How many times have you passed a construction site and not seen a work crew? The projected date of completion is then set-back, for reasons we do not know. There can be no progress without a work crew.
Building a strong foundation on which to travel through life to Heaven, requires a work crew. That's why God gave us the gift of family. Daily work and maintenance is required of everyone, utilizing the special gift given to each person. Just as construction crews have people with expertise in the different areas of construction, family members have differing skills we need to identify. Valuing each member for the contribution they bring and giving them the freedom to help work on our crew, allows progress to be made toward building a foundation on virtues.
Every crew needs instruction and the proper tools. I wish I would have known to teach my children when they were young about virtues and the joy of serving God together, through serving our family. The times I told them to clean, I don't remember teaching them to clean as if Jesus was using it, and then working with them to accomplish it. I just expected them to know how to clean a bathroom or bedroom and told them where the cleansers were. Working together and each doing what they can do best, whether it takes longer or is done as good as you could do it alone, is what God does with us. It is so humbling to be asked by God to work with Him, when I know He doesn't really need me. That's love! He values the contribution I can make with the gifts He has given me. But even when I don't contribute, and there are set-backs, He still values me and I still have the gifts He has given me.
The crew leader of all jobs, especially in marriage and parenting, is the Holy Spirit. Teaching Confirmation classes for well over a decade, I am reminded of the acronym used to teach the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The two words are: work crew, spelled phonetically: WURK CRW. Each letter represents one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgement, Knowledge, Courage, Reverence, Wonder & Awe.
Each day no matter where we are in the cycle of family life, a single adult, young family, empty-nesters, etc., we need to call in the 'wurk crw.' We know the gifts that the Holy Spirit brings to the table and He wants to work with us. We should let our spouse and children hear us call out to the Holy Spirit when the situation calls for more courage, or understanding, or right judgement, etc. There will always be set-backs and bumpy roads, but we must remember that even with set-backs, we still have our gifts from God and He loves us. That doesn't change. For instance, when I have spent quite a bit of time organizing and cleaning but no one notices, it doesn't change the fact that everything is clean and organized. No matter what happens in our life, it doesn't change the fact that God loves us and pours His gifts upon us each day.
One of my biggest challenges is to push myself to continue "construction" when things go wrong, even though I prayed, called upon the gifts of the Holy Spirit, persevered in doing something I did not want to do, loved when I didn't feel like loving. My first thought is usually to give up and quit trying. But that road leads to nowhere. We are members of God's family and a part of His work crew building the highway to Heaven. It is a privilege, set-backs and all. God can do it without us, but He loves and honors us each day by letting us help Him. Progress is made when we are united as one family working together with Him.
Sometimes a bridge needs to be repaired between family members, or between God and us. God's mercy is plentiful and waiting for us in the sacrament of Reconciliation, even though it is a road less traveled. Until the repair is made, the road will always be bumpy. He gives us the tool of forgiveness in order to be able to forgive others freely, and pave our way with virtue. God is always instructing us through His Word and gifting us with all the tools we need!
"May your good spirit guide me on level ground." (Psalm 1143:10)
"The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him; a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2)
"In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envious of one another." (Galatians 5:22-23, 26)
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