Christ the King Sunday - November 22, 2010

Much like our desire to ring out the old (calendar year), Christ the King Sunday is a great way to celebrate out the old liturgical year and look forward to the new one beginning on the first Sunday of Advent: November 28th.

We've yet to pull off a celebration of Christ the King Sunday, and this year will most likely not be different,   but it isn't too late if you've got a mind to do it!


Here are some links:

:-: It might be a little late to plan a full parish celebration (but what a great idea to tuck away for next year), but you could take some of the craft and activity ideas and scale them down for a family celebration.

:-: And updated coloring page from the new Catholic Mom website.

:-: Proclaiming Faith has readings and activity suggestions - a wealth of information.


This Sunday would also be a great Sunday to talk as a family about your Advent plans and start your own Advent countdown!   Before Thanksgiving, I'll post some links and ideas to get your Advent appetite whet.

Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent -- Nov 20th

Welcome to the Nativity Carnival: Keeping Advent

Each Sunday, Advent through Epiphany, a new "Mr Linky" will be posted for you to share your Nativity Season-related ideas and thoughts from your blog.  (Just copy the link to your post and paste it into the Mr Linky box below.)

Also, please add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

Christ the King Sunday, November 20th, 2011

Yesterday was Christ the King Sunday, also known as "Stir Up Sunday".

While I don't have any plans to make a Christmas Pudding, I thought perhaps a recipe that requires some good stirring, but could be made well ahead of Christmas might be in order.  So, I'd like to share with you a recipe for Spiced Pumpkin Bread.  I found this on Food.com, so I can take NO credit for it.  This also freezes up beautifully...and that is one thing I love to do this time of year, make easy sweet breads that can be frozen and then brought back out whenever we have company or I need to take a treat to share to a party, etc.  This would also make a nice baked good gift.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Makes 2 loaves.

3 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
3 lg eggs
1 can or pumpkin (16 oz)
3 c all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c coarsely chopped nuts (recipe recommended walnuts, I've used pecans.  But I've also omitted these altogether.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour 2 9x5x3 loaf pans.  Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. (I didn't pull out my mixer for this, just used a spoon to mix energetically.)  Mix in eggs and pumpkin.  Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder into another large bowl.  Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions.  Mix in nuts, if desired.  Divide batter equally between two prepared pans. Bake until knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.  Transfer pans to racks and cool 10 minutes.  Using a knife, gently release bread from side of pan.  Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.


Some feast days coming up in the next couple of weeks:

:-: Saint Clement's feast (November 23rd) - stock up and feast on clementine oranges!  (I wonder if that is why they got this name?  Anyone know?)  He's also the patron saint of blacksmiths and metal workers.  It is the day before Thanksgiving, so I'll be polishing silver.

:-: Saint Andrew's feast (November 30th) - Andrew is a patron of many localities and countries (Scotland, Greece, diocese of Constantinople, Germany), so you have your pick of foods to choose from.  Since we have Scottish roots, we'll probably have something from this tradition.  Might also make some felt "thistles" to pin to our lapels.

:-: And Saint Nicholas Day is only 2 weeks away (Dec 6th)!  Will you be celebrating?  This is a special feast day in our home!


***And finally, I want to point you to a lovely and simple Jesse Tree resource.  I love that these readings are only enough for us to have to do a few nights a week to keep up.  With four children, there was always someone going somewhere...or something coming up that kept us from staying caught up with other Jesse Tree readings.***

If you are reading in a feed reader, please click through to the blog for the Mr. Linky posts!

For those submitting links: So that others might enjoy the carnival, don't forget to add a link on your post back to this page, thanks!

A Family Epiphany 2009

A re-post, with some updates, from last year's A Family Epiphany:
Tuesday is the Feast of the Epiphany, the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the season of "Epiphany". This Feast and Season commemorates the visit of the Wise Men or Magi to the Christ Child. Contrary to popular imagery, they most likely arrived in Bethlehem when Jesus was a toddler. Whatever the case, we recognize this also as a season that looks forward to the Gospel being shared with the whole world.

There are lots of fun craft ideas you could do to celebrate with and teach your kids about Epiphany. If you have kids who like to color here are some coloring pages to print. You might also make some paper crowns and let the kids decorate them with glitter and such. The website Catholic Culture has some wonderful information, too. Be sure not to miss the items (recipes, prayers, activities) in the drop-down menus in the top bar.

