Saint Makers

I heard a great quote on the Catholic Channel the other day.


Mark Hart was a guest on The Catholic Guy with Lino Rulli (of which I'm not particularly a fan, but on that day I decided to keep listening . . .) 


Anyway, they were talking about how Lino is a 40-something single guy with no children and Mark is married with 4, including a new baby.


Mark called children "saint makers."


Wow. Isn't that true?  I know it is for me.


Every day my children draw out my patience, courage, all of the qualities that are not quite there yet.  How do I do?  Some days not so well. 


But, some days I take a deep breath and draw up that extra ounce of patience to get through the tense moments without yelling or losing my cool.  Those are the times I am allowing them to help me be a better person. 


As a parent, I often focus on how we are raising our children and shaping them as children of God.  I forget sometimes that it goes both ways. 


It's easiest to show love to those we DON'T live with every day.


When asked how we can promote world peace, Blessed Mother Teresa once answered, "Go home and love your family." 


Yes, it's that simple.


Not easy.


But simple.