God always comes through. ALWAYS.
Here I was pre-Ronan, worried about how I'm going to handle 4 children all under 5 years of age. I'm mean, they're all still SO DEPENDENT on mom in many ways. "How will I manage to nurse the baby while chasing and rallying three other littles?" "Geez, I hope our house doesn't look like a war zone; I hope I can still keep it somewhat tidy..." "Is it going to be super stressful a lot more? I feel like it'll be pretty crazy..." On and on goes the worry train.
To be honest, I was picturing constant chaos and messiness...and mentally preparing for that adjustment.
So obviously, I was praying about everything and begging God's grace. (I'm such a baby).
Let me tell you: GOD ALWAYS COMES THROUGH.
He really does.
...I wonder when I'm going to get that through my thick skull.
Picture break...
Little fam fun at the park
Bill laughed at our selfie pic... whatever Bill. You're just too cool
My little lady, Reesa!
Roni Bologna
When God sent Ronan (see above picture) our way, it was His Will.
In Fr. Jean-Baptiste and St. Claude de la Columbiere's book Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, we learn that "the more we submit to God's designs for us, the more we advance towards perfection. When we resist we go backwards."
This brings me to the point of trusting in God in ALL things - good, bad, silly and ugly.
Further, these holy men write:
It is then a truth of our faith that God is responsible for all the happenings we complain of in the world and, furthermore, we cannot doubt that all the misfortunes God sends us have a very useful purpose. We cannot doubt it without imputing to God a lack of judgment in deciding what is advantageous for us.
It is usually the case that other people can see better than we can ourselves what is good for us. It would be foolish to think that we can see better than God Himself, Who is not subject to any of the passions that blind us, knows the future and can foresee all events and the consequences of every action.
Experience shows that even the gravest misfortunes can have good results and the greatest successes end in disaster. A rule also that God usually follows is to attain His ends by ways that are the opposite to those human prudence would normally choose.
In our ignorance of what the future holds, how can we be so bold as to question what comes about by God's permission?
Yes, really. Why do we worry? Why are we anxious? Why do we fear certain things?
Because we lack trust in God and His Providence which He ordains for our ultimate good: our salvation and attainment of heaven.
Ways to help you live a trustful surrender in God
1. Frequent practice of the virtue of submission (surrender to God's Holy Will)
From Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence:
As the opportunities for practicing submission in a big way come rather seldom, we must take advantage of the small ones which occur daily, and which will soon put us in a position to face the greater trials with equanimity when the time comes. There is no one who does not experience a hundred small annoyances every day, caused either by our own carelessness or inattention, or by the inconsideration or spite of other people, or by pure accident. Our whole lives are made up of incidents of this kind, occurring ceaselessly from one minute to another and producing a host of involuntary feelings of dislike and aversion, envy, fear and impatience to trouble the serenity of our minds. We let an incautious word slip out and wish we had not said it; someone says something we find offensive; we have to wait a long time to be served when we are in a hurry; we are irritated by a child's boisterousness; a boring acquaintance buttonholes us in the street; a car splashes us with mud; the weather spoils our outing; our work is not going as well as we would wish; a tool breaks at a critical moment; we get our clothes torn or stained -- these are not occasions for practicing heroic virtue but they can be a means of acquiring it if we wish. If we were careful to offer all these petty annoyances to God and accept them as being ordered by His providence we would soon be in a position to support the greatest misfortunes that can happen to us, besides at the same time insensibly drawing close to intimate union with God.
2. Don't waste time complaining or wallowing in self-pity and self-misery.
If some misfortune should happen to you, instead of wasting time in complaint or self-pity, go throw yourself at once at the feet of your Savior and implore His grace to bear your trial with fortitude and patience. A man who has been badly wounded does not, if he is wise, chase after his assailant, but makes straight for a doctor who may save his life.
3. Repeat acts of trust: "Jesus, I trust in You. Increase my trust."
4. Persevere in prayer for whatever you feel your need is.
Those who get tired after praying for a time are lacking in either humility or confidence, and so do not deserve to be heard. You would think that they expected their requests to be obeyed at once as if they were orders. Surely we know that God resists the proud and shows His favors to the humble.
5. Make an Act of Faith and Hope.
Meditate well on the truth that God's continual care extends not only to all things in general but to each particular thing, and especially to ourselves, our souls and bodies, and everything that concerns us. Nothing escapes His loving watchfulness -- our work, our daily needs, our health as well as our infirmities, our life and our death, even the smallest hair on our head which cannot fall without His permission
6. Make an Act of Charity.
Show your deep love and attachment for Divine Providence as a child shows for its mother by taking refuge in her arms. Say how highly you esteem all His intentions, however hidden they may be, in the knowledge that they spring from an infinite wisdom which cannot make a mistake and supreme goodness which can wish only the perfection of His creatures.
God ALWAYS gives the grace
I remember my friend once expressing to me that essentially, we don't have the grace we need for something in the future because we're not at that moment yet.
Lesson: Actual graces are only give to you in the present moment for whatever task God is calling you to; they're not "stored ahead" for something in the future.
So, in this case of having Ronan, I worried if I'd "be patient enough," "if I'd manage 4 small children" but I forgot that God hadn't given me the graces I needed to handle it yet. I wasn't at that point in my life when I actually had 4 children (outside my womb at least, haha).
We need to wait, be patient and trust that the Lord will come through, especially come through on our weaknesses, making up for where we are lacking. So if you're worrying about how you'll handle something in the future or what you'll do, just remember: God hasn't given you the grace for it yet. But when that time comes, if you're praying and asking, He'll come through.
So end note here: God is always faithful, He really is. We're all managing just fine here after a month and a half of finally being settled in with Ronan. We're happier than ever! :) Different struggles and learning lessons, but happy and joyful nonetheless. And a bonus: Our house is still kept clean and tidy (this is important to me, haha). I mean, right now it looks a little sloppy (I can't follow behind everyone's butt and be pick-up police), but typically at a couple different points in the day (before rest-time and before bed time), everyone chips in to put things back in their places.
Life is beautiful!
Yes, God always gives the graces you need.
Just be ready for moments like these sometimes...