Saint Therese of the Little Flower's Sacrifice Beads
My daughter made these sacrifice beads over Christmas. She made a few and gave some away as presents. These are the ones she kept for herself though.
They are fun and easy to make.
The idea for them comes from Saint Therese "The little Flower"
In her book, Story of a Soul her mother talks of the decade of beads Therese used to count her little sacrifices on. It is so sweet to watch the girls making sacrifices for each other and counting them on their colourful beads. Download Saint Therese's Book "Story of A Soul"
"But it is more amusing still to see Thérèse put her hand in her pocket, time after time, to pull a bead along the string, whenever she makes a little sacrifice."
We've been out and about in the snow today. The sunlight sparkled across the snowy whiteness and made everything look like a piece out of the pages of Narnia. After our wandering and card delivering we settled down to some last minute Christmas crafting.
this flower is standing in a cup of blue food colouring mixed with water, slowly but surley the edges of it's petals are beggining to turn a wintery ice blue. Great, fun simple experiment for little ones!
Felt and scrap Christmas tree ornaments. Easy and fun for kids to assemble and make out of left over scraps, buttons, sequins etc lying at the bottom of your sewing box. THe top one is Matilda's creation the bottom one is Bujana's!
handwarmers finished just in time for someone special.
I spent a gentle evening sewing some scraps together. Very thereputic. Like painting with fabric.
Emmy crocheting.
Tilda's Christmas chain...
Jesse tree. Beautiful table wreath center peice kindly made by a friend.
Cosying up with Peter rabbit and a blanket.
Little rosy red cheeks, sweet as apples.
I knitted this bonnet a few years ago it was meant to be 3 to 6 months size but obviously it ended up a little bigger than that! Matilda has rather taken to it :)
Cuteness! Emmy's little snow creature "Platypus Jack"
With longingsand wish-lists, yet money problems in thought.
And still more, late hour shopping to keep the elves on their toes,
Until, they think the stockings will never cease supplying,
For the mere stress forces over-brimmed middles to burst
their buckles under the strain of one to many puddings.
*
Yet who has not seen you in the memory of youth?
Sought ‘mongstthe reclaimed yester-years of printed biscuit tins.
And there will find you sitting on a plain and simple hearth rug,
Ashes and embers gently warming frosted fingertips,
The long lost notes of carols lingering, mingling with
The soft scents of charred chestnuts curling round cobbled streets.
Gathered together the Christmas table laden
With warm cups of cider mulling past sorrow to forgetfulness
We hear the old songs and dance once again.
As slow drifts of snow accumulate the soft breathed vespers of wakeful stars.
Waiting upon the horizon of the night.
*
Where are the cries of the babe in the manger
The songs of Christmas birth, Where are they?
While yonder star shedsa ray of joy,
the ripeness of the sun casts red glow upon the mountainside.
Gradually, merging, the star and the sun slowly become one, single golden halo of light .
Tis true, the star, may only set in to the deep once the red mists of the setting sun
whisper a scent of evening Myrrh beforethe frankincense of dawn.
And humble shepherds , are first to hear another lamb, bleating from hilly borne.
While the bells of decked halls cease their chime,
Against the silence of a lowly stable,
And the song of an angel rising in the sky.
Poem by Emmy.
We have been studying Keats's "Ode to Autumn" and I thought it would be interesting to do a poem about Christmas using the original as a template. I think it turned out really well!
It is currently pinned to the carpet in my bedroom away from little toes! I think that the technical term is blocking but I'm not very good at those technical terms! All I know is that liddle fingers and toes must be kept far far away from it.
We baked up lots of different cookie flavours. mocha spice, cocoa crackle and carrot cake crumble.
And then it was time for our own little bit of tinsel and bauble!
Emmy has been busy sewing a Victorian over-dress and bonnet for Boo.
I think a little knitted shawl would be perfect to finish it off don't you?
And a curtsy! Boo doing her very best "poor workhouse girl" impression! Shhhh! If you look close you'll see the hemline isn't cut and sewn up yet. But Boo couldn't wait to try it on and I said you wouldn't let on ;) Besides, it adds to that authentic workhouse charm dosen't it!
Here's the free bonnet pattern we used. The dress was a made with a simple peasant blouse bodice stiched onto a gathered skirt.
Emmy's Aboriginal painting. Each symbol is representative of an aspect of nature and an integral part of the whole design. Each aboriginal painting is not just a work of art but a spiritual and physical story.
Emmy concluded her study of tribal life with an in depth study on aboriginal life and her own dream time painting.
If you haven't seen this film yet I highly recommend it. Not for young children though.
Being right with Jesus before I try to be right with anyone else.
Taking off the shackles of the mind. Sinking down into the still waters dwelling in the heart.