A lovely way to celebrate Epiphany is with a traditional home blessing. Below is a simple service for families. Start with Chalking the Door. Gather your family at the front door with a piece of chalk and say the following prayer together:

God bless this house,
From door to door,
From wall to wall,
From room to room,
From basement to roof,
From beginning to end.

God bless this house
and who enter here,
All who eat here,
All who work here,
All who play here,
All who sleep here,
All who visit here,
All who abide here.

(from a wonderful little book: The Anglican Family Prayer Book by Anne E. Kitch)

Then make the marks on your front door: 20+C+M+B+08. Each person can write a small part of that, or you can let an adult write the whole thing with the kids each making their own small cross somewhere on the door. (We find this easiest with little kids.) The C,M,B traditionally stands for the legendary names of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazaar); however, I like the alternate: Christus Mansionem Benedicat which means "May Christ bless this dwelling." The numbers are for the year (2008). Of course, you'll use "09" for 2009 this year! I also read a suggestion to make the marks on all the doors leading to the outside.

Now, you can walk through the house with lighted candles (or just the adults) and Holy Water, if you wish, saying prayers for each room's occupants and activities. Perhaps end your "tour" in the kitchen or dining room with a candlelight dinner, tea or dessert of "Three Kings' Cake". I'm using this King Cake recipe this year.

We don't wash off the marks and they've stayed up as a reminder almost all year long. A very blessed Epiphany to you!


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How to end the Christmas Season in style!

Don't let the Christmas season just fizzle away into the Super Bowl or Valentine's hysteria. End it in style with an Epiphany celebration!

Wednesday is the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the season of Epiphany. This Feast and Season commemorates the visit of the Wise Men or Magi to the Christ Child. Contrary to popular imagery, they most likely arrived in Bethlehem when Jesus was a toddler. Whatever the case, we recognize this also as a season that looks forward to the Gospel being shared with the whole world.

Crafts and Activities

:-: If you have kids who like to color here are some coloring pages to print.

:-: You might also make some paper crowns and let the kids decorate them with glitter and such.

:-: Make tin can lanterns (clean and remove labels from tin cans, fill with water and freeze, when hard use a hammer and nail to make a punched-tin design, let water melt, put in a candle and you've got a lantern!)

:-: The website Catholic Culture has some wonderful information, too. Be sure not to miss the items (recipes, prayers, activities) in the drop-down menus in the top bar.

:-: Have an "undecorating" party and take down all your Christmas decorations.

:-: Perhaps a small gift for the kids (a leftover one from Christmas or that one item they wanted but didn't get or a new calendar - they are cheap this time of year). In many cultures, it is traditional to give gifts on Epiphany rather than Christmas.

Home Blessing

This is a simple service for families. Start with Chalking the Door. Gather your family at the front door with a piece of chalk and say the following prayer together (or your own):

God bless this house,
From door to door,
From wall to wall,
From room to room,
From basement to roof,
From beginning to end.

God bless this house
and who enter here,
All who eat here,
All who work here,
All who play here,
All who sleep here,
All who visit here,
All who abide here.

(from a wonderful little book: The Anglican Family Prayer Book by Anne E. Kitch)

Then make the marks on your front door: 20+C+M+B+10. Each person can write a small part of that, or you can let an adult write the whole thing with the kids each making their own small cross somewhere on the door. (We find this easiest with little kids.) The C,M,B traditionally stands for the legendary names of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazaar); however, I like the alternate: Christus Mansionem Benedicat which means "May Christ bless this dwelling." The numbers are for the year (2010).

Now, you can walk through the house with lighted candles (or just the adults) and Holy Water, if you wish, saying prayers for each room's occupants and activities. My kids like to make little crosses on all the interior doors, too. Perhaps end your "tour" in the kitchen or dining room with a candlelight dinner, tea or dessert.

Food

There aren't a lot of different foods associated with Epiphany. Most are variations on the Three Kings' Cake (for example this King Cake recipe). No time for a cake, how about star-shaped cookies or treats?

What is your favorite way to celebrate Epiphany?

A limping celebration

The Twelve days of Christmas are here - in fact today is the 6th day, if you are keeping track - and my hopes for a full celebration are lying sick in bed coughing and sputtering like the rest of the family, yours truly included.  Yeah, this year, it's not happening.

