Asking somebody for forgiveness face to face is always very meaningful. The kids needed very little coaching on this, thanks be to God. I asked each of them (privately) to forgive the short fuse I've had lately (lots of stress at work, very little sleep). It was a good experience.
I'm heading to be earlier than usual (hurrah!) but not before I load the #1 window on our wooden Advent "calendar" with three Hershey dark chocolate kissed. They're wrapped in purple foil, so I thought that would be appropriate. We won't do candy every day -- coins will work once in a while. Not sure what else will fit, so I'll have to do some experimenting.
This isn't the Advent calendar I intended to get. I was looking for something like this but wound up getting a slamming good deal on something like this ($11!). Not sure how I feel about it just yet.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Day 3
Ask a family member you have hurt in the past year for forgiveness. Offer it to one who hurt you.
Our Day 2
Busy day for my husband and I. In fact, he didn't get home until the kids' bedtime, so we'd already read Luke 1:5-25 out of the children's Bible. Looking back, I wish I would have talked to the kids a little more about anticipation -- Zechariah and Elizabeth didn't have proof that the angel was correct right away. They had to wait some time before they had evidence. And that's what our faith in Jesus is like. We live our life based on His promises. Sometimes we get proof in the form of "little miracles" along the way. But most of the time, we're just going on faith. During Advent, the promise of Christmas is still up ahead and now is the time to prepare for Jesus -- just as John the Baptist prepared the way for Him, and just as John's parents prepared for John's birth.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Awakening our hibernating souls
I was listening to KVSS on my way into work this morning, and they were interviewing Mark Hart from LifeTeen International. He said that Advent is a season for our souls like winter is a season for nature. Paraphrasing (since I couldn't write while I was driving):
"Advent is an opportunity to think about where we've grown spiritually cold and dark...If you've been hibernating, it's time to wake up."
"Advent is an opportunity to think about where we've grown spiritually cold and dark...If you've been hibernating, it's time to wake up."
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Our Day 1
So far, so good. We went to Mass this morning and celebrated the first day of Advent with donuts afterwards. I wasn't planning on that, but it was funny to watch the kids coerce my husband with the justification: "It is too a special occasion -- it's the first day of Advent!"
We did a little preparation for Christmas this afternoon. I took the 6-yr-old to a fabric store to buy fleece for a "tied blanket" for her big brother and started the 8-yr-old on her project for Dad. As a family, we stretched the net lights over the bushes and got those plugged in. Each of the kids had to put new lights on their mini-trees. The boy has his in his bedroom and the two little girls keep theirs in the attic windows.
While I roasted a chicken and mashed potatoes for supper, the kids set the table as extravagantly as they could and set up the Advent wreath. My husband led the prayers and the youngest one lit the first candle. After dinner, the middle kid blew it out (oh, what lengths we go in the name of fairness!).
The children are all brimming over with anticipation. They're all big enough to make gifts for each other and keep secrets, so that's pretty cool.
I'm finishing up a project that's due tomorrow and then I'll have some private time for prayer and thanksgiving before bed. Last year, I prayed for a number of families who have left the Church every night during Advent. It's kind of funny to look back on the "progress" these families have made -- if you could call it out. It was mostly "no change," but one mother is showing a renewed interest in religion. Buddhism, actually, but it's a start. One of the other couples has had a really bad year and are tottering on the edge of divorce, which is horrible. Then again, sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to allow ourselves to reach out to God.
When I first became a Christian, having been raised atheist, it was hard for me to develop a habit of prayer. I still can get quite discouraged if I don't see the "answer" I want in a short amount of time. But the Lord has been very patient, and I really have learned that prayer always leads to something positive, even if I can't see it straight away. And when He takes us through a journey that seems to be counterproductive, we've always had it come out better than expected. Seriously.
Remind me sometime to tell you about the morning my husband prayed for guidance with our finances and then was hit by an armored truck full of money as he walked to work. As horrible as that part was, the long run has been exceptional.
How was your first day of Advent? Please let me know!
