Monday Monday.....don't go away

This weekend I did something I rarely do. The animals had me up early and I put the tv on and I actually watched a minister on television preach. The people I work with rave about this man, Joel Osteen. I have to admit that I enjoyed the sermon very much. He was preaching about CONTROL. It hit home for me. He was saying that we have to allow our children to grow up. To make their own decisions, even when we don't agree with them. So often we have planned our children's lives out. When they don't follow our plan we try to guilt them or push them to do what we want. That only makes them angry and ruins our relationship with them. I know that but it's still hard not to think that Mom knows best.
Yesterday my son came over and sat down. He looked serious and began to tell me a story about where he works. He began with "Did Dad call and tell you what happened?" Immediately I ASSumed that something had happened with his job. It was really an entertaining story in which my son impressed the police, his bosses and a coworker. It really made me think how often I have preconceived notions about his behavior. My little boy that insisted on three books a night before he would go to sleep is grown up. As much as my instinct will always be to protect him, I have to see him through different eyes. He's a man. An intelligent man at that. Even though I think that at times he makes mistakes, I have made mistakes. It's easy to give our children roots but it's another thing to give them wings. I think when we do give them wings it takes a huge load off of our shoulders. The wings are just as essential to give and our job is only half done when we fail to do that.
I also went to mass yesterday. It's lent. This year the emphasis is on doing a good deed instead of denying oneself. I like that much better. I hadn't given up anything for lent so this works for me. Since lent began I have tried to do one good deed a day. Most have been anonymous. That's the true way to do a good deed. At first I thought it might be hard to come up with something everyday. Not at all.
Yesterday I cleaned out my overflow food pantry in the garage and I have a nice bag of groceries for the food center. Yesterday I cleaned out my closet and took a nice bag of clothes to the women's shelter. It's such a good feeling to share and most of us have things we don't need or use. Today I am also donating an extra coffee maker to our office. This lent has meant much more to me spiritually than ones past. Try doing one good deed today and see how good it feels.