A couple of weeks before Christmas I heard an announcer on a local Christian radio station proclaim about Christmas, "Well, in two weeks it is all over."  What?!?!  The driver in the car behind me must have worried as my van made a sudden veer toward and correction away from the roadside ditch.  Can you you hear me muttering, "It isn't all over - it has JUST BEGUN!"

What's the big deal you ask?  Am I just being a liturgical snob?  Well, maybe, but I sure hope not.  I really do think it matters.

When we celebrate the church year, we learn through story, image, and repetition not only the stories of our heritage, but the truths of our faith.  Take Advent, for example.  We keep Advent and we are reminded of preparing our hearts for the arrival of the King, Jesus.  Not only the remembrance of his first arrival, but the reminder of his future arrival - the Second Coming.  We are reminded to prepare our hearts like the wise virgins prepared their lamps.

But when He comes that second time, is that it?  Is it "all over" like the radio announcer thinks?  Of course not...it has just begun!  Keeping a full Christmas reminds us of this truth.  It won't end with the return of Christ, it will BEGIN.

Perhaps you've heard of the Advent Conspiracy campaign?   An even more important and counter-cultural campaign would be a Christmas Conspiracy.  Instead of celebrating for one day, we'd blow the world away by celebrating a full 12-Day Christmas season!  Can you imagine it:  Keeping a real preparatory Advent and then letting Christmas burst forth on the 25th...and burn bright for 12 whole days of delight and merriment!  Sharing our tables and homes with all those we can.  Give gifts from the heart to those we love and those we don't even know.  Serving our families and communities.   A celebration conspiracy!

Oh, I could get really carried away in the romance of that idea.

But this year our little Christmas is limping along.  The tree is still up.  And we are burning the Christmas lights all over the house each night.  It is still Christmas in our hearts at least.

And maybe that the most important thing of all.

Wait! Before Advent ... Saint Andrew!

Our Thanksgiving Table

(All links in the text are re-linked at the bottom of this post.)

Have you finished all your turkey, yet?   Ours is slowly being digested.  Last night was turkey soup, today is turkey casserole.  I do love the leftovers from Thanksgiving...but my kids seem to be tiring of turkey!  Maybe we'll resort to tacos later this week.

My slow roast turkey was another hit - whew!  It is pretty easy, but I made the mistake of needing my oven that morning to make a breakfast casserole.  Need to rethink that for next year.  Maybe an intant pot breakfast instead.

With the turkey almost gone, it must be time to start thinking about Advent!

Why is Advent my favorite time of year?  I'm not exactly sure...maybe it is in my contrarian nature to want to do something different from the culture. I do love the slowness of it, which is ironic because my actual days are a little crazy during early December.  Maybe it is the reminder to take it slow and really dig into the season of waiting and expectation.

Is there some link between how we approach Advent and how we live the rest of the year?  Perhaps.  We do live in Advent days...days of waiting for the coming of the King.

Frey enjoying the
Thanksgiving feast...
with a little kitty helper

Advent traditionally begins the Sunday after the Feast of Saint Andrew (Nov 30th).  So this year, it will begin on Dec 2nd.  But let's not overlook dear Saint Andrew in our rush to get to Advent!  Saint Andrew was fishing with his brother, Peter, when he answered Jesus' call to follow him, and thus became Christ's first disciple.

Because he is very closely associated with Scotland, and we have Scottish heritage, we lean toward those customs, but you can certainly find customs from the other cultures he's associated with (Greece, Russia, Amalfi in Italy, and Barbados).

Share the story of Saint Andrew's life with your children.  Many Saints' lives books will feature him.  The pickings are a little slim for individual books about his life, but I found a couple.  There is a Kindle book (I haven't read it, so I can really vouch for it - but it is only 99 cents!).  And another written for Scottish children by Lois Rock.

Here's a little kid-friendly video that will give you and your kids a quick overview of Andrew's life:




What other ways can we celebrate this last feast day before Advent?

Scottish Stovies -
doesn't that look delicious?!

• 
      
• Enjoy some Scottish delights: shortbread (buy it or make it), Scottish Stovies, or serve fish for dinner.

• Hang a Scottish flag (or the flag of one of the other countries that claim him as a patron saint)

• Draw a Scottish thistle (a guided tutorial)

Of course right on the heels of St. Andrew's feast (especially this year!) is the beginning of Advent.  Time to begin planning what you and your family might do.  In the next day or two, I'll start posting some ideas to get your family started!  Until then you can check out my Church Year page and follow the links under "Advent".

