Going Into the Future With Christ
Planning for the future marks the end of our series: Ekonomia: Home Management Toward Heaven.
Several weeks ago we introduced this new series, Ekonomia: Home Management toward Heaven. If you missed that article or video, check it out here. Then we started building our home management system by Simplifying. After that we built a firm foundation of home management. Then we mastered meals, made clear cleaning plans, and finally worked out a budget.
If you want to watch the video version of this article, check it out below. Otherwise, continue reading for this content in blog article format.
The Admirable Heart of Mary
The Admirable Heart of Mary, part four, Chapter five, paragraph eight:
“Our Lady possesses a special knowledge of those who are most devoted to her; she knows God’s designs concerning them, the road they should follow to reach God, the state and dispositions of their souls, all the accidents that befall them, all their possible perils, the pains they suffer, interiorly and exteriorly. She knows the temptations that assail them, the evil schemes of their enemies and all their corporeal and spiritual needs, so that she may assist, protect, defend and strengthen her faithful followers, obtain from her divine son the help they need most, and be herself the best of mothers to them. From this you can estimate the happiness and advantages enjoyed by those who make themselves worthy to be numbered among the true children of Our Lady’s loving heart.”
Ekonomia Printable Handy!
This week we are going through the last few pages of our home management printable set. So this way we can complete the building of our home management system!
Checklist
First is our Ekonomia checklist, which gives us an idea of what we are thinking about when we talk about planning for the future. At the top of the list is our vocation. Then our goals, and our dreams for the future. Finally we end the list with our need to work on healthy habits in mind.
Vocation Training – Preparing for the Future
Vocation can be a complicated thing for stay at home moms. There is a lot of pressure to think staying at home is not hard work, or that it is less of a job than a 9 to 5. But anyone who has done it knows that it is more than a full-time job. It is not 8 hours a day – it is 24 hours a day! There are no mandatory breaks, no lunch breaks, no sick days, and you don’t get paid to do it either. It would be the worst job in the world if it wasn’t also the best one. But the reason it is the best one isn’t because you get the nourish the next generation, or watch your children grow up. It is because it is a vocation, the path by which God calls us to holiness.
And so it is with all our vocations. Mine as a wife and mother, and writer. Yours as whatever God has called for you, whether you are at home or work outside the home.
Vocation Training Worksheet
There is always room to grow – skills to improve on for each of our vocations. And that is why in our Ekonomia Printable Packet there is a Vocation Training worksheet. There you can compile a list of resources you come across that that could help you grow in your vocation.
So for example, if I hear about a book about ways to be a thoughtful Christian wife, I can write it down under books. And then take the time later to see if it is at the library or if I can buy it. Or perhaps someone recommends a podcast on Montessori Homeschooling by a Catholic mom. I can note it under podcasts to look into. And if I get an email about a free week long cooking course, I can note it with the date it will happen under courses!
You could print this sheet several times to separate skills to help with different vocations to different sheets, or you can keep it all together on one page.
Now when you have some future time to focus on growing in your vocation, you have a list ready of material to explore!
Future Goals
Next up in the printable packet is a place to organize your goals. You can set goals for the month… but there is a reason I only put room for three goals there. I don’t want it be overwhelming, and if you have to many goals to focus on chances are you won’t reach any of them. Then there is a spot for other goals you might want to work toward during the year, and then a spot for long term goals.
On the other side of the page there is space to write some steps you will take to reach these goals. For a big goal you want to achieve, I recommend breaking it down into smaller steps. What things need to be achieved before you can reach that goal?
Even if you can break it down into 15 minute tasks, that would be great.
Family Activities – Planning for the Future
The next page is a sort of family bucket list, where you can write a list of activities and other things to do together as a family. Then, if you are going through a rough patch at home, or your family life just needs a spark to bring everyone together, you have a go to list of ideas of things to do together. These can be simple things, like a pajama day at home, or hot chocolate and board games on the living room floor. Or they can be more complicated, like a family photoshoot in the park, or going out to the country for stargazing.
Have some simple ones that are quick and easy to pull off, to be sure you always have something you’ll be able to use.
Habits
Finally, the last page of the printable packet is for working towards forming healthy habits. Try to work on starting just one at a time, and then maybe adding a second one after working on the first for at least a week or two. Small changes made over time add up to a lot. But trying to make many big changes at once often results in no progress at all.
Some ideas for healthy habits for growing in virtue would be getting to bed at a good time, getting up right away in the morning, drinking enough water during the day, brushing your teeth twice a day… these are some things people choose to work on. But there could be other more personal things you want to work on here too. Doing a nightly examen, spending 15 minutes a day working at something specific, or even spending ten minutes doing one on one time with your children. Whatever it is you want to work on, add it to this list.
Then you can mark down the date you start working towards the healthy habit, and when activity starts coming naturally to you, you can mark it down as an achieved habit!
Future with Faith
So that is where the printable packet ends. By setting up a home management system, you set your home life up for success. There is more time and energy in your life to focus on the important things – God, your family, and personal growth.
This article started with a quotation from the book, The Admirable Heart of Mary. It was recommended to me months ago by a Byzantine Catholic Priest Monk, when I asked for a book recommendation to follow reading St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. If you have read my blog you may already know this, but in delving into the rich traditions of the East, the beauty of the devotion to the Theotokos has captured my heart the most.
In fact, when the children are loud or fussing and I don’t know what to do to calm them or help them anymore, I start to pray some of the Akathist to the Theotokos. And what an amazing effect it has! It calms my soul, my children slow down to listen or even join in. And the situation that was out of control, is in the loving care of the Mother of God, and the Mother of us all…
Behold Your Mother
And so it is with our lives. Although simplifying our homes is good – and helpful towards making our day to day lives easier. Although setting up a firm foundation to care for our homes, our souls, and are families is important – and so is cleaning our homes (and souls in confession). And faithfully caring for the finances and gifts God has provided for us… none of this means anything if we do not take to heart the words of Christ on the Cross:
(John 19:26-27)
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
The last commandment Christ gave us before His death – Behold your mother.
When God created Mary, He made her the perfect woman. Perfect by God the Father to be the mother of His Son. By Christ to be His own mother. And by the Holy Spirit to be His faithful spouse. The greatness of this alone, we cannot fathom. Rejoice O Wonder Ever Thrilling to the Angels. And God did not reserve Mary for Himself alone. On the Cross, He gave her to us, to be our Mother too.
And so, it is by accepting this commandment of Christ – behold your mother – that we can truly lead a Christian life. This is why we make a consecration of our lives, and homes, to the most holy Theotokos. Rejoice Celestial Ladder by Whom God Came Down. Rejoice O Bridge Leading Earthly Ones to Heaven. Be with us, O Mother of God, to guide us. And to lead our way. So that, like you, we may lead a life giving glory to God and building up His Kingdom here on Earth.
The Byzantine Life
Thank you for tuning in to this final week of Ekonomia: Home Management Toward Heaven. Also a big thank you to our Patrons on Patreon, without whom I would have never made this video/blog series. It is thanks to them that we had the equipment for putting this series together.
For the free printable set that goes along with this video series, click here!
Also, speaking of planning for the future, are you ready for Great Lent? We have a Great Lent Retreat series on virtues coming up! Also, be sure to read our article on Meatfare and Forgiveness Sunday.
The Regular Stuff
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