Easter Blessings 2016

Our family has so much to be thankful for, and these past few weeks are no exception.  The days continue to pass so quickly!  My desire to journal here about our days of celebrations and family joys is enormous...but the time to do so, is limited.  There simply is no time to journal and share about all the happenings...

I have had an Epiphany!

Truly.  A celebration to acknowledge the Three Magi and their journey to visit and adore the infant Christ Child.  With them, they brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

Past Years ~ Present Year

I have loved my old faithful artificial tree that has given my family much happiness and glow over the PAST YEARS...

However, this year, I had a strong desire to GO (real) GREEN....

All Souls Day

November 1st

Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

English

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.

And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Latine

V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.

R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.

Credit

We were blessed with much needed rain and a beautiful sky and multiple rainbows.  God hears our prayers.  Please pray.

The Heavenly Jerusalem

A blessed All Saint's Day!

All Hallow's Eve gives us a moment of Hope.  There is excitement and joy.

We can all look towards our Heavenly Home...

With each piece of candy that you enjoy...let it remind you of the sweetness of the Heavenly Jerusalem.

Celebrating All Hallow's Eve and All Saints day, domestically, has changed over the years.  We can still find that excitement and joy that remind us of the Hope of Heaven.

How do you celebrate All Hallow's Eve and All Saints Day?

~ Family ~

Joining Like Mother, Like Daughter for some pretty, happy, funny and real times...

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

{pretty}

We have been enjoying some beautiful flowers, which were gifted to my parents...actually my dad recently suffered a serious and life-altering medical injury.  My mother's health declined shortly after my dad's month long hospital stay.

We moved both my parents into my home so that my family and I could care for them.

A Fair Day in 2015

Joining Like Mother, Like Daughter for some pretty, happy, funny and real times...

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

We had a fun day at the fair this year, as we do every year!

This is the same fair my father took my siblings and I when we were children.

Corpus Christi

A lot is going on these days...fun activities, school year ending, vacations, anniversaries, parties, and then there's...

CORPUS CHRISTI

~ Preparing for Lent ~

Making way for the Purple...

It seems like I just put away my Christmas decorations...hey, wait, I did just put away my Christmas decorations...

Now it is time to start thinking about Lent, which is only 15 days away!

Since my oldest two are now in high school, I have been searching for some "age appropriate" ideas for LIVING LENT.  

We will certainly turn to our Lenten Traditions of Fasting, Alms-giving and Prayer, however, I would like to find something that my oldest two will find meaningful...something that will "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." ~ Psalm 51:10.  

Station of the Cross 2013 project

We are a very close family, and we have always actively lived the liturgical seasons as a family.  Taking time out of our day to live and pray the season together, even for a moment, is a tradition that I would like to keep alive in my home.
We shouldn't outgrow traditions, not even if my children have grown taller than me!  lol.  Traditions give us a certain closeness or unity, they also create memories for us.
Traditions teach us our Faith.  As a family, we should live our Faith together.  
I believe that God's grace and peace resides in a home that keeps true to his Traditions.
"For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you..." ~ 1Cor 11:23

So, I was thinking...maybe some Lenten Fireside Chats or BookClub style discussions or maybe viewing a DVD series (and engaging in a study program together) like Catholicism, which we have owned for several years.  Maybe it is time to revisit this beautiful work...

Sharing our Faith.  Growing in Faith.  

Living our Faith. 

Family style, if you will.

Last year's Shrove Tuesday King Cake

Shrove Tuesday

I know one tradition that my children still look forward to...

This year we will be using the King Arthur Gluten-Free version...it is my absolute favorite!

~ LIVING LENT, LOVING LENT: 2014 Link-Up ~

This is a re-post for quick ideas to Keep some Love in Lent

Living Lent, Loving Lent
That is what I say...


“I’m participating in the Keep LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2014, hosted by the Catholic Bloggers Network,

Equipping Catholic Families,  Campfires and Cleats, Truly Rich Mom,

A Slice of Smith Life   and  Home to 4 Kiddos

We’ll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on  Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds

 and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE.

