How I Purged 91% of Our Stuf

If there were a competition for de-cluttering, Id be the winner. I picture a Biggest Loser-style
competition. Confetti would fall onto my smiling face immediately after they shouted Sara
Bell, you got rid of 91% of your personal belongings. You are the biggest de-clutter-er!
No, really. I got rid of 91% of my personal belongings.
My husband and I love to travel, so we decided to move into a trailer and travel all over the
U.S and Canada. At the time, we lived in a two-bedroom condo with a garage so we knew
wed have a lot to get rid of. We just had no idea just how much!
Heres how we did it
1. Get rid of multiples.
Do we really need two TVs when only one of us actually watches TV? No. Then do we really
need two DVD players? No. Since our laptop plays DVDs and our Xbox is always hooked up
to the TV, do we need a DVD player at all? No.
Do we really need a desktop computer when we are usually just on the laptop? No. Do we
really need two bookshelves when neither is completely full and one is a little rickety? No.
Do I really need five of the same-sized sauce pan when there are only four burners on my
stove any ways? NO.
Once youve done that, congratulate yourself!
2. Get rid of the things you dont/wont use.
That vase was a gift but I think its ugly. I have hated every book Ive attempted to read by
that author, yet I still have three more of his/her books on my shelf. That dress hasnt fit me
since I was in high school. I dont know whose that is, but Im pretty sure its not even mine.
All of it has to go!
3. Get over it.
Yes this part is the hardest part, especially for me since I am a very sentimental person. I
was crying during half of my de-cluttering process because I felt guilty for getting rid of
things someone gave me.
I had movie ticket stubs dating back to 2002. I had sweaters Id hated from the moment Id
unwrapped them, many with the tag still intact. I had colorful scribbles drawn by kids whose
last names I couldnt even remember. I had 24 notes from my little sister-in-law, even
though they all say the exact same three sentences on them.
When I couldnt bring myself to throw something away, Id tell my husband. Some of the
things hed look at and say See if your parents will store it. Some hed look at and say,
Just keep that. Some hed look at and say Youre joking, right? Throw that away right
now.
If you cant throw a lot of it away, have a friend or family member do that with
you. They dont have the strange emotional ties to the object that you do, so theyll be able
to logically see if its something youll regret throwing away or if its garbage.
4. Sell that junk!
We gave our friends and family members a lot of things especially our furniture. We put
many of pricier items up on Craigslist and we had a big garage sale. Anything we couldnt
sell we either gave to Goodwill or threw away.
We didnt bring anything back into our house once it was out in that driveway.
5. Dont buy more.
Now Ive trained myself not to buy things I dont need. 91% of my belongings were things I
didnt really care about getting rid of. 91% of the things Id spent money on were things I
didnt mind throwing away.

I dont buy clutter anymore, so I have more money to experience life with. I dont
have a ton of clutter all over my tiny little trailer, so I dont have much tidying up to do and I
dont really feel any stress in that area. I de-clutter again on the first of every month but I
have to tell you, I de-clutter less and less every month and I think you will too.
The Recipe for Success: How to Be a Better Homemaker
Do you ever feel like you just dont have it together?
Are you disorganized and undisciplined?
Are you ever regretful when your husband comes home because you havent used your time
wisely that day?
Do you snap at your kids and speak unkind words to your husband?
Do you think back over the day disappointed with yourself because you know you should
have acted diferently in the area of __________(you fill in the blank)?
Do you ever just wish you were better at this homemaking thing?
Youre not alone. We all want to be better homemakers!
The Recipe for Success
Thats why we read blogs like Club31Women that will encourage us and give us helpful
advice, right?
But I think sometimes were a little too quick to run to our favorite blogger or website. We
expect the writing of a human to meet our needs.
If youre struggling with certain areas in your life that you know need to change, may I
encourage you to turn to the ONLY words that can change your life? Turn to the Bible.
Im not discouraging you from reading content thats Biblically-based. Thats a good thing.
But please dont allow it to replace the Word of God in your life.
Gods Words are the only ones written by a perfect Author. They are the only ones that can
act as a mirror, revealing whats in your heart. The only ones that can act as a sword, cutting
out those hidden parts of your life that need to be removed. The only ones that act as a
light, to guide you when you know you need to change but arent quite sure how.
If you choose the writings of only one person to read, study, and follow, let it be
the words of God.
The recipe for success is found in Joshua 1:8:
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day
and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then
thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
That includes successful homemaking!
Seek Gods face and rely on Him to be the woman He wants you to be.

