Doing Little Things With Great Love

Yesterday, of course, was the feast of St. Therese, who happens to be my Confirmation patron. To celebrate, I made and ate Mexican food -- my day, my choice, 'cause that's how we roll 'round here. I miss Mexican food, but I digress.

More importantly, as I was getting ready yesterday morning, I was pondering the Little Way of St. Therese, which, boiled down, is all about doing "little things," the everyday tasks of her life, with great love. (Mother Theresa was well inspired, wasn't she?!?)

Ha! Easy! Pat yourself on the back, Mama! You got this! Motherhood is the perfect vocation for this path to holiness. Make sandwiches with great love? Yep. Fold laundry with great love? Sure. Change diapers with great love? Got it. Do dishes? Clean bathrooms? Run errands? Check. Check. Check.

But -- there's always a "but" when assessing the spiritual life, isn't there? -- but then, I started thinking about my morning. How many truly little things had I not done with great love? How many little tiny tasks had I done without any love at all?

Yesterday, Clare was obsessed with wearing her new hat and mittens. Never mind the 90* temperatures and broken (now fixed) a/c, the real problem with mittens is that your fine motor skills are greatly inhibited while wearing them. So they came off just as frequently as they went on. Believe me, I was not joyful in my vocation as I put those mittens on the first time. Never mind the 1 millionth. Then, I thought about how, day in and day out, I face a billion pairs of mittens, masquerading, of course, as Legos and puzzle pieces and shoes and snacks and the various and sundry effects of childhood. I sank as I realize how far I still have to go.

But I was right in one respect. Motherhood is the perfect vocation for seeking holiness via St. Therese's Little Way. Every day, we encounter a million opportunities to serve, to love as Jesus loved, and to do those little things with great love.

St. Therese of Lisieux, pray for us, as I learn to do just that.