"For a long time I have drunk from the chalice of tears. I have shared your cup of sorrows, and I have understood that suffering has its charms, that by the Cross we save sinners." (The Poetry of St. Therese)
"I accept with gratitude the thorns mingled with the flowers." (The Poetry of St. Therese)
"When God stretches out His hand to ask, His hand is never empty." (Story of a Soul)
"My little boat is having trouble reaching port! For a long time, I have seen the shore and always I find myself far off, but it is Jesus who is guiding...When he wills it, it will be able to approach the port safely...God is sending me these trials." (Letters of St. Therese)
There's obviously a theme with these quotes. Suffering and trials. The third quote especially speaks to me. "When God stretches out His hand to ask, His hand is never empty". I feel like God is asking for me to give Him my children (specifically the 3 we've lost, and however many more we will lose in the future), but as He's stretching out His hand to ask for them, in His hand is also the grace for me to be able to bear it in peace, and even joy. Since reading this quote, I've also been thinking a lot about that verse from the Bible (although I can't remember what verse or even what book it's in) that talks about how Jesus makes our yoke light, and our burden (or suffering?) sweet. Since my experience at Mass a couple of weeks ago, I now completely understand that verse. He can indeed make our yoke very light, and our burden (or suffering?) very sweet. We just need to be open to His graces that He's waiting and wanting to give us.
Dana