CREAMY CROCKPOT MEXICAN CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:
2.5 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups salsa
1 can corn, drained (opt.)
8 oz. cream cheese

cooked rice (optional)

shredded cheese (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Dump all ingredients into crockpot. (this is the one I have)
2. Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours.
3. Shred chicken and serve over cooked rice or use as tortilla filling.
Top with shredded cheese if desired.
NOTES:
If this seems like it is going to be really soupy, you can leave the lid off
for the last hour to help thicken it.

Traditional Logic and why you should teach it

Weve been learning traditional logic in our homeschool for several years now. It is one of my
sons favorite subjects. I think he aspires to become a Vulcan. One thing that I find myself
saying a lot is, That was very Vulcan of you.
Why you should teach logic (my son helped me make this list!)
It literally makes your kids smarter. Research proves that studying the art of logic and critical
thinking increases IQ.
It literally makes them feel smarter.
It helps you see through propaganda and manipulation, especially with TV commercials and
political ads.
Many times in life, you need to make hard decisions and logic helps you make decisions by
erasing any unnecessary factors.
Everyday problems are easier to figure out when you think through the reasons why it is a
problem to begin with.
It teaches you how to reason and negotiate, and this is fun to doespecially with parents.
It helps you avoid traps and peer pressure.
Discussions are easier when you remove emotion and focus on facts.
Critical thinking helps to remove fear.
Learning how to think for yourself, instead of blindly accepting the ideas of other people, will
help a child in adulthood.
What we are currently using for logic
Traditional Logic I: An Introduction to Formal Logic by Martin Cothran. This curriculum
is published by Memoria Press. I shared a review last week of their Latin program. As I

said, Memoria Press is an amazing company. They are a family-run, Christian company who
emphasize logic, Latin, classical literature, and above all simplicity. The products are easy
to use and laid out in a way that brings simple joy to both the teacher and student.
This curriculum is designed for 7th grade and higher. There is also a level II for grades 8 and
up. There are 4 components to the complete set and here is how you use them:
1. The instructional DVD. You can view a sample lesson. At the beginning of the week,
you view the DVD lesson, taught by Martin Cothran.
2. The student text/workbook. This book reinforces what was taught in the DVD lesson.
Watching the lesson and then reading the lesson will help your child master the material
more efficiently. View a sample of the student text. There are 14 chapters altogether. Each
chapter contains an introduction and 4 days of written exercises.
3. Quizzes and final exam. This book contains 13 quizzes and one final exam. The pages
are perforated for easy removal.
4. Teachers workbook and test key. This book contains all of the answers to the
workbook exercises and test pages.
PRAYER BEFORE MEDITATION
My God, I firmly believe that Thou art here present. I acknowledge that on account of my
many sins I am utterly unworthy to appear before Thy sacred countenance. Yet, confiding in
Thy infinite goodness and mercy, I venture to address Thee, to call upon Thy holy name, and
meditate upon Thy commandments, in order that I may acquire a better knowledge of Thy
holy will, and accomplish it with more fidelity. Wherefore enlighten my understanding that I
may perceive what I ought to do or leave undone for the promotion of Thy glory and my own
salvation; at the same time excite my will, that I may repent with my whole heart of my past
sins, and resolve for the future to do all that Thou requirest of me. Grant me above all to
know Jesus, my divine Teacher and Guide, more clearly, that I may love Him more dearly,
and consequently labor, struggle and sufer with greater generosity and self-sacrifice in
imitation of His example. Holy Mary, Mother of God and my Mother, show Jesus to me now,
and let me study thy divine Son to the salvation of my soul. Holy Guardian Angel, keep far
from me all distracting thoughts; my patron saint, come to my assistance. Amen.
Source: - Meditations on the Life, Teaching, and Passion of Jesus Christ
(Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur: New York, December 31, 1900)
BY A MONK OF THE HOLY ORDER OF ST. BENEDICT - ENDORSEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP
ULLATHORNE
My Dear Father van Volckxsom:
I thank you for your interesting little essay and instruction on Parental blessings. It is a
subject on which I have preached all my life, and especially at visitations. If parents would
but consider the sanctity of their office, and sanctify themselves for it, the houses of Catholic
families would be like chapels. I pray God to bless you, and am, Rev. and dear Father,
Your devoted servant in Christ,
+ W . B . ULLATHOHNE.
+