Remembering that peace increases with trust, whatever the outside circumstances
Taking life without the frills. Eating simple. Mind, body and soul.
Reaching out to touch the truth in the kind of beauty which comes unadorned.
Not forgeting that it's the the inside of the cup that needs the most attention.
Welcoming the outsider into my heart. The one who opposes me. The one who threatens me. The one who other's reject. See how the reflection in another's eyes is deep within a part of my own self.
pHOTO : My hand after spending a morning planting, painting and play doughing with the girls. Real, true, unpretty, but touched with the fabric of the everyday life I love and embrace. Better than a french manicure.
It doesn't have to be all about, activities, or shoe-horning the children into over demanding schedules.
A little bit of talking, connecting, natural conversation and reading aloud goes such a long way with helping the girls to internalize knowledge.
Instead of being "outside" of the learning process, almost as an overseer, I am trying to get "within" the learning process with them.
See things through their eyes.
This is so helpful for both myself and the girls and it is creating such bonds between us.
It is not hard to learn when learning is a joyful experience for all involved.
I have found that they pick up on "my vision" too.
My feelings and general attitude are reflected by them.
They really are little mirrors, polished to reflect and interpret the world around them.
This is why I feel so much responsibility to teach them the most important things in life.
My scripture for the year is Jesus's parable of the vine where he reminds his disciples that he is the vine and they are the branches. To receive life, truth, strength, peace (all the gifts of the spirit) they must learn to remain "in Him."
This can be so hard when I keenly feel a thousand different tugs from every side of my life.
I feel like Jesus is trying to pull me down into the deep waters, while I am often fearfully trying to scramble up to the tempestuous surface for air.
My mind is on dinner, activities, expectations, a clean house, responsibilities, ....
And I forget that non of these things will reach true fulfillment unless I remain "in Him" As a branch connected to the vine of life.
To remain at peace in the deep waters of His life is what I want the children to learn about first.
Genesis (1:1 3-7 2:1-4) "And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."
This morning ice coated every surface. And the light reflected as written. The ground sparkled, nature decorated the first day of Advent. This afternoon the birds gathered upon the branches and sang aloud. What a sound. They must have known, someone must have told them the child of the manger will be born soon. And so we sing too.
Tonight we make our Christkindl.
Maria Von Trapp describes it thus:
Once more the mother appears with the bowl, which she passes around. This time the pieces of paper contain the names of the members of the family and are neatly rolled up, because the drawing has to be done in great secrecy. The person whose name one has drawn is now in one's special care. From this day until Christmas, one has to do as many little favors for him or her as one can. One has to provide at least one surprise every single day — but without ever being found out. This creates a wonderful atmosphere of joyful suspense, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Perhaps you will find that somebody has made your bed or shined your shoes or has informed you, in a disguised handwriting on a holy card, that "a rosary has been said for you today" or a number of sacrifices have been offered up. This new relationship is called "Christkindl" (Christ Child) in the old country, where children believe that the Christmas tree and the gifts under it are brought down by the Christ Child himself.
The beautiful thing about this particular custom is that the relationship is a reciprocal one. The person whose name I have drawn and who is under my care becomes for me the helpless little Christ Child in the manger; and as I am performing these many little acts of love and consideration for someone in the family I am really doing them for the Infant of Bethlehem, according to the word, "And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me." That is why this particular person turns into "my Christkindl." At the same time I am the "Christkindl" also for the one I am caring for because I want to imitate the Holy Child and render all those little services in the same spirit as He did in that small house of Nazareth, when as a child He served His Mother and His foster father with a similar love and devotion.
Many times throughout these weeks can be heard such exclamations as, "I have a wonderful Christkindl this year!" or, "Goodness, I forgot to do something for my Christkindl and it is already suppertime!" It is a delightful custom, which creates much of the true Christmas spirit and ought to be spread far and wide.
We celebrated the first Sunday of advent yesterday. The first purple candle was brought to life upon the wreath and we reflected with prayers together.
Tell the timid to take heart The Lord God will come, The Lord will come soon and not delay God will make the darkest places bright See, God shall appear, God shall not decieve, The Lord will come quickly Come Lord Jesus, send forth your spirit and renew the face of the earth Be on watch, stay awake The Lord is near Watch with a sharp eye The Lord is near Look, all around you, see, The Lord is near. Amen
We have started to recite the Saint Andrew Novena. And are preparing our Jesse tree for it's first ornament!
Here are some great links for traditional advent prayers, feastdays and activities from fisheaters website And here for homeschoolers from Serendipity
Like the bare branches of the trees outside. Our reflections are quiet, still and unembellished. We unadorn and wait with simplicity. Emptying our heart so that it may make a fitting manger for the child to lay when christmas comes.