We did a little preparation for Christmas this afternoon. I took the 6-yr-old to a fabric store to buy fleece for a "tied blanket" for her big brother and started the 8-yr-old on her project for Dad. As a family, we stretched the net lights over the bushes and got those plugged in. Each of the kids had to put new lights on their mini-trees. The boy has his in his bedroom and the two little girls keep theirs in the attic windows.
While I roasted a chicken and mashed potatoes for supper, the kids set the table as extravagantly as they could and set up the Advent wreath. My husband led the prayers and the youngest one lit the first candle. After dinner, the middle kid blew it out (oh, what lengths we go in the name of fairness!).
The children are all brimming over with anticipation. They're all big enough to make gifts for each other and keep secrets, so that's pretty cool.
I'm finishing up a project that's due tomorrow and then I'll have some private time for prayer and thanksgiving before bed. Last year, I prayed for a number of families who have left the Church every night during Advent. It's kind of funny to look back on the "progress" these families have made -- if you could call it out. It was mostly "no change," but one mother is showing a renewed interest in religion. Buddhism, actually, but it's a start. One of the other couples has had a really bad year and are tottering on the edge of divorce, which is horrible. Then again, sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to allow ourselves to reach out to God.
When I first became a Christian, having been raised atheist, it was hard for me to develop a habit of prayer. I still can get quite discouraged if I don't see the "answer" I want in a short amount of time. But the Lord has been very patient, and I really have learned that prayer always leads to something positive, even if I can't see it straight away. And when He takes us through a journey that seems to be counterproductive, we've always had it come out better than expected. Seriously.
Remind me sometime to tell you about the morning my husband prayed for guidance with our finances and then was hit by an armored truck full of money as he walked to work. As horrible as that part was, the long run has been exceptional.
How was your first day of Advent? Please let me know!
"Spend less on presents...more on presence"
Father S.C. linked to this video on Facebook -- I thought it was a great reminder.
Advent Conspiracy
Advent Conspiracy
Day 1
Make and bless an Advent wreath. Light the first purple candle tonight and each night this week.
(The first purple candle is the one opposite of the pink one.)
(The first purple candle is the one opposite of the pink one.)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Supply List for Nov 28-Dec 4
Sunday
Advent wreath
3 purple candles
1 pink candle
Matches
Prayer to bless Advent wreath
Bottle of Holy Water
Monday
Bible (Children's Bible if your kids are small)
Tuesday
Nothing but forgiving hearts
Wednesday
Nativity set (one that uses multiple pieces instead of an all-in-one)
Thursday
Before you get supplies for this activity, contact the nursing home you intend to bless to make sure it's all right to bring cookies. The nursing home down the street from us takes high-needs patients, some of whom can't chew and some of whom have serious health issues, so my family is making Christmas ornaments for each resident instead of cookies.
Cookie cutters (if you're making rolled cookies)
Cookie decorating materials (optional)
Friday
Old Christmas cards
Scissors
Hole punch
Ribbon or ornament hooks
Glue sticks, small red and gold doilies or scraps of Christmas wrapping paper to use as backing (optional)
Saturday
Local confession time schedule
(Non-Catholics can follow James 5:16b and have a time of confession to one another within the family.)
Advent wreath
3 purple candles
1 pink candle
Matches
Prayer to bless Advent wreath
Bottle of Holy Water
Monday
Bible (Children's Bible if your kids are small)
Tuesday
Nothing but forgiving hearts
Wednesday
Nativity set (one that uses multiple pieces instead of an all-in-one)
Thursday
Before you get supplies for this activity, contact the nursing home you intend to bless to make sure it's all right to bring cookies. The nursing home down the street from us takes high-needs patients, some of whom can't chew and some of whom have serious health issues, so my family is making Christmas ornaments for each resident instead of cookies.
Either:
Ingredients for making cookies OR refrigerated doughCookie cutters (if you're making rolled cookies)
Cookie decorating materials (optional)
Or:
Supplies to make Christmas ornaments/decorationsFriday
Old Christmas cards
Scissors
Hole punch
Ribbon or ornament hooks
Glue sticks, small red and gold doilies or scraps of Christmas wrapping paper to use as backing (optional)
Saturday
Local confession time schedule
(Non-Catholics can follow James 5:16b and have a time of confession to one another within the family.)