Can anything in a Christian family equal in beauty the sight of children who, from the
youngest to the oldest, present themselves each night with reverence before their father
and mother to receive their blessing before retiring to rest? This touching ceremony
ennobles a family, and consecrates authority; natural, afection ignites a spark of the love of
God, and the domestic hearth becomes a threshold of Heaven! God grant that this pious

custom may be ever maintained where it already exists, and be adopted where, either
through neglect, or the chilling efect of a Protestant atmosphere, it
has hitherto not been practiced!
A blessing imparted in the name of God is more than a good wish: it is also a prayer. Such a
solemn invocation of the authority of God, made by a parent for his children, cannot fail to
be efficacious. The Holy Ghost Himself makes Ecclesiasticus say: The father's blessing
establisheth the houses of the children (ch. II . 11).
The sign of the Cross was still unknown in the time of the Patriarchs.
The day bad not yet dawned when the Man-God, by dying the ignominious death on the
Cross, was thereby to change that sign of foolishness into one in which the great St. Paul,
and all Christians after him, were to glory. The Patriarchs of old, in blessing their children,
extended their hands over their heads. With such a rite did Abraham bless Isaac, and Isaac
his son Jacob, and Jacob his twelve sons. Under the Old Law, only the fathers had seemingly
the privilege of giving their blessing to their children; but under the New Law,ever since,
through Mary, women have been raised to a loftier condition; and ever since one Of their sex
"blessed among all women" (Luke I . 28) was found worthy to become the Mother of God,
the right of blessing their children has been conferred also upon mothers.
The history of parental blessings presents many edifying examples, for our admiration and
imitation.
The fathers and mothers of the Martyrs used to give their blessings to their sons and
daughters as they lay in chains in their prisons; and these blessings filled them with a
renewed courage to sufer more for Christ.
In the history of the Fathers of the Church, we read that the saintly Macrina daily blessed her
grandsons: one lived to become the great St. Basil, and the other St. Gregory of Nyssa.
Nonna, the mother of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, also, blessed her son; and from a child she
consecrated him to Jesus Christ, by placing his little hands on the sacred Scriptures.
St. Louis, King of France, when about to die on the African coast, addressed the following
words to his son, who stood by his deathbed:
"My dearson, I give you all the blessings which a good father can give to his son."
The young John Gerson, one of the claimants to the authorship of "The Following of Christ,"
who in after - life became the Chancellor of the University of Paris, daily headed his eleven
brothers and sisters to receive the blessing of their father and mother.
St. Francis of Sales reverently knelt every night at the feet of his parents to receive their
blessing; until the day, when, having received the episcopal consecration, these Christian
parents knelt in their turn before their son, to receive his blessing.
The historian of St. Jane Frances of Chantal, speaking about the manner in which she
educated her children, proceeds thus: "Shortly after supper, this pious mother used to
withdraw with her children to make them say their night prayers, of which a De Profundis for
the soul of the late Baron, their father, formed a part that was never omitted. After a few
moments devoted to the examination of conscience, she made them say aloud and all
together the short prayer: "In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum"Into thy hands I
commend my spirit (Luke xxiii . 46)after which she blessed each with Holy Water and the
sign of the Cross, and made them undress with modesty."
The writer of the life of Blessed Sir Thomas More makes the following remark: " In our