  Please visit any of these 6 hosts, to link your own Keep LOVE in LENT blog post!

I love our Lenten traditions and I am always looking for new ideas that keep our spiritual life moving towards sanctity.
My last years post can be found HERE, which covers:
+ LENTEN FASTING
+ LENTEN ALMSGIVING
+ LENTEN PRAYER & READING
and a + LIST OF GIVE UPS FOR LENT

I felt as if I did not have much time to savor the Ordinary Time season, although many wonderful activities were lived and enjoyed.  And while praying and searching for those few NEW ideas, I saw Lena's post over at Joy{filled Family}.  The Lent Calendar that she shares can be printed in three colors; but it was the Lenten Program Printable that really made me excited to try...the checklist format appeals to me in our particular 'family phase'.

PRAYER + FASTING + ALMS GIVING

 ~ LENTEN FASTING ~

There are certain things that I hope to do during this Lent:


Keep things Simple.   This includes (or excludes as appropriate):
+ prayers
+ devotions
+ meals
+ environment
+ activities
+ projects
+ goals
Spend more time Reading with my family.
Attend my Parish Lenten Retreat
Attend some part of my parish's 40 Hour Devotion
Participate in the LENT MEME over at Time For Reflections

I will personally be reading:
+ The Sacred Passion.  Luis De La Palma (Scepter)
+ Imitation of Christ - Thomas Kempis (H.M. Caldwell Co., Publishers. New York & Boston)

This year, I have asked my children to pick between 2 - 4 books to read during Lent. 

Little Lamb (Fourth Grade) chose the following:
+ The Re-Found Veronica - Story of the Holy Face - Friar Carmine Cucinelli (Rector of the Basilica of the Holy Face of Manoppello {This was a Christmas gift from to our daughter, from which we brought home from our Rome pilgrimage in June 2013).  I will have to share some of the illustrations as the pencils & Colours are magnificent and beautifully done!
+ The Purples are Coming! - Ilow & Sheri Roque (Rock House Press)
+ A Book of Gratitude  5-2 (Seton Press)
+ This Is Our Family 1-2 (Seton Press)
+ The Story Tree 3-3 (Seton Press)
+ A Book of Friendliness - A Collection of the Prose & Poetry Which Has Helped to Better the World - Sister Mary Charlotte, R.S.M.; Sister Mary Brendan, R.S.M; Mary Synon 8-2 (Ginn & Co)

Butterfly (Ninth Grade) chose:
+ The Sacred Passion  Luis De La Palma (Scepter)
+ Divine Mercy in My Soul - St. Maria Faustina Kowalska Diary  (Marian Press)
+ Daily Meditations with the Holy Spirit - Minute Meditations for Every Day Containing a Scripture Reading, A Reflection, and a Prayer - Rev. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.  (Catholic Book Publishing)
+ Holy Bible - RSV - Catholic Edition (Ignatius)

Conductor (Tenth Grade) chose:
+ The Young Man's Guide - Counsels, Reflections and Prayers for Catholic Young Men - Rev. F.X. Lasance (Benziger Brothers, Inc.)
+ TBD

Here are two videos that would be appropriate for Lent (the 'I Was There' dvd is geared towards middle school and up; 'The Miracle Maker' is appropriate for younger children...although there is a short part in the very beginning where a demon is cast out of a women, which is kinda creepy for littles).
+ The Miracle Maker (Family Home Entertainment)
+ I Was There (EWTN series)

On the Menu for Friday:

French Lentil Soup

~ Church Bulletin ~

Do you read yours?
I love how our pastor includes many Easter Tradition ideas in our church bulletin.  We have borrowed a few ideas over the past seven or eight years...
 
