Small Successes: Once Again

Although I always enjoyed the format, it's been almost three years since I've posted any small successes.  The host site changed a few times and I lost track (and maybe focus).  Last night I stumbled on Small Success Thursdays at CatholicMom.Com, so I'm ready to begin again.

Listing a few small successes is meant to encourage me (and you, dear reader) to recognize that all is not inefficiency and craziness.  Appreciating even bits of progress or brightness is a gift to myself and those around me.

Enough intro . . . here's my list for this week:

1. I made it to Confession.  This was like hitting "refresh" on my Lent.  Time to move forward . . .
2. Examining my conscience prior to Confession made me realize that I must stop watching (halfway through 34 episodes) a culinary series full of cursing--lots and lots of cursing.  Maybe the fact that I wouldn't let anyone else in my family watch with me was the first clue???  The withdrawal hasn't been as difficult as I expected given how much I enjoyed the show.
3. Rebecca and I have spent time on her writing homework every day this week.  Breaking it up into bits makes the process so much easier, with no last minute panic or hours spent the night before it's due.  

I hope you're inspired to discover your successes.  Feel free to share or read about other moms here.

Co-op Craft

On Monday I led our small co-op in creating this Tiffany style art project.  I was efficient enough to gather all the materials, but unfortunately not so with-it that I brought my camera.  Thus, there are no pictures of the process or any finished artwork besides Rebecca's.

 

 I followed the instructions on Kids and Glitter--visit there for the details.  The children drew simple designs on cardboard and glued yarn onto the outlines.  The yarn was covered with foil, then colored with permanent markers and outlined with black Sharpies.  If the cardboard is cut to the suggested 6 1/2" x 9" it can be attached to colored cardstock to frame the picture.

We followed the suggested Lenten theme, but this technique can be used to make all sorts of beautiful images.  Enjoy!

More From Rome

Another update from Joseph's trip leader:

Thy Kingdom Come!

Greetings again from Rome!  It has been a great trip so far and all of the guys have been fantastic!  We've been very busy, so I can't say everything we've done, but here are some highlights:

On Wednesday, we had one of the more special moments of the trip, getting to attend the Papal audience.  We were very early and got in the 2nd and 3rd row, but most of the boys were able to be right on the fence when the Holy Father drove by in the popemobile!  Also, our group was welcomed by name by the English speaking priest who welcomed the groups and introduced the Pope's comments in English.  When we jumped up and cheered, Pope Benedict looked our way and waved.  That afternoon we got to visit St John Lateran and then climb the Holy Stairs on our knees (these were the stairs from the Praetorium that Jesus walked up during his trial with Pilate...brought to Rome by St. Helen).  Then we went to the Church of the Holy Cross which has many relics from the Passion, including wood from the true Cross and one of the nails.

Yesterday we saw the Colosseum and Roman Forum before going to St. John Lateran for the Mass of the Lord's Supper (long but beautiful...we got seats but not very close...a lot of people pushed ahead of us in line).

I'll try to write again soon, we are keeping all of you in our prayers!

From Rome

Joseph is in Rome for Holy Week.  What an experience!  Here is an email update we just received from the trip's leader (Joe's Confirmation sponsor):

Thy Kingdom Come!

Dear all in Christ,

Greetings from Rome!  We are doing great, perhaps a little bit tired, but having a great time.  Yesterday, when we arrived in Rome, we spent a little time getting settled, played a little soccer, and then went to visit the city.  We stopped in St. Peter's square briefly and then had a chance to do some shopping before visiting the Legionaries' other seminary (the Center for Higher Studies) to look at a cool exhibit there of the Shroud of Turin.

Today, we went to St. Peter's early in the morning for a private Mass at the tomb of Bl. John Paul II.  After that we had a tour of the inside of the basilica with Br. N., climbed to the Cupola, had lunch, and then visited the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.  We wrapped up with a visit to the Fountain of Trevi.  We´ll make it an early night tonight because we're getting up early again for the general audience with Pope Benedict.

I'll try to keep you posted, we are keeping you in our prayers, and when we receive the Pope's blessing tomorrow, it also extends to all of our families, so you will also receive this special blessing!

Stations at Home

Although our parish prays the Stations of the Cross on Friday evenings during Lent, our family hardly ever goes.  For many years we had small children and Stations was just too late and too long for them.  We sometimes make it these days, but Joe's violin lesson is now a conflict.