Country, children are wont to ask on their knees, at morning and at night, the blessing of
their fathers and mothers. This is the common usage in England. But I must confess that
when grown up, married, or raised to some high dignity in the Church or in the State,
children generally give up this pious practice, or at least it is retained by but few . "The more
remarkable in this respect was the faithfulness of Sir Thomas himself. During the whole of
his father's lifetime, and even when he was holding the office of Chancellor of England, Sir
Thomas never failed to come every night to ask him reverently for his blessing.
In monasteries, at night at the hour of Compline, ere the monks are dismissed to their cells,
the Abbot, who stands to his subjects as a true father, making the sign of the Cross over
them, pronounces the words: "May the Almighty and merciful God, Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, bless and guard us." And in like manner, in the morning at the hour of Prime: "May
the Lord bless us and defend us from all evil and lead us to eternal life."
This parental blessing instils into the hearts of children a greater and purer love for their
parents. Their filial afection daily grows by this impressive rite, in which the parent stands
before the eyes of his children as the representative of God, and as the minister of His
Divine Blessing. He performs essentially an act of authority. This cross which you have
traced on the forehead of your children, O fathers and mothers! changes their natural love
for you into a more spiritual dutifulness, and helps to insure forever their respect and
veneration for you. ~
Under the influence of your blessing, the child Will also learn to treat his body with respect.
May it not suggest, in a critical moment of temptation, that it would ill become this brow,
which but this morning, or this night , was blessed with the sign of the cross, to have reason
to blush under the silent, but scrutinizing look of a father or a mother, when the time for the
next blessing has come round? The time of this blessing is also a most favorable time for
acknowledgment of faults, for pardon, for solemn and serious advice; the blessing should be
withheld in case no signs of repentance are shown for some fault committed in the course of
the day.
Finally, this blessing is not without its beneficial efects upon him who confers it , for it must
needs make him better, more Christian-like, more holy. When a parent sees his children
bowing down before him, it brings home to him the great fact that he, also, as well as the
Bishop of his diocese, or the Priest of his parish, has in a certain sense the care of souls, and
that he owes his family the good example of a lively, and practical Faith, and that he must
be to them the pattern of all Christian virtues; for it is written: "The Just that walketh in his
simplicity shall leave behind him blessed children" (Prov. xx. 1).
Let, then, this blessing recover the place of honor it held in all Christian times! Fathers and
mothers! confer it in the simplicity of the rite of old, and of better days. When after night
prayers, or before retiring to their rest, your children are come to you to wish you a good
night, place for an instant your left hand upon their heads, and with the thumb of the right
hand trace the sign of the Cross upon each forehead either silently, or saying: "May God
bless you, my child;" or, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
It is the "Good-night" of the Christian, a good-night eminently religious, which brings to their
minds the wholesome, thought of Eternity!
Perhaps you are not rich; it may be you have no great fortune to bequeath to your children;
but what you have at least to bestow upon them is the inheritance of your blessing: and far
more profitable than riches is eternal salvation.
Source: The Faith That Never Dies, Impritmatur 1900

