During Lent we have taken out some time together to incorporate Pope Francis's encyclical, Laudato Sii, God Be Praised into our lives. It is based on St. Francis of Assisi's Canticle of the Sun and focuses on, " The Care of Our Common Home". We spent time listening to the first part of the audio online reading of this beautiful letter and the kids drew some pictures of what it meant to them.
I like to include inspirational quotes in my planner pages to give me a positive focus for the week!
Since or Lenten meditation is "Transform", I picked this butterfly paper to decorate these pages. The wooden looking paper is to keep in my the Cross of Christ! I want our family plans to reflect both!
Sending this Pocket Letter out to a very sweet person I met on Pocket Letter Pals! She surprised me with a lovely pocket letter on a day I really needed some extra support! I really believe God uses our creativity to bless others!
Purple is such a comforting color. It is the color for Lent to remind us of repentance. it is also the color of passion and royalty, of Christ's love for us and His and our kingship in Him!
Some goodies for my pocket letter pal. Happy Crafting! Bless someone today!
In this Happy Planner spread, I tried some very simple water color painting. I outlined the squares with water color pencils and lightly put a very small amount of water on a slim brush and gently painted some of squares. The paper pad is a 12x12 by We R Memory Keepers, Wildflower. I chose it because it is floral but still in warm winter colors and reminds me of Lent.
I am in awe of the way God chose to reveal Himself to us and live out His life and then die for us as well. There is such symbolism in everything God does. He leaves us an amazing inheritance and legacy of His love for us.
These branches come from a hawthorn tree right out in the back of my home. When I first saw it, it immediately invoked some very serious emotions in me, for I connected it with the Crown of Thorns.
It truly invoked a sense os sorrow and horror as I began to think of what Jesus had to go through wearing this on his head, made from these sharp, pointed needle like thorns.
It is an awe striking image that comes to my mind as I picture Him standing there with blood dripping from His head for our sins. It fills my heart with such a pounding, that I feel like I am right there in the court with Him knowing I am responsible and ashamed for my crime of putting it on His head.
After I have pondered this mystery for a while, God gives me another meditation. It is one of love and compassion one of understanding and choice. He lets me know that He has chosen to do this for me, for us, and it is all right. He wants me to rejoice in His crown and his humility for all of the times I have not been as such.
He says He has taken my guilt and made me new with each thorn, each step of his way of the cross. How can we not love such a tender God who could of chosen power over " weakness". To me that says everything and reveals to me the heart of our creator.
We will fill our hawthorn branches with the Stations of the Cross as we complete the last two weeks of Lent. This will be a reminder for us of the example we have as our Lord came to earth and took on flesh and gave it all for us. It is all for us: His life, His death and His Ressurection. Our God is an awesome God!
The days around our house are always filled with many activities. It is very important to balance out the day, learning can include many different facets. Keeping our minds, bodies and souls healthy can be a challenge. This requires a well balanced diet of work, prayer, and play. Because I have the duty of making sure everyone else is keeping up with their daily chores, hygeine and school.
My own needs can be easily left by the wayside but I try not to let that happen. Simple tasks such as brushing my hair can be challenging if I get caught up into the hustle and bustle of the day. Finding nice second hand clothes allows me to have a decent wardrobe and new clothes for spring usually gives me a sense of refreshment. Our community center has a thrift shop and it sells clothes for $1 a bag!!
We have been using the Core Knowledge Series," What Your 3rd, 4th, and 6th Grader Need to Know", for school this year. In each book there is information for each grade level, divided by subject.
The kids read a section in history and science, write about it and draw a picture to go with their journal entries. They can look it up on the computer or use another book for more info.
We always take a break starting at 12:00 for lunch and a bit of play, too. If is nice weather the kiddos always go outside, the older ones play b-ball and the younger ones watch or do their own thing while soakin' up some sun.
Even though they can get on each others nerves at times, I can usually find one or two siblings taking some time out to do good things together. An older sister or brother will help a a younger one learn how to play a game. We have been into Dr. Suess lately since we went to see the Lorax earlier this month. We were thrilled to get this game free at our community center. The ladies there are so good to us. They usually spoil the kids and get a few hugs in return.
I am not always so good at getting the meditational prayer part in so that is what I will be focusing on the rest of Lent. I do offer my works, joys and sufferings each day in union with the sacrifice of the Mass.
Although my efforts are meager these days, I do enjoy decorating. I am not Martha Stewart but I try to put up a few seasonal decorations. It isn't a priority any more but it is enjoyable.
