Praying the Family Rosary

Friday is always a special day here..  We give up some things, like meat, desserts, t.v., computers(accept for using the computer for things like writing, or other things), and video games..  It amazes me how much free time, we seem to have on these days, even with schooling, eating, praying and all those things we fill our time with..  My favorite and not so favorite part of the day is when we pray the Rosary.  It is usually(if i have my way) prayed after lunch.  All the boys, reluctantly come and get on their knees, so to speak.  We have the normal hemming and hawing, noise making, jousting, stretching, scratching,drumming, loud humming and well, basic mischeif when we come together..  It is comical, really, yet, frustrating.  Usually, my oldest, will patiently wait, for over fifteen minutes while the rest of the family figures out, we are praying! My six year old melts my heart, as he truly enjoys praying the Rosary, and is so fervent about it, praying it diligently, with hands in reverent prayer position, yet, he makes me laugh, because, he ends up in some of the most funny postures, usually, with fanny in the air..  My little three year old, sits on my lap, and makes an attempt, usually, mimicking what we do, hoping and hoping to be set free as soon as is humanly possible, although, he usually chooses to stay on my lap and cuddle, which is sweet and i love it.  My nine year old, has learned to be an excellent prayer warrior, ever still, ever vigilant, and ever consistent, not wavering, or even turning to see why there is so much rucous coming from the area where my 4 year old attempts to kneel, but, not really.  I love when my four year old leads a mystery, as most of the boys will pick a mystery to lead..  When boy number five(my four year old) prays, it is priceless, as his four year old voice and mind know NOT what they are saying(although, he is taught consistently why and what we are praying, he is learning)...  "HAEW MAWEEE FOO OF GWASSS THE WORD IS WIT U"  It is the sweetest thing.  He is way too loud, and smiles proudly, looking at me, throughout the entire time he is leading, and when he is done, well he is done, time to play with that toy he sees, that wasn't so interesting before as it is now.  I am so thankful we get to pray the Rosary as a family, as it brings us all together , focusing us on what is truly important.  It is easy to think that school, learning, riding bikes, playing with bugs, cooking meals, cleaning house, playing games,being with family or any other thing that fills the day, are the most important things, but, in reality, we are all here, to win the race, as Saint Paul so eloquently says:
1 Corinthians 9

 I therefore so run, not as at an uncertainty: I so fight, not as one beating the air:  But I chastise my body, and bring it into subjection: lest perhaps, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway.

I say praying the Rosary in the middle of the day is my favorite and not so favorite part of the day, because, i dread having to reign in the boys, and keep them in line, on the other hand, it is so beautiful to think on the wonderful mysteries of Christ and His Mother and the Church!  Thanks be to God!   Meditating on the Holy Mysteries of the Rosary has been surprisingly rewarding for me, personally.  When you really think about Jesus upon the Cross, or Mary presenting Her Baby Jesus to the Priest, and all of the other Key moments in Christianity, you find yourself falling in love with God and His Church, in a way that is amazing.

Many do not know why Catholics pray the Holy Rosary, or even what they pray, or what they are thinking about when they pray the Rosary.. I remember someone stating that it sounds so, "boring" to repeat, "Hail Mary's" like that...  But, they don't understand, what is really going on.   Here is a website that has a little pamphlet you can download, or you can peruse online, that tells you how to pray the Rosary, and why.

http://sicutincaelo.org/b_rp.html

Or a better website is http://www.fisheaters.com/rosary.html

I enjoy the fisheaters website, because, they do a wonderful job at explaining the History ,hows and why's of the Holy Rosary.

Well, i gotta go and pray the Rosary, eventhough, it is well past lunch..  You can't plan everything!  Sometimes you just gotta let it be.