"And in general, see that you take infinitely less care of those edifices which are raised with
stone and mortar, than of the spiritual temples of God; these temples are your brethren and
the pupils entrusted to your faithful care, whom you should feed, watch over, and especially
urge on to advance in virtue; this is the sovereign duty committed to your zeal.
~ St. Francis Xavier ~
On the Duty of the Christian Mother
The Example of Our Blessed Lord
AND they brought to Him young children, that He might touch them. And the disciples
rebuked them that brought them.
And when Jesus saw it, He was much displeased, and said to them: "Sufer the little children
to come to Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."
St. Mark 10. 13-16.
ON THE DUTY OF THE CHRISTIAN MOTHER
St. Monica, before the birth of the great St. Augustine, dedicated him by frequent oblations
to the Christian religion, and to the service and glory of God, as he himself witnesses, saying
: " That he hath already tasted the salt of God in his mother's womb." This is a great lesson
for Christian women to ofer up to His Divine Majesty the fruit of their wombs, even before
they come into the world ; for God, who accepts the oferings of an humble and willing heart,
commonly at that time seconds the afections of mothers; witness Samuel, St. Thomas of
Aquin, St. Andrew of Fiesola, and divers others.
The mother of St. Bernard, a mother worthy of such a son, as soon as her children were
born, took them in her arms, and ofered them up to Jesus Christ, and from thence forward
loved them with respect, as things consecrated and entrusted to her by God; which
succeeded so happily to her that in the end the whole seven became very holy. But when
children begin to have the use of reason, both their fathers and mothers ought to take great
care to imprint the fear of God in their hearts. The good Queen Blanche performed this office
fervently with regard to the King St. Louis, her son; she often said to him: "I had much
rather, my dear child, see you die before my eyes, than see you commit even one mortal sin
;" which caution remained so deeply engraved on his soul that, as he himself related, not
one day of his life passed in which he did not remember it, and take all possible care strictly
to observe it. Families and generations in our language are called houses ; and even the
Hebrews called the generations of children the building up of a house; for it is in this sense it
is said that God built houses for the midwives of Egypt.
Now, this is to show that the raising of a house or family consists not in storing up a quantity
of worldly goods, but in the good education of children in the fear of God, and in virtue, in
which no pains or labors ought to be spared, for children are the crown of their parents.
~ St, Francis de Sales.~
Mary, obtain for me the gift that I may have the confidence of my children. As you know, a
mother needs this confidence in order to guide her children properly. When there are
difficulties or problems or troubles, may they be shared with me trustingly, that i may be
able more readily to perform a mother's task of helping her child. And, Mother Most Prudent,
when this confidence is shown, teach me how to help and instruct my child. Be to me a
Mother of Good Counsel and direct me at all times in the responsibilities of my holy office of
motherhood. Amen.
~ Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!
taken from: The Mother's Manual, Imprimatur 1943
A Prayer for Mothers and Teachers
O most holy Virgin Mary, who didst bear Jesus our Saviour and didst shed the everlasting