The main thing I try to do is maintain some kind of order with the toys and have them look neat so they don't take over the house in an unsitely mess. Keeping a balance can be difficult when managing a household, a school, playtime and my own sanity but when I focus on offering it all up to God it all falls into place.
It is like a vocation of a monk or hermit not doing things for the self. I often have to get back on track and not worry about being praised or appreciated but doing it as a prayer in union with Jesus for the Father above.
At the end of the day when the battle has been fought and my will has been submitted, there is always something good to look back on. A peace-filled well balanced day between work and play can be the best prayer of all!!
During Lent, it is time to reflect on the 8 Beatitudes so I decided to make a hands-on poster activity in the shape of a mountain to help us reflect on, The Sermon on the Mount.
Abigail and Hannah tried to match the beginning parts of the beatitudes with their endings. After they had taken there best shot, I took off the ones that were incorrect.
After several tries, they finally got them all right.
The last step was to have them copy them onto a paper. I hope this activity will inspire them and help them to remember the Beatitutes during Lent and forevermore.
Last night we prayed the Sorrowful Mysteries in honor of Holy Thursday and today at three o'clock prayed the Divine Mercy and we read " The First Easter Story".
We didn't finish ready the whole story because I wantedto save the part of the Ressurectionfor Easter morning. We left the book on the dining room table open tothe page of the guarded tomb.
It has been a kind of quite day, not really much going on. Lil' Eliana decided to take a rest in the baby swing. What a silly girl!
We said a special prayer for our special lil'boy that the hole in his heart be miraculously closed.
He is so precious and peaceful and I thank God he is with us. I thank God for this Good Friday in which He gave His life for us so that we could have eternal life with Him in Heaven.
I hope everyone has a peaceful holy day and knows that God hears their prayers.
Yesterday, we had a wonderful day. Hannah's Godmother came over to visit us and see Baby Malcolm. She brought some of her wonderful children one who is eleven and has Down Syndrome. She is a doll and she recited a poem to me that she had memorized. It was so good for me to see her. It gives me so much hope for my precious lil' tiger.
DH came home with this adorable outfit. It is a gift from a friend he works he works with. We have been blessed with so many presents, prayers and support for Malcolm.
We are all enjoying taking turns holding him. We just can't get enough! I am truly learning to live in and enjoy each moment. Trying to give all my worries and expectations to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Hannah was given some beads from her Godmother to make a pair of rosaries and that is what she did today. Abbey has been working on brushing her own hair and she has been doing quite well.
Eliana has been such a good sport and occupies herself by imitating big sister.
Taking the time out just to sit and relax can be so challenging but I think it is a much needed activity these days for our family. Lent is almost ended and these last few days are a good time for us to reflect on how much we have been blessed. A time to open our hearts and minds to God's love and mercy.
I am so thankful for my Catholic faith and all it has taught me and I know I have so much more to learn. I want to wish everyone a Holy Thursday and a Good Friday and may God's love be yours on these solemn days before Easter. Just as we see in the Crucifixion may God take all that may seem like a suffering and turn it into something beautiful. Enjoy every moment and know God is with us.
God has given me a great grace this afternoon, it is to be able to focus on the playfulness of my children and His love for me. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the working and the everyday nitty gritty , I forget to take time out to sit back and enjoy my blessings.
I have been stressing due to the pregnancy/upcoming delivery, constant cleaning, etc.I am definitely the Martha, Martha in the bible. It felt so good to just sit outside and bask in God's love that he showered on me through my children and their fun activity.
I just got myself out of the way (through everyones prayers) and got lost in the sweetness of the moment. This lil'face takes me to the throne of God and allows me to be in His presence. Sometimes I find it difficult to give myself a break because I don't work outside of the home. I really need to let that go!
I need to rejoice and trust in my vocation without always thinking I have to prove myself. I just love seeing my childern explore the wonders of simplicity and become dazzled by something so insigificant as bubbles. I must of spent a couple of hours just enjoying them.
I am going to hold on to this bubble blowin' afternoon tomorrow when I go to the hospital for my c -section because it is proof that God is with me and he knows my exact needs at the exact time. I find peace and comfort knowing He has everything covered. Every birth experience I always see God conducting an orchestra and over-seeing every aspect of it, gently waiving His baton and every instrument plays perfectly in sinc.
I am so thankful for this day and I have been blessed with this miracle of bubbles, who would of thought such and ordinary day could turn out to be so extordinary! Thanks to everyone who is praying your prayers are being answered. God bless all of you.
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