How to Make an Advent Wreath
Our first advent wreath was basically four small candle holders buried into an artificial wreath and set on a wooden disk. Then one July, I found a small brass advent candle holder on clearance at Yankee Candle for $6, so I nabbed it. Now we simply set that in the middle of the wreath -- super easy.
Here are some instructions for making Advent wreaths.
General instructions from Our Sunday Visitor
Kid-friendly version at Amazing Moms
One using natural greenery at About.com
Here's one to make out of paper or felt with preschoolers at First-School.com
...and another cleverly made of a paper plate, toilet paper tubes and tissue paper by blogger Karen
Advent candles can be hard to come by. I purchased one of the last three sets available at the Hallmark store near my office on Wednesday. I usually shop at our local Catholic Bookstore, Gloria Deo, but I didn't have time these past few weeks, and I was afraid they might have run out. You can also go to a candle shop or craft store and buy individually wrapped candles, but it's been difficult for me to find pink and purple candles these days.
Here are some instructions for making Advent wreaths.
General instructions from Our Sunday Visitor
Kid-friendly version at Amazing Moms
One using natural greenery at About.com
Here's one to make out of paper or felt with preschoolers at First-School.com
...and another cleverly made of a paper plate, toilet paper tubes and tissue paper by blogger Karen
Advent candles can be hard to come by. I purchased one of the last three sets available at the Hallmark store near my office on Wednesday. I usually shop at our local Catholic Bookstore, Gloria Deo, but I didn't have time these past few weeks, and I was afraid they might have run out. You can also go to a candle shop or craft store and buy individually wrapped candles, but it's been difficult for me to find pink and purple candles these days.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Welcome to Family Advent 2010
It's like this.
My husband and I are converts to the Catholic faith, and we're still trying to get the hang of Advent. We want to make it meaningful and spiritually enriching for our whole family.
Every year, the kids bring home a Family Advent calendar like the one I've linked to on the left (the 2010 edition provided by our parish school). This year, we're really going to do it.
Frankly, I'm a little nervous. I'm a busy working mom, and sometimes, I make great plans and never have the time to follow through. But most of these things are really easy to do, and my kids really want to follow the calendar this year, so we're going to try it. I may have to switch some days -- for example, they have us baking cookies for a nursing home on a Thursday, which will be impossible with our schedule, so we'll do that the next day and move Friday's activity to Thursday.
Every Saturday, I'll post the list of materials we'll need to complete the calendar during the week. I will also note any changes that we might have to make.
Every day beginning this Sunday, Nov. 28, I'll post the day's activity from our calendar in the morning. Please feel free to post your activities at any time during the day. I'll post ours after the kids go to bed (which is usually my first opportunity to sit down in front of the computer).
Please chime in and let me know what you're doing with your family each day. Recipes, crafts, devotions, prayers -- it's all good. And by the way, ALL Christians are welcome to participate -- Advent isn't a Catholic-only thing.
May God bless us all this Advent!
My husband and I are converts to the Catholic faith, and we're still trying to get the hang of Advent. We want to make it meaningful and spiritually enriching for our whole family.
Every year, the kids bring home a Family Advent calendar like the one I've linked to on the left (the 2010 edition provided by our parish school). This year, we're really going to do it.
Frankly, I'm a little nervous. I'm a busy working mom, and sometimes, I make great plans and never have the time to follow through. But most of these things are really easy to do, and my kids really want to follow the calendar this year, so we're going to try it. I may have to switch some days -- for example, they have us baking cookies for a nursing home on a Thursday, which will be impossible with our schedule, so we'll do that the next day and move Friday's activity to Thursday.
Every Saturday, I'll post the list of materials we'll need to complete the calendar during the week. I will also note any changes that we might have to make.
Every day beginning this Sunday, Nov. 28, I'll post the day's activity from our calendar in the morning. Please feel free to post your activities at any time during the day. I'll post ours after the kids go to bed (which is usually my first opportunity to sit down in front of the computer).
Please chime in and let me know what you're doing with your family each day. Recipes, crafts, devotions, prayers -- it's all good. And by the way, ALL Christians are welcome to participate -- Advent isn't a Catholic-only thing.
May God bless us all this Advent!
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