Here are some to share:

EASTER BASKET:

No, not from the Easter bunny...lol.  The Blessed Easter Basket has (particular) items that symolize somthing special as it pertains to the Easter Celebration.  For instance,

THE EGG:  Long a symbol of life and re-birth in Catholic tradition.  The egg is the standard symbol of the Resurrection of  our Lord.  It also represents everlasting life and renewal for all who believe in HIM.  Eggs hold the seeds of revival and fertility upon the earth.  The colored egg is symbolic of the tomb in which our Lord was placed.  The egg was originally RED in color, representing the blood of Christ which purifies the believers.

Here are our eggs this year...we tried and tried to get the color, RED, but only managed to get a festive fuchsia...oh well.  We did try.

Our friend made some for our pastor, which came out a darker shade, it was a mixture of beet juice and something else...(onions, maybe; I can't remember!), I think these look much more authentic:

PASCHAL LAMB:  May be made of butter, sugar or baked dough.  It is the center of the symbolic foods-ladened table.  It is the central symbol to the Catholic faith.  For the fullest Easter celebrations, the Lamb is featured carrying a victorious red banner, upon which is a cross.  The Lamb, the symbol of ancient times as the sacrificial animal, now portrays Christ as victorious through this presentation.

We use many lamb symbols (on our table and throughout our home, including the butter, cake, sugar, and paper napkins and paper-mache!  Here are some pictures from years prior:

MEAT:  Ham or Sausage.  The pig, from which this meat is derived, is also an ancient symbol of prosperity.  Forbidden in the Old Testament, they are part of the bounteous meal of Easter.

My mother served both ham AND lamb...

HORSERADISH & PEPPER:  Symbol of bitter herbs of the Passover, signifying bitterness of spiritual exile and bitterness of the suffering of Jesus.

Peppered Potatoes

I'll partake in the horseradish (if roast beef is being served). :o)  Actually, it went well with the lamb.

VINEGAR:  Our Lord was given gall (sour wine) to drink as He hung upon the cross.  Vinegar reminds us of this act when He declared:  "I Thirst".

SALT:  By His words, we are the "salt of the earth", and we are reminded of our Holy Baptism into Christ. 

PASCHAL BREAD:  This is a round loaf of sweet bread, topped with the cross.  It symbolizes the bread of the Eucharistic Meal.  It also declares to us as it vividly declared to the Emmaus Disciples...Christ is known to us in the breaking of bread.  Shown here, at Family Food for Feast and Feria, is a beautiful example and wonderful turorial. 

MYRTLE OR OTHER GREENS:  The Easter Basket is decorated with little branches of myrtle of other greens.  Myrtle is a ritual green, a symbol of purity and is used to decorate all items in the basket.
I can't believe I forgot to take a picture of our Easter Baskets!!  Oh well, here are some other "greens":

OTHER CAKES AND SWEETS:  In addition to Paschal Sweet Bread, and assortment of various cakes and cookies may be used as part of the festivities.  Adorned with Myrtle, or other decoration, they add color and flavor to the Easter Basket. 

Little Lamb made the chocolate covered strawberries...
I've been wanting these all month!

Hand-made cake by my sister-in-law...so cute!

Our Easter Dessert Table is not complete without a carrot cake...
My mother made not one, but two kinds of cake!
Now I know where I got this from...

(I love this part!!!  Our pastor does not mince words!):
"Maybe your ancestors brought different customs and traditions to the USA.  Try to follow them.  Don't cut off your roots.  The tree with cut roots will die."
:o)

This is what I read in our church bulletin about the Blessed Easter Basket:  "The immigrants from Eastern Europe brought many beautiful customs to the USA.  One of them is the blessing of the food for the first meal of Easter.  Every Holy Saturday, some people carry baskets laden with food.  Others carry smaller baskets with an assortment of symolic items of food."

What meaningful traditions do you bring to the table...or around your house?
I'll be sharing more of our Easter traditions as we celebrate the
Fifty Days of Easter Joy...

Linking up to Catholic Bloggers Network:

2013 Monthly Link-Up Blitz -
~ Catholic Family Journal ~