Chapters 2 and 3

Ch. 2
1.  How can we help our husbands strike the balance between work and leisure?

2.  Does your husband's work provide a source of fulfillment and sense of purpose?  How can you encourage him in frustrating moments?

Ch. 3
3.  What tools/advice have helped you and your husband grow in your financial stewardship?

4.  How does your stewardship as a couple expand beyond money?

Personal Reflection-Make a list of your husband's gifts and make an effort to point them out to him.

Action Point-Review your household budget with your husband.  Is everything in order?

Chapter 2: Judith

Judith

1.  How do you teach your children to respond gracefully when they have been wronged and not seek revenge?

2.  What practical steps does your family take to stand against the false gods of society?

3.  What have you sacrificed to be a faithful daughter of God?

4.  Reflect on and share a situation in which prayer gave you the strength to act outside of your comfort zone.

Chapter 2: When a Person Moves toward God (Rule 2)

1.  Consider the evil spirits tactics "to bite, sadden and place obstacles, disquieting with false reason."  Reflect on a time when one of these techniques was working against your spiritual progress.  How did you respond?

2.  Now consider the good spirits methods "to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing and taking away all obstacles."  Reflect on the application in your own life.

3.  Share an experience in which you received the gift of spiritual clarity.

4.  When have you come a seemingly insurmountable obstacle?  Looking back, how was God's grace present?

Chapter 2: The Grace of Time Together

1.  How/when do you make time to be a loving presence for your child(ren)?

2.  How do you and your child(ren) interact differently when you use a servant-leadership style of parenting versus commands/threats/guilt/manipulation?

3.  How do you discipline with love in your home?

4.  Write down what tends to irritate you about each of your children and sometimes keeps you from showing God's gracious love.  Pray for each child he has given you and make a plan for how you will respond more graciously to him or her, especially in those irritating situations.

Chapter 2: The Priest Is Like Jacob's Ladder

*On page 54, Sheen references ex opere operantis, which means "from the doer of the deed," and refers to the disposition of the minister or recipient.

1. What earthly crosses have brought you closer to Heaven? In hindsight, how have they strengthened your faith? (page 32-33)

2. How can we be more open and responsive to the grace of our vocation? (page 39)

3. To what degree and scope is intercessory prayer a part of your spirituality? (page 41)

4. Like the priest, we as wives and mothers often fail to recognize the greatness of our calling. How can we be more mindful of our daily tasks in light of eternity? (page 46)

5. Sheen states that "Silence constitutes an integral part of this [desert] isolation. It is not always proper to speak all that we know." How and when do you make time for silence? What helps you bite your tongue when necessary? (page 48)

6. Are you aware when you are using the fire of the world instead of God's fire? What are the signs? (page 49)

7. Does the world see a difference in our lives as followers of Christ? How can we shine more brightly? (page 47 and 56)