A few months ago, a friend suggested we pray a daily rosary. Actually, she suggested a fifteen decade daily rosary. We were both tired, frustrated and stressed to the limits. We had exhausted all the typical remedies for this state of being. Veterans of this Catholic home education large-family lifestyle, we tweaked our diets, our exercise plans, our chore systems, our sleeping (well, we tried), our school plans. We both changed parishes (we live two time zones apart but somehow we both were in the wrong church). All the tried and true remedies for burnout and frustration were failing us. As our families grew and our children got bigger, the stakes went up. We recognized that nothing on earth was "working" to gain for us that much needed peace. Our souls were restless indeed.
All of this we shared with each other. We hashed out all the usual solutions, we swapped meal plans and chore plans and lesson plans. Independently, we took it to prayer. That's when she came back with the absolute certainty that she was supposed to pray a fifteen decade rosary every day. And she was pretty certain I was supposed to do the same. Only glitch was that she had this revelation while I was reading Rosarium Virginis Mariae. I was increasingly sure that I was supposed to shower my soul with the light of those five Luminous decades as well. Fifteen for her, twenty for me.
I bought a CD so that I could turn driving time, walking time, bed time into rosary time. Really, the Holy Spirit did the pointing and clicking this time. I bought Praying the Rosary with St. Therese of Lisieux.
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This beautiful CD has it all. Lovely Gregorian chant in the background. Soothing voices of prayer. And every Hail Mary is preceded by a quote from the Little Flower. Those quotes have worked their way into my soul, they are becoming me... or I am becoming them. Either way, through the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother, that elusive peace is happening.
My daughter, always looking over my shoulder as I blog, objects to the "Just for Mom" category. She reminds me that she hears the CD all the time, too. And she is increasingly devoted to both the Blessed Mother and the Little Flower. Those quotes are touching her.
My friend and I exchange emails, coveting each other's decades. All is not peace and green pastures. Life is still happening. And it is really, really hard sometimes. There are days when I beg her to offer all fifteen of hers to me and days when I reciprocate. We rarely pray the whole thing at the same time; instead we snatch decades throughout the day. And maybe that is better, kind of like booster shots for the soul. We've shared some pretty amazing success stories. And we're both pretty sold on the power of ALL those decades.
Dear Elizabeth,
I bought this CD after seeing on your sidebar a few weeks ago. It is all you say it is. It has become my favorite CD to put on when I put my two youngest to bed... I find myself staying in their room way after they left for the land of nod. Praying in the presence of my two sleeping boys has been such good medicine for me. And this CD brings my meditations to a level never achieved before.
Thank you so much for sharing,
Louise, mom of 11
Posted by: Louise | June 25, 2006 at 02:53 PM
Oh Louise! I am so glad you like it. I know exactly what you mean.
Posted by: Elizabeth Foss | June 25, 2006 at 02:56 PM
This sounds beautiful ... thanks so much for the recommendation and for the witness ....
Posted by: Karen E. | June 26, 2006 at 09:37 AM
As I was about to post a comment, my baby came around from behind me and handed me a rosary. I think Someone is trying to tell me something! I'm off to look at the CD, Elizabeth, thanks for mentioning it!
Posted by: Amy | June 26, 2006 at 01:59 PM
Thank you for being a reliable prayer warrior. It's not all peace and green pastures is it? But its REAL and most appropriate here where real learning is celebrated. Its about real problems and real prayers and real answers. I still think this was and is our best plan of attack!
Posted by: Kim | June 27, 2006 at 06:59 PM
What a beautiful thing to be addicted to! The CD sounds really lovely. Did I tell you how grateful I am that you made me the recipient of those twenty decades the other day? :)
Posted by: Rebecca | June 28, 2006 at 12:11 AM
Elizabeth, I just received the CD from Amazon today, and it is just lovely. Thank you so much for recommending it!
Posted by: Amy | June 30, 2006 at 07:46 PM
My dear friend bought me this CD for my birthday. I agree, it has been a great blessing.
Posted by: Katherine in TX | October 30, 2006 at 10:50 PM
I am a firm believer all the rosaries my Dad has said the last 45 years of my parent's marriage has resulted in many miracles for our family. Thank you for the beautiful post! May Mother Mary wrap her mantle of love and protection around you and your family.
Posted by: Marybeth | October 31, 2006 at 03:14 AM
My husband was asked to talk on the Fruit of Love from the mystery of The Desecnt of the Holy Spirit. (for a men's retreat) The problem is he doesn't say the Rosary. He's also being called to say the Rosary!! Pray for him as he tries. He grew up in an atheistic home and it seems unnatural to him.
His big question, "Mary is supposed to lead us to Christ and I know love and serve Christ. So why do we go back to Mary?"
Any help in answering?
Posted by: Mary B | October 31, 2006 at 11:10 AM
As a fairly new Catholic, I've only recently "discovered" the Rosary. And I too am addicted. It's so relaxing and regenerating. I will order that CD ASAP.
Blessings,
Heather
Posted by: Heather | October 31, 2006 at 06:09 PM
The Rosary is my favorite devotion! Has anybody hear ever prayed the 54 Day Rosary Novena? I can thank God, the Blessed Mother, and the Rosary for many blessings in my family. I prayed the Rosary for years to find a good Catholic man to be my husband, met a wonderful man on a Catholic singles website, and we were married on June 16, 2007 - the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We are both in our early forties. Now we are praying a new 54 day Rosary novena to be blessed with a child. May I ask to please be remembered in your rosaries for this intention? You will all be remembered in mine. Thank you so much.
May God Bless you all.
Maria
prayrosary4life@aol.com
Posted by: Maria Therese | July 27, 2007 at 11:55 AM
By the way, I wanted to give you some encouragement. Keep praying to St. Therese for another child. I have been praying a novena to her for a couple of weeks to be blessed with a child. I asked her to please send me a rose if God was hearing my prayers and if we will be blessed with children, and guess what? On the sixth day of the novena at my twin neices Baptism I found a red fabric rose in the pew when I sat down. So what do you think? Do you think this red fabric rose was from St. Therese? I believe it was! So keep praying to St. Therese and try praying the novena! I have also heard many other true stories of ladies praying to St. Therese for a child and being blessed with children. I will remember you in my St. Therese novena. Please remember me in your prayers and my intentions? Thank you so much!
May God Bless you and your lovely family.
Maria Therese
prayrosary4life@aol.com
Posted by: Maria Therese | July 27, 2007 at 12:06 PM