Family time

This weekend our family has set aside time to be with each other. We had our Saturday morning obligations, but after those were over, we spent the entire day together. That’s not to say that every moment was perfect, but an overall joy pervaded throughout the course of the day. As I unloaded the dishwasher, my three-year-old came up and danced to the music I was listening to. I took some time out to dance with him. His bright face glowed as I spun him around the kitchen. My husband and other son were talking and folding clothes in the next room. Our daughters were floating in and out of the rooms, dancing in the kitchen, taking clothes from the stacks of folded laundry and putting them away. We were all working together, not seeking the escape of entertainment, but connecting amidst the work of daily household chores.

The joy of family life is as simple as this. Children love being with their parents, laughing and talking, and, yes, even sharing in the work. Not every day is as easy as this, but a day like this is worth ten of the days when I felt overwhelmed, tired or frustrated. It is a testament to the grace of God within the Sacrament of Marriage...easy yoke, light burden. My husband and I fortunately took to heart the advice of an old priest who told us that the priorities of marriage are as follows: God first, spouse second, children third. He was so right! When we prioritize our lives in this way, there is work, but it is a joyful, fruitful work that is evident in days like these. Thank you, God, for yoking me!