from a potty training fail. Thanks.

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  6. Anonymous4:59 PM

    OK...well, I don't mean to be the 'devil's advocate' here, but, I must say that though Sheen's quote is true...having been in a convent myself (once upon a time) for 3 years...the environment there is definitely strengthening in terms of helping to live a life of virtue (which is essentially where Sheen was coming from), and now being a mother myself, I can honestly say that there is nothing like the caring of our little ones that will bring us to our knees and break our pride down in that we are always giving...motherhood is a holy vocation, but a very humbling and demanding one...so don't be too hard on yourself...just today I myself had a full-blown temper tantrum...it was my cue that Mamma Diana need a break away from the demands. Be sure to get yourself out and a break once & a while, too. that will help! Love, DKLOCH

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  7. hmmm. I'll give ole Sheen a big -sometimes. But then, I'm not known for working on my virtues...

    in the meantime, is there anything you'd like from Scotland? just say the word and we'll bring back something- legal, that is!

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  8. Oh boy, he is so right. Thank you for posting this. I'm going to keep it HANDY!

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Go ahead and say it. You know you want to.