Well, about 24 hours down and I already miserably crashed on our weekly Encounter with Christ resolution to serve my family with a joyful heart.

Had to get up in the realm of 5 am, (an “other wordly” realm; I have told you I am not a morning person but that is really an understatement).  A teenager traveling for the weekend on a school trip is an important reason to fight your way against gravity and all the forces of the universe.  So I got up, if you want to call it that.  I just wasn’t pretty.

Picking myself up, dusting off my…er, eyes (what is the world record for what an eyelid weighs?) I am resolved to give it another shot today.  I wasn’t great about my early morning prayer; I said them, but I didn’t really pray them, at least I don’t remember.  Somewhere after the first minute or two I started to rely a little too much on the side of the couch and the next thing I knew it was an hour later.  I saw a movie once where Leonardo DiCaprio was narcoleptic and I could relate. I think my husband really wonders about me.

Trying not to feel too bad about my morning’s efforts, I decided to write to encourage you (and myself) that becoming the “best version of yourself” as Matthew Kelly says, is a journey.  Then I got on Instagram and saw this gem of a posting from @catholicconnect:

“When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! The devil will try to upset you by accusing you of being unworthy of the blessings that you have received.  Simply remain cheerful and do your best to ignore the devil’s nagging.  If need be, even laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Satan, the epitome of sin itself, accuses you of unworthiness!” –St Teresa of Avila 

So as we discussed yesterday, Mother Teresa says “make a smile”.  Even when you start ugly.