In Honour of Mother Teresa

 One of the things I admire so much about Mother Teresa was her great love of children who are often the underprivileged in our society.
Not just in what we would term 'third world countries' but here, right here, amidst the hustle and bustle of our western culture.
Our western  society that  does not value each and every child, our  society that is all to ready kill our most vulnerable. The very young, the very old and the handicapped.

I am always sickened to learn of those who "choose to" terminate a pregnancy because of some "defect" or inability to care for this child, usually financial. Would they also "choose not to accept the financial gifts that God also sends their way".
I know you say, there are always 'extrenuating circumstances that would warrant this." Hmmmm, Perhaps the circumstances are extenuating BUT the Gift of Love, The Gift of God sharing with us in his giving of a child is a miracle every time and we should thank God for his love and treasure the Gift he gives us, but only on loan, for each child is not really ours BUT God's to whom he has given to us out of love and with an expectation to teach and to help mould to love and serve HIM.

I will never forget when Stephen was away and he had someone who knows us, ie extended family, suggest to him that "we were disadvantaging our children because we had so many. How could we take them to Sea World or annual trips etc.  It was wrong of us to deprive our children of this opportunity" she herself was taking her one son to Sea World (I think that was the place) in the holidays.

Needless to say I was ropeable and I think it was very lucky I wasn't present as I would have quite frankly told her about her misconceptions.

I agree with Mother Teresa in her beautiful quote-
“How Can There Be Too Many Children?”
“That is like saying there are too many flowers”

I do believe that the old saying once told to me is quite true "With every child God sends a loaf of bread" and I know that God has provided for us in our family.

True we do not go on annual trips, if fact we haven't had  a holiday  since Eden now 15 was 6 months old.
True we don't go to the movies often, in fact Toy Story 3 was the first family movie we have been to together in about 11 years ( I think). Occasionally we will send a child for a birthday or some of us for special features together.
True we don't have lots of 'digital entertainment' or the most up to date equipment.
True we don't spend lots of money on name brand clothes or clothes at all. We usually have enough and no more.

But I know in my heart the saying from Pope John Paul II noted that “it is certainly less serious [for parents] to deny their children certain comforts or material advantages than to deprive them of the presence of brothers and sisters, who could help them to grow in humanity and to realize the beauty of life at all its ages and in all its variety.”

And my favourite from Kimberly Hahn that “siblings are the greatest physical gift, apart from the love you give your spouse, that you can possibly give your children.”

I am quite positive our children would rather have the gift of siblings than a whole host of other 'benefits.'

Now this is quite  a different post from what I had planned in honour of Mother Teresa but what I felt in my heart that I was supposed to share.  A prompting of The Holy Spirit perhaps?

I don't have any specific plans for today except to read:
Mother Teresa


and Mother Teresa 
as well as this book I read (below) for inspiration anytime


and  these Beautiful Colouring Pages from Charlotte

For some basic food for dinner ~
Pasta with tomato sauce and cheese and bread with some herbs and cheese. I know not Indian at all but what we would consider a more sacrificial meal.
We are planning on making a map of India cake with what ever we come up with to symbolise Mother Teresa

For Your Information ~
Official Mother Teresa site
A very brief over view of her life here
A more consolidated overview Here

And some of her beautiful quotes that help me focus on God's love through my life-

"Peace and war begin at home. If we truly want peace in the world, let us begin by loving one another in our own families. If we want to spread joy, we need for every family to have joy"

Loneliness is the most terrible poverty.

It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.

I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

Blessings to you and your homes today,