18. Parents: The Examen

Spiritual Disciplines for Families

So many things happen in a day. Much of the good that happens we soon forget or completely overlook, while much of the bad stands out and sticks with us like glue. What is worse is that we are so often completely unaware of where God was present and at work in our day.

The Examen not only helps us be more "mindful" (as the kids call it these days). Though it does help us remember and receive the good that happened, as well as weed out and relieve us of the bad that happened. But most importantly, the Examen is like a guided tour of your day, completely directed by God, who was present for every moment and saw it more clearly than you did. So, any mindfulness practice without God would be useless, as he is the source of all that is good, and he is the end to which we direct all that is bad.