Light upon the world, O Mother of divine knowledge, whose merciful intercession hath
procured the grace of increasing in knowledge and piety for countless minds that were rude
and ignorant, I choose thee as the guide and patroness of my studies.
By thine intercession, O Mother of fruitful studies, may the Holy Spirit fill my spirit with
light and fortitude, prudence and humility; may He give me good will, intelligence, memory
and ability in sufficient measure, and above all, a spirit of docility both in mind and heart,
that I may proceed in all things according to the counsels of divine Wisdom.
Defend me, good Mother, against the spirit of pride and presumption, of vain curiousity
and instability; keep me from every occasion of stumbling, from all erroneous opinion, and
from all things that may corrupt my faith and disturb the clearness of my understanding, the
purity of my heart, and the peace of my soul.
Grant, O Mary, that, under thy protection, I may ever be submissive to the directions and
teachings of Holy Church, my mother, and may advance in the way of truth and virtue
surely, courageously and without wavering; at length may I attain to the knowledge, the love
and the everlasting possession of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
An indulgence of 500 days (Pius X, Rescript in his own hand, April 26, 1907, exhib. April 27,
1907; S.P. Ap., Sept. 18, 1933)
A Prayer for Parents, For Themselves and Their Children
A PRAYER FOR PARENTS, FOR THEMSELVES, AND FOR THEIR CHILDREN
O Father of mankind, Who hast given unto me these my children and committed them to
my charge, to bring them up for Thee, and to prepare them for everlasting life, assist me
with Thy heavenly grace, that I may be able to fulfill this most sacred duty and stewardship.
Teach me both what to give, and what to withhold; when to reprove, and when to forbear;
make me to be gentle, yet firm; considerate and watchful; and deliver me equally from the
weakness of indulgence, and the excess of severity; and grant that, both by work and
example, I may be careful to lead them in the ways of wisdom and true piety; so that at last
I may with them, be admitted to the unspeakable joys of our true home in heaven, in unity
of the blessed angels and saints, where Thou, O Father, with Jesus, Thy only begotten Son, in
the unity of the Holy Ghost, livest and reignest one God, forever and ever.
O heavenly Father, I commend my children unto Thee, Be Thou their God and Father, and
mercifully supply whatever is wanting in me through frailty of negligence. Strengthen them
to overcome the corruptions of the world, too resist the solicitations of evil, whether from
within or without; and deliver them from the secret snares of the enemy. Pour Thy grace into
their hearts, and confirm and multiply in them the gifts of the Holy Ghost, that they may
daily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Our Lord Jesus Chrrist; and so faithfully serving
Thee here, may cometo rejoice before Thee hereafter. Through the merits of the same our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth. Amen.
~ Goffine's Devout Instruction, Imprimatur 1896 ~
To Mothers and Fathers
TO FATHERS AND MOTHERS
The Heart of a child is as wax, capable of receiving any impression, good or bad; it is a plain
white linen, upon which all colors may be stamped. It is to parents that God has entrusted
the care of impressing on these young, pure hearts all true and virtuous feelings, those first
impressions which are never completely efaced. If they are careful to inculcate in their
children the sentiment of duty, the love and fear of God, a horror of sin, and the necessity of
religion, they lay the foundation of the future happiness of these little ones whom the
providence of God has confided to their care.
How often the sorrow and trouble by which fathers and mothers are overwhelmed toward
the close of their lives is trouble which they have entirely brought upon themselves! They
reap what they have sown by their neglect, their want of faith, and by the few good
examples with which they surrounded the early youth of their son, or of their daughter. But,
on the other hand, how happy and peaceful are the closing years of life to the father and

mother who have spent their days in one lifelong endeavor to make their children true and
earnest Christians! They, too, shall reap what they have sown; fruits of peace and joy and
love, of which death itself shall not be able to deprive them, and which shall follow them
even unto the bosom of their God.
~From Monseigneur De Segur~
"The Faith That Never Dies," Imprimatur 1900
The Rearing of Children
Below is a lovely article, where I acquired it I don't actually know. May God give us all the
grace and wisdom to raise our children to be Saints!
PRAYER TO THE HOLY GHOST
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their
exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the
passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever.
Amen.
More than a century ago, on April 9th, 1888, Thrse Martin entered the Carmel of Lisieux
where she was to die 9 years later in the odor of sanctity. But we should make no mistake:
St. Thrse did not become a Saint in 9 years. The young girl of 15 who crossed the threshold
of Carmel that day had already advanced quite far on the "straight way that leads to
Heaven". Her parents were her first "Novice Masters" and their own holiness strongly
influenced the future Saint. It is certainly worth noting that both Mr. and Mrs. Martin are
candidates for beatification. They have already passed the first step towards canonization by
being declared Venerable. Many of the letters written by St. Thrse's mother are still extant
and, besides giving us many details about the Martin family, they form almost a treatise on
Catholic education. Mrs. Martin understood very well that Catholic education means much
more than morning and evening prayer, attendance at Mass and sending the children to a
good Catholic school. After bestowing natural life, parents must see to it that their children
receive also supernatural life through Baptism. And then, they have to foster the
development both of the body and of the soul. Mrs. Martin, as a truly Catholic mother,
always gave priority to the soul. She considered her children as a sacred trust received from
God and never lost sight of this important truth: a child is not a plaything.
If baptism removes original sin, it nevertheless leaves in the soul the four wounds of malice,
infirmity, ignorance and concupiscence. Anyone who has been around little children knows
that this is no mere theory. Very soon little ones begin to manifest evil tendencies. Too often,
parents smile at these childish outbursts of anger, jealousy, stubbornness, pride, etc... which
they even consider "cute". No, a child is NEVER CUTE when he is stubborn, proud, etc...
Vices are like weeds. If you uproot them as soon as they show up, you will pull the whole
thing out without difficulty. But, do not weed your garden for a few weeks... and you will see
the result! If children are corrected from their early childhood, the whole task of education
will be much easier. Mrs. Martin never showed any weakness. She never allowed
stubbornness or childish whims. Writing to her brother about Pauline (the future Mother
Agnes of Jesus), she could say: "I have never spoiled her, and LITTLE THOUGH SHE WAS, I
never let anything pass unchecked. Without making a martyr of her, I nevertheless made
her obey." Children can easily be "fussy" at table. St. Thrse's parents never gave way on
this point. At table, children had to behave themselves and no grumbles at dishes they did
not like much were ever tolerated. This may seem trivial matter, and how often parents take
the easy way out by just yielding to their children. No one will deny that it is a trying task to
train children to eat everything, but it is of much greater importance than it may seem at
first sight. In fact, you do not only train your children's eating habits, you also train their will,
and they will need a strong will to remain Catholic in our apostate world. In Lent, Mrs. Martin
would subject the menu to some restrictions and all the fasts of the Church were
scrupulously observed, which is an example all Catholic families should follow. It proves to

