linking up with Gina at someday saints to embrace the ordinary.
Making coffee every morning. Listening to the machine sputter and gurgle as it starts to brew. I pour a mug full, hold it in both hands and breathe it in.
Saying bedtime prayers for my son. My husband and I take turns each night. Kneeling beside the crib we whisper about how sweet he looks, and ask Jesus to watch over him. We always finish with a Hail Mary.
Getting ready in morning. Wash face, brush teeth, put on make-up, do hair. Always in that order.
Picking up the playroom. Everyday day Johnny goes into the playroom and dumps out all of his toys; blocks, balls, stuffed animals, stacking rings, and puzzles. Everything gets turned over. All the DVDs and books get pulled off the shelf. If I have a basket of laundry waiting to be folded that gets turned out on the floor as well. He takes everything out and then ignores it all.
I've stopped picking up after him while he's awake. Everything would be on the floor again in 7 seconds. Now I wait until he's gone to bed. I go into the playroom and put the books and DVDs back on the shelf. I stack the stacking rings, I do the animal puzzle and the police car puzzle, and I put all the blocks back into their basket. I tuck all the toys back into their corner, where Johnny will come looking for them tomorrow.
These are my rituals, the ceremonies the govern and fill my days. They are the things that I must do before doing anything else, and things that must be done before I can fall asleep at night. Most days the repetition is irritating. But when I remember to have patience with this phase of life I see a sort of beauty in my little rituals. They become my own liturgy of the hours. My vocation put into practice.
What are your rituals?