Blessed Feast of Saint Andrew!

Links from the text:

• Kindle book - Saint Andrew,  and this one by Lois Rock
• 5 Things You Didn't Know About St. Andrew  
• Scottish Shortbread Recipe
• The Order of the Thistle
• Draw a Scottish Thistle
• Craft a Scottish Thistle to wear
• Wear a thistle (a Scottish custom) - here's one you can make!

Daybook - Monday, January 18th

outside my window . . . puddles still on the ground here and there, but the sky is clear and just starting to turn golden around the edges (a nice evening is cooking up).

in the kitchen . . .  a couple batches of 5-Minute Artisan bread for sure.  Starting to think ahead to Lent and gathering recipes.  We are fasting as a family this year from meat and all animal-products (however, the kids will probably have some cheese and milk here and there).

around the house . . .  cleaning up from last night's "DaddyTime" (movies and camping out in the den).  Loads and Loads of laundry.  Does the stuff breed, or what?

on my iPod . . . loading it up with my favorite podcasts right now.  In particular, I'm looking forward to enjoying catching up on some archives of Frederica Matthewes-Green.

from our studies . . . Early explorers in Africa, geography of Egypt, creation of mountains and the world's highest mountains, Fra Angelico, Edvard Grieg (composer)

thinking about . . .  evangelism through living faith

listening to. . . hubby reading out the notes we've written on various saved corks.

thankful for. . . a good youth retreat weekend for my eldest son.

pondering the words . . . "Moreover, nothing in creation had erred from the path of God's purpose for it, save only man.  Sun, moon, heaven, stars, water, air, none of these had swerved from their order, but, knowing the Word as their Master and their King, remained as they were made."  St. Athanasius, from On the Incarnation

to foster rhythm and beauty . . . having celebrated the Baptism of Christ, it seems a nice time to set out the children's Baptismal candles.  I think this will be a yearly tradition. 

one of my favorite things . . .  rice pudding...I've got some cooking away in the crockpot right now.  I'm feeling a little puny, but I hope to enjoy a nibble on it tonight.

milestones in the past week . . . Baby L went into the nursery at church again this week and did really well!  

a few plans for the upcoming week . . . Somehow this week turned busy.  Tonight: an hour or so of training at the store.  Tuesday: middle son's best friend's birthday party (all the kids are invited).  Wednesday: CC and a playdate for middle daughter, also we are celebrating the anniversary of our adoption.  Thursday: getting tires changed in the am and middle daughter has a sleepover.  No idea for the weekend!



Enjoy more Daybooks at Peggy’s!

Feast day of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Apostle of Armenia

Anglican and Roman churches usually celebrate St. Jerome today. We are choosing to celebrate St. Gregory the Illuminator instead due to our future connection to Armenia through our to-be-adopted daughter.


Here's a little about St. Gregory, the Illuminator:

The ancient kingdom of Armenia was the first country to become Christian, and it recognizes Gregory as its apostle. Armenia was a buffer state between the powerful empires of Rome and Parthia (Persia), and both of them sought to control it. Gregory was born about 257. When he was still an infant, his father assassinated the King of Parthia, and friends of the family carried Gregory away for protection to Caesarea in Cappadocia, where he was reared as a Christian. About 280 he returned to Armenia, where he was at first treated severely, but eventually by his preaching and example brought both King Tiridates and a majority of his people to the Christian faith. About 300, Gregory was consecrated the first bishop of Armenia. He died about 332. Armenian Christians to this day remember him with honor and gratitude. (from http://www.satucket.com/)


A prayer for today:

Almighty God, whose will it is to be glorified in your saints, and who raised up your servant Gregory the Illuminator to be a light in the world, and to preach the Gospel to the people of Armenia: Shine, we pray, in our hearts, that we also in our generation may show forth your praise, who called us out of darkness into your marvelous light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

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Merry Christmas!

Have a very merry Christmas today!  

Before the paling of the stars,

Before the winter morn,

Before the earliest cockcrow

Jesus Christ was born:

Born in a stable,

Cradled in a manger,

In the world His Hands had made

Born a Stranger.

Priest and King lay fast asleep

In Jerusalem,

Young and old lay fast asleep

In crowded Bethlehem