be a great means of promoting a true spirit of mortification in the children.

You may raise the objection: "What a dull life for children!" Oh, no! The Martin family was
happy and cheerful and the five girls were very lively. Mrs. Martin had a real gift for
stimulating the generosity of her children. She always used supernatural motives to
persuade them to fulfill their duties: a sinner to convert, to console Our Lord, etc... In a
letter, she reports that her eldest daughter, Marie, valiantly faced the dentist remember,
they did not put your mouth to sleep in those days! to obtain graces for her grandfather
who had died recently. Marie was only 9 years old then, and she even felt sorry when the
dentist did not pull out her tooth. "It is a pity", she exclaimed, "Grandpa would have left
Purgatory!" Later on, when her eldest daughters had reached their teens, Mrs. Martin knew
how to let them talk freely with her. She deemed it very important that her girls could
express their mind fully so that, with much tact and kindness, she could rectify her
daughters' judgment and teach them how to look at everything from the standpoint of Faith.
The best praise of her "educational system" was given her by her own daughters at the
process of beatification of St. Thrse: "We were not spoiled. Our mother watched very
carefully over her children's souls, and not the smallest fault ever went unreproved. Her
training was kind and loving, but attentive and thorough."
St. Thrse of the Child Jesus is probably the only Saint about whose childhood we have so
many details. In the first four and a half years of St. Thrse's life, Mrs. Martin wrote over 120
letters, mainly to her brother and to her daughter Pauline. These letters are an invaluable
source of information. They reveal to us the dawn of sanctity in a soul as well as the
important part played by the parents in the formation of a Saint. In spite of all her good
qualities, St. Thrse was not born a Saint. Like the rest of us, she had been wounded by
original sin and if her defects were small, they were nevertheless real. there is, for instance,
the delightful incident of the two sugar rings, a treasure for a little girl. St. Thrse, who had
a heart of gold, resolved to give one of the rings to her sister Celine. Alas, on the way home
she lost one of the precious rings. What was she to do? Should she give the only ring left to
Celine or keep it for herself? The shrewd little girl soon found the solution to this dilemma
and declared that, unfortunately, it was Celine's ring that got lost! And the Saint comments:
"See, how from childhood we instinctively safeguard our own interests!" And who will not
see the "daughter of Eve" in the little Thrse who thought she would have looked much
nicer with her arms bare when her mother had her wear a pretty dress but with long
sleeves?! St. Thrse had remarkable qualities too, especially her crystal-clear honesty. Mrs.
Martin could write, with some legitimate parental pride: "The little one would not tell a lie for
all the gold in the world." Little Thrse would always avow her baby faults to her parents
without seeking any excuse and would then ask for forgiveness and await her punishment.
There is something very charming in this innocent child and it is best expressed in Mrs.
Martin's own words, in a letter to Pauline: "She (Thrse) had broken a small vase, the size of
my thumb, which I had given to her that morning. As usual when she has any accident, she
came at once to show it to me. I showed some displeasure. Her little heart swelled...A
moment later, she ran to me and said: 'Don't be sad, Mother, when I earn money, I promise
you I will buy you another.' As you see it will be a while before I get it!"
St. Thrse was an oversensitive little girl. Her eyes would easily fill with tears. One day
Celine accused her of "bringing up her dolls badly and letting them have their way." That
was enough to make Thrse cry. Yet she did not have a weak character, on the contrary she
had a very strong will and could even be stubborn. Referring to her two main "weaknesses",
i.e. her oversensitiveness and her strong will, St. Thrse wrote: "With such dispositions, I
feel sure that, had I been brought up by careless parents, I would have become very wicked,
and would maybe even have lost my soul." Such a statement should arouse in parents a
salutary fear and make them realize their responsibility. Try to imagine what St. Thrse
would have become if she had spent most of her time sprawled on the carpet watching TV or
listening to rock music, if she had been free to indulge all her whims...A good form of

