Making Room for Baby

Tonight I worked on clearing out clutter from our office so that my sewing desk can be relocated from our bedroom area to the office thereby making more room for baby's furniture. I organized by large collection of children's books, recycled old notes from college classes, chose some books to donate, and more. I still have more to do and that reminded me of all of our spiritual lives. Dave and I are adding to our family and have to make not only physical room for this baby, but emotional and spiritual room for raising this child.

This quote particularly touched me today "Marriage is an act of will that signifies and involves a mutual gift, which unites the spouses and binds them to their eventual souls, with whom they make up a sole family - a domestic church."-Blessed John Paul II

We (Dave and I) are called to be an example of Christ's uniting love to the Church. What a responsibility. Which leads me to another quote "To maintain a joyful family requires much from both the parents and the children. Each member of the family has to become, in a special way, the servant of the others."-Blessed John Paul II

I don't yet completely know the ways our lives will change, but even during this pregnancy the ways we express love to each other has grown. We are learning to serve each other as spouses so we can prepare ourselves for the task of serving one another in our shared responsibility as parents and to be a servant for baby. I'm sure our house will never be completely 'ready' for this baby or any future children just as our hearts and minds may not be ready either. Still I will work a little each day to prepare myself body, mind, and soul for the great task of raising my child and helping them to reach heaven one day.

And so I pray: 

O good St Gerard, powerful intercessor before God and wonder worker of our day, confidently I call upon you and seek your aid. On Earth you always fulfilled God's designs, help me now to do the holy will of God. Implore the Master of Life, from whom all paternity proceeds, to render me fruitful in offspring, that I may raise up children to God in this life, and in the world to come, heirs to the Kingdom of His Glory.  Amen.