But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provisions for the desires of the flesh. Romans 13:14
School begins for us next Wednesday. It’s been a great summer, but it’s time to transition, and prepare my kids and myself.
Like any mom out there, I worry a bit about Zack going into eighth grade and Mason going into sixth. We all remember how difficult Middle School can be with cliques, peer pressure, and bullying. Even though Jocelyn’s only going into second grade, I have similar concerns for her too. Sadly enough, in my entitled town, the “mean girl syndrome” starts early. I was shocked when we experienced it in kindergarten. No lie!
The harsh reality is: I can only do so much. From the moment they step on that bus in the morning, until the moment they step off in the afternoon, I am not there to protect them. That’s a very difficult thing to come to terms with.
In her reflection on August 19th, Deborah Meister taught me something about St. John Eudes. Above all else, he believed the most important thing we can do is teach our children the Sign of the Cross. It struck me as so simple, yet so profound. The more I worried about my kids, the more I realized God had just handed me an answer on a silver platter.
Sure, my kids do the Sign of the Cross before we pray in the car or before meals, but I never thought of having them make the Sign of the Cross before they stepped out into the world. If they do that, they’ll be surrounding themselves with the Father, the Son AND the Holy Spirit. What better amour or protection could I ever possibly equip them with?
My kids and I are all about visual reminders. So now, both doors we exit through to catch the kids’ respective buses are now labeled with big crosses. Hopefully, each day, that will prompt them to bless themselves with the Sign of the Cross before leaving our home.
I’m so relieved that what takes three seconds to do will mean they’ll never be alone. They will now be watched over, protected, and rightly guided, all day long.
Questions For Reflection:
* Do I worry about my kids when they are at school, or out in the world?
* If so, can I have my kids bless themselves with the Sign of the Cross to protect them as they leave my home?
Shifting My Perspective 
I love this idea, Claire!!! What a great way to start the year and make the kids feel that God is always with them!!
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Thanks, Pam. Now let’s see if we remember to do it on a daily basis…. 🙂
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