examination for parents would be the answer to the following question: "Would St. Thrse
have become a Saint if she had been brought up the way I bring my children up?" If the
answer is "no", then think of the account Mrs. Martin would have had to render to God if,
through a careless upbringing, she had deprived God and the world of St. Thrse... We are
sure you will then lose no time in reforming your method of education, for the greater good
of your soul and of your children's souls.
Let us place ourselves at Mrs. Martin's school. The first thing to bear in mind is that, by
baptism, any child is God's child. Several times a day, Mrs. Martin would put on her little
girl's lips this little prayer: "My God, I give You my heart; Take it, please, so that no creature
may possess it, but You alone, Jesus." St. Thrse was taught to do everything to please God,
and for love of Jesus. One day, Thrse could not open the door of the room where Celine
was having her lessons. In her frustration, she lay down in front of the door. Her mother told
her that she should not behave like this. But the next day, when she found herself before the
closed door, she lay down on the floor again. Her sister Mary told her: "Little Thrse, you
hurt the little Jesus very much when you do this." Thrse looked up at her sister. She had
understood and she never did it again. Her mother initiated her from a very early age in the
art of making sacrifices and when St. Thrse wrote that since the age of three she had
never refused anything to the Good God, it was a tribute not only to her personal holiness
but also to Mrs. Martin's method of education.
There is no cry-room in France and St. Thrse had to behave herself in church. She loved to
go to Mass and at two and a half she would cry if she could not go not only to Mass but also
to Vespers. Even though she was very intelligent, she nevertheless surprised her parents
when she declared one day: "The sermon was better than usual, but it was long all the
same"!! Cry-rooms are not bad in themselves, but alas, too often parents use them as
nurseries. It is certainly easier to let your little ones cry, play and eat in the cry-room than to
discipline them and teach them how to behave in the House of God. But how many children
are drastically retarded in their spiritual growth because up to the age of three, four, or five
they have never attended Mass outside of a cry-room, playing, eating, etc... Parents must
apply to themselves the words of St. Paul (I Cor. 3:9). They are "God's helpers", and their
children are "God's tillage, God's building". God found in Mrs. Martin a faithful collaborator.
To be the mother of a Saint was her happiness on earth and it is her glory in Heaven. This
happiness and this glory are meant to be yours too, if you cooperate with God in the work of
the sanctification of your children.