Signs and Wonders

Look at what we got for Christmas

Ok, she was actually born Boxing day so I guess that means she's a belated Christmas present. She's so cute and such a tiny little thing no bigger then our dogs, actually one of our dogs is bigger then her.

Wishing you a Happy and Holy Christmas

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

 

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet,
and on her head a crown of twelve stars
Revelation 12:1 (Entrance Antiphon for Our Lady of Guadalupe)

\

Our Lady of Guadalupe,
Mystical Rose,
make intercession for the holy Church,
protect the Sovereign Pontiff,
help all those who invoke thee in their necessities,
and since thou art the ever Virgin Mary
and Mother of the true God,
obtain for us from thy most holy Son
the grace of keeping our faith,
sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life,
burning charity
and the precious gift of final perseverance.
Amen.

This prayer was approved and enriched with an indulgence of five hundred days by Pope Pius X at all audience held on August, 1908, and was included in the official edition of approved indulgenced prayers (1950).

 

An Unwelcome Guest

 

We were well into the Sunday morning madness of trying to get thirteen people out the door by 7.20am when we discovered this fellow in our finch cage he had already managed to polish of six birds and we knew we had to get him out if we were to save the remaining four.

 

Michael had a hard time getting him out of the cage.

 

Out of the cage and into the bagJosh stopped on his way to Mass and released him in a nice bushy area. Just in case your wonderingour visitor is an Australian carpet python

The Feast of St Nicholas

Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara.

“His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.” .... Read more here

 

Prayer: 

Ant: Nicholas, the friend of God, adorned by a priestly mitre, showed himself loving to all.

V: Pray for us, blessed Nicholas.

R: That we be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer:
O God, who adorned the blessed Nicholas thy priest with innumerable miracles, grant to us, we beseech, that by his favours and prayers we be freed from the fires of hell. Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, O God, world without end. Amen.

from The Book of Hours, 1524, France
Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection, Library of Congress
translated from the original Latin

 

The feast of St Nicholas must be one of our favourites, a day full of family tradition, a day to create memories and a day to draw closer to God. The excitement and suspense starts on December 5th as the "stockings are hung from the chimney with care.

 

 

In the hopes that St Nick would soon be there." In our house St Nicholas always puts in an appearance some time in the wee hours of the morning. For Good girls and boys he leaves chocolate money and a book while naughty children receive straw in their stocking.

 

 

Here's one of our stockings filled with gold coins, the coins are given in imitation of St Nicholas who according to legend saved three sisters from a life of ill repute by providing on three separate occasions bags of gold coins. It is said that the bags of gold were thrown through a window and landed in the girls shoes or stockings having been left by the fire to dry. From this story we get the tradition of leaving shoes or hanging stocking by the chimney.

 

 

 

What St Nicholas day would be complete without the traditional speculatius cookies. We bake these each year decorate them with icing and have them for desert with ice cream, yum. This year we used this recipe and were really happy with the results. Praying that you all had a blessed day.

 

 

A Novel Idea for Advent.

While shopping today I came across this novel idea to count down the days until Christmas, I guess it's an advent calender of sorts. I just couldn't resist buying it, I know this will become a family favorite, something to be looked forward to year after year.

The whole thing opens out to reveal twenty five mini books all with a Christmas theme. The books include stories, poems and carols and the highlight of coarse is revealed on December 25th in the 'Greatest Gift of All" The story of how a little babe brought light to the world on that first Christmas morn.

  Here's a sample of the mini books the larger one on the bottom is to be read on Christmas day appropriately titled "the greatest Gift of All" It is slightly larger then the rest and the cover illustrated to look like a gift which of coarse is exactly what the Christ Child is to us. The illustrations are beautiful and the stories and poems are diverse ranging from classics like "A Christmas Carol" and the "Twelve days of Christmas"  to a Christmas in many lands and stories about Santa Claus. All in all it quite delightful very sweet and a wonderful addition to our Advent traditions.

A Simple Womens Day Book - December 1st

Be sure to stop over at Peggy's and check out this weeks Simple Womens Day Book.

Out side my window.....The sun is rising, the morning bird song fills the air and the children are doing their morning chores, feeding their animals.

I am thinking.... About the various activities and feast days we will celebrate/ observe this advent.

From the learning rooms...  Our advent tree has been installed in the learning area and is surrounded by our many advent read alouds we are looking forward to visiting these stories, some old and well loved favourites while others a new and waiting to be meet.

I am thankful for... That all my children are home and were all under one roof again

From the kitchen.... The Breakfast is served and cakes cooking.

I am creating....  A Lists, lists and more lists, Christmas food lists, Christmas present lists, Christmas card lists and so it continues.

I am going....    To enjoy the day with a friend and her family as we come together for some advent activities with the children.

I am wearing..... A floral skirt and brown top and my ever faith ful crocs.

I am reading....   The Impact of God .. Soundings from St. John of the Cross by Ian Matthew

I am hoping....    That I can pull of todays advent activity, I have run out of printer ink and have had to change my plans at the last minute

Around the house.... The children are gearing up for the day having breakfast, doing their morning chores and readying the house for guests.

One of my favourite things....   This is one of my favourite times of year, the excitement and anticipation as advent builds and heralds in the birth of the Christ Child.

A few plans for the rest of the week....   We have two homeschool support group meetings this week our usual Friday art, gymnastics and sport and our first of the month picnic at a local park the last of these gathering for 2008.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you....