Our solution:  Stations at home.  We dim the lights and burn candles, one for each station.  We pray together, using large pictures and an appropriate-for-children meditation booklet.  After each event, a candle is snuffed out.  This makes a solemn contrast to the Advent wreath, which gets brighter with each passing week.

Once upon a time we used a child made (love those co-ops!) stand that held small tapers (Shabbat candles from the grocery store).  A few years ago Len made one that holds tea lights, which are easier to manage and just as lovely.

 Here's a photo taken with the flash, so you can better see the layout:

The stand sounds relatively simple to make for a handy person.  Len routed the edges of a board, then used a spade bit to cut the depressions.  Sanded, painted, done!

 

BTW, Len's handiness was a complete bonus--I was clueless about this side of him when we married.

Art for Lent

We homeschoolers are studying the paintings in Jesus of Nazareth:  A Life of Christ Through Pictures.  For these several weeks we're soaking in the artistic and religious beauty.

All the paintings in the book are owned by the National Gallery of Art, so to finish up we'll take a trip downtown to see them in person.  They're not all on display, but I am able to search online to find out which pictures are up and (this is key!) which rooms they're in.  I'll map out our visit so we can maximize enjoyment without exhausting attention spans.

I did this project years ago with an earlier batch of students, so I know it will be meaningful and fun.  A museum visit makes a great field trip for the whole family (maybe Easter break for us) or a group of friends.  We'll see other works, too, but I prefer having a focus for our outing.

About the book:  my county library has only four copies left (many more years ago), so I bought a used one in very good condition for a great price from Amazon.  If you want to try this, it's not too late to get started!

About the gallery:  If you're interested in my chart of paintings currently on view at the NGA, send me an email and I'll get it to you once I've completed it.  My address is LRice31 trash at cox dot net (take out the trash).  In addition to location, the nga website also has a few paragraphs of information about most of the pictures.  I'm adding the commentary to my document, but you may be interested in looking it up for yourself in the meantime.

About picture study:  Here's a quick "how to" from Simply Charlottle Mason: 

Picture Study

Art appreciation was one part of Charlotte’s “spreading the feast” before her students; and her method, as always, was gentle and inviting. Display a picture and mention the artist who created it. Have children look at the picture until they can see it clearly in their minds’ eye. When all children are ready, turn the picture over or close the book and ask them to describe the picture. When their narration is finished, display the picture again and notice together any new aspects. Summarize any accompanying information if desired, but be careful not to interfere with each child’s forming his own relationship with the artist’s work. This study is not a lesson in art criticism. Display the picture in a prominent location in your home so children can look at it throughout the week.

Continue to study works by the same artist for several weeks until the children become familiar with that artist’s style. If possible, read a short biography about that artist sometime during your study of his or her work.

What Are You Doing for Lent?

Lent is starting so late this year (next Wednesday, March 9) that I haven't spent much time thinking about what I'm going to offer (or offer up) in an attempt to grow spiritually.

A few ideas are percolating (limiting blog reading, fasting--but not enough to make me nuts, spending time In Conversation With God ); I may or may not let you know what I decide.  My goal for today was to get you thinking about Lent if you have procrastinated, too.

Food for Thought

About Jesus' sacrifice from In Conversation With God today:

"Not only has he ransomed us from sin and death, but he has taught us to put the will of God above all personal plans, to live detached from everything, to know how to pardon, even when the offender has not repented, to know how to forgive others, to be apostles until the very moment of death, to suffer without sterile lament, to love men although one is suffering because of them..."

Day 37

We're almost caught up with the "Jesus Tree" readings and ornaments. Even for Rebecca, most of the stories aren't new, but they give us another chance to pray with scripture, always a good thing.

We're in the home stretch now. How's your Lent going?

In Conversation With God

This book (I own the Lent/Eastertide edition) is marvelous! Whenever I read it, I find myself underlining quotes or scribbling notes in a journal.

Today's topic is God's particular love for me and my response. It's a message I've heard frequently lately. Such timeless advice:

"The way we love God is shown in the way we live charity with those who are beside us in our day-to-day lives."

Duh. But it requires being mindful and prayerful to actually carry out. I am reminded of a long ago essay by Elizabeth, "It's All About Love."

Another stand-out quote for me today: "When we rise to repond to God's love, the obstacles disappear; on the other hand, without love even the tiniest difficulty sems insuperable. If there is union with the Lord, everything becomes tolerable."

