Not A Monk, But...

...check out this passage from The Rule of St. Benedict, founder of the Benedictine order:

Above all things let her have humility;

and if she has nothing else to give
let her give a good word in answer
for it is written,
"A good word is above the best gift" (Eccles. 18:17).
Let her have under her care
all that the Abbot has assigned to her,
but not presume to deal with what he has forbidden her.
Let her give the children their appointed allowance of food
without any arrogance or delay,
that they may not be scandalized,
mindful of the Word of God as to what he deserves
"who shall scandalize one of the little ones" (Matt 18:6).
If the community is a large one,
let helpers be given her,
that by their assistance
she may fulfill with a quiet mind the office committed to her.
The proper times should be observed
in giving the things that have to be given
and asking for the things that have to be asked for,
that no one may be troubled or vexed in the house of God.


Okay, so I switched the "hims" to "hers" and "brethren" to "children" - but you get the idea; this applies just as well to raising children as to supervising monks.  Especially if you replace "Abbot" with "Lord".

It's a nice reflection for a day like today, when, according to a sniffly Miss Boo, she is "not sick at all Mama":

The proper times should be observed in giving the things that have to be given (like baby Tyelenol) and asking for the things that have to be asked for (like patience with the fact that I'm not getting the laundry done) that no one may be troubled or vexed in the house of God (who else's house did you think this was?).

Good stuff.

Breanna