Len and St. Francis de Sales both try to remind me that the annoyances of the day can be transformed (by my attitude towards them) into opportunities for growth, grace, and prayer. I haven't picked an inspirational word for the year, but maybe it should be mindfullness, by which I mean making conscious (and Godly) choices about my actions and attitudes. Hmmm....

At Last

Lent, Day 10: The Jesus Tree is finally ready! The plan is to cover two stories/ornaments each day until we catch up.

Daniel, who is on midwinter break (crazy, I know--my high school boys are going to end up with just 6 1/2 days of school this February!), helped us cut and glue some more ornaments today. This will be our Friday school craft until all 47 are done.

Small Successes: the Lenten Edition

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."


Marianna and Joe have made several ornaments for the Jesus tree, and I've glued the branches on the banner. All that's left is to sew a pocket for the hanging rod and start using this great resource! Meanwhile, there have been some early Lenten accomplishments:

1. As a family we've committed to Adoration and Confession--one or the other each week. It was so hard to sych the schedules of our parish with our seven lives! Anyway, last night we made it to our first Reconciliation of Lent.
2. I've prayed and read In Conversation With God nearly every day. There's always something that strikes me, and yesterday's topic was . . . Confession!
3. Inspired by a friend, this Lent I'm targeting the 5 senses for my sacrifices: smell & taste = no dessert, touch = turn off the shower immediately after rinsing, sight and sound = look and listen when communicating with my children (take eyes from screen, book, or chore). None of these is easy for weak me, but I've been mostly faithful so far.

What's going right for you this week? Be inspired by other moms at Faith and Family Live.

Lenten Attitude

From the Ash Wednesday liturgy:

"Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment."

Joel 2:12-13

The phrase, "Rend your hearts, not your garments," has always struck me with its succint poetry. Sacrifice and mortification are worthwhile, but not for their own sake. My Lenten observances should not be cultural or on the level of New Year's self-improvement.

God wants me to fast for love of Him and sorrow for my sins. That's my challenge this year--to not just keep my commitments, but to keep the reasons in mind.

Traditions of Lent: Fast, Pray, Give

Elizabeth and Danielle have been posting daily Lenten reflections at In the Heart of My Home and on Faith and Family Live. If you want a little lift or some food for thought, click on either site (you may need to scroll down a bit).

Here is today's entry:

Lent, Day 6

• Fast: Compare yourself only to the person you were yesterday, or even just this morning. Make forward progress.
• Pray: The next time you go out in the car, keep the radio turned off. Listen.
• Give: Clean your heart. Clean your house. Make both shine.

Ash Wednesday

From today's first reading: "Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God." (Joel 2:12-13a)

Giving things up for Lent is a good thing, but the point is to offer our attachments to God, to turn to Him. He wants the love that motivates the sacrifice. I'm not saying anything new, but it's a good reminder for ME!

Have a blessed Lent.

Coming Soon: Lent

Ash Wednesday is on Daniel's birthday again this year, which means my mom "celebrates" hers on Good Friday. Aren't they a fun pair?

Anyway, I'm hoping to get our Lent off to a good start. We'll continue many of our long-standing traditions: purple ribbons, wreath, crown of thorns, etc. You can read about these here.

If you haven't tried one yet, consider having a seder dinner for Passover this year. We usually have ours close to Holy Week, but not on Holy Thursday, because it's too hard to fit mass in otherwise. Read about our seders here and here.

This year I'm hoping to incorporate two new (for us) activities. I'm ordering a kit to make a Jesus tree (like a Jesse tree) banner that we can use and add to all season. The homeschoolers and I will also make an Easter Vigil notebook.

I love the Easter Vigil, but it can be too long for children. Last year I only took volunteers: Daniel served, and Joseph and Marianna joined me in the pews. We had a wonderful time (and went with the whole family again Easter morning), but I'd like us all to be more prepared. There's SO MUCH going on. I didn't see the notebook post (above) until just a few days before, so I made a note to myself to try it "next year". Now next year is here, and it's time for follow-through. We'll see!

What are you doing for Lent?

We're Almost Done

Our sacrifices and good deeds are making the crown less "thorny". Soon it will flower into Easter's Crown of Glory. The anticipation of these next three days has begun...

The Seder Report

Well, Lauren took pictures, so I can do a little "show and tell" about Saturday's Seder. Since there were only ten (only!) of us this year, Marianna and I set out the good china and crystal. Becca tipped over her grape juice twice, but oh, well.

The package wrapped in a white napkin is three matzo called "the Unity" that is used for part of the ceremony. As Christians we see this as a symbol of the Trinity.

There are many scripts that can be used for a Christian version of the Passover service. Over the years I've adapted one from Family Celebrations at Easter by Ann Hibbard.

Below is the platter of symbolic foods: roasted egg, lamb shank bone, charoseth, horseradish, parsley, and salt water.

Lighting the candles: "Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe. You have made us your own. We light these festival lights in your Name."

"Wine" (sparkling grape juice for us) is poured and sipped four times: the Cup of Sanctification, the Cup of the Plagues, the Cup of Redemption, and the Cup of Praise. If Passover was anything like this in Jesus' day, the cup he passed after eating (Luke 22:20) would have been the Cup of Redemption. Even if it wasn't scripted like this back then, it's still great fodder for reflection now.

We really are quite solemn! Partway through the ceremony, we pause for dinner and relax a bit. Dinner is roast lamb, potato or grains, green vegetable, charoseth (apple salad), and matzo.

After dinner the children hunt for a hidden matzo (much silliness by then). We then finish the ceremony ("Next year in the New Jerusalem!") and have dessert--a lamb cake, ice cream, and strawberries (strawberry sauce this year).

This tradition has been a blessing for our family over the years. It's almost Holy Thursday, but it's not too early to file away ideas and lists for next year if you'd like to join the fun.

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Updated to add: Ann V. at Holy Experience has written a beautiful post about her family's Passover commemoration. I've got pictures, but she's got poetry...

Our Seder

Tonight we are celebrating a Christian version of the Jewish Passover meal. The Last Supper was a Passover celebration, so there is lots of symbolism, from the lamb to the unleavened bread to the "wine" (sparkling juice).

We follow a script that tells the story of the first Passover and the Jews' release from slavery in Egypt. There is also explanation of how Jesus fulfills and completes the Scriptures. We all participate in the rituals.

We've had this tradition for at least a decade now. Usually we share with other families, but this year is complicated, so we'll have just one or two guests. Many families celebrate the seder on Holy Thursday itself, but I've always found it too hard to share this meal (2 hours plus) AND get to evening mass (Len's schedule often had him working then, too.). As long as we celebrate BEFORE the Mass of the Lord's Supper, I think our family has a chance to renew appreciation of its beauty. The year after year repetition also allows the children's understanding to blossom and grow.

Hopefully I'll take pictures and post more details.

The Look of Lent

Lisa is hosting this week's fair: The Loveliness of Sacred Spaces. Check it out!

Lent is long. Over the years we have incorporated some activities and many visual reminders to keep us aware and focused.Last year the children and I decorated wreaths in liturgical colors. The how and what and why will make another post, but here is the purple one we keep on the kitchen table all through Lent. I bought the gigantic unscented candle online. I like that it is solid purple, not a white candle dipped in color.

It isn't Lent here without our crown of thorns. Braided from salt dough (1/2 cup salt, 2 cups flour, water as needed) and filled with 250 toothpicks, it has a prominent place in the kitchen. The toothpicks represent our sins which are what Jesus suffered for. They are removed as good deeds, sacrifices, or works of mercy are performed. Hopefully emptied, the wreath is decorated with flowers to become an Easter crown and centerpiece, with a white candle in the middle.

There are sometimes questions about which good deeds are worthy of a toothpick, but for the most part, this is not a show-piece. We hardly ever see anyone else removing a thorn.

This is our prayer corner in the family room. The tea light is in a purple glass holder. We usually kneel and pray before the crucifix there. The Stations of the Cross book is new for us this year (We the similar rosary meditation book.), although we really haven't used it much yet.

Years ago a friend suggested covering our religious pictures and statues with purple cloth during Lent. We did that for a while, but I'd rather see them, so now I drape them with purple ribbon instead. I found a big roll (Costco!) with wire in the edges which makes the ribbon easier to shape. I save the big pieces from year to year (ironing lightly).

The ribbon was also handy for draping the grape vine wreath that hangs on the front door.
I laminated this print of Veronica's veil years ago, but it is more prominent this Lent. It was in the kitchen for weeks, but I think that over time we stopped "seeing" it. Now I've started hanging it on mirrors, moving it every few days. I think that will help keep the image fresh for us, and maybe give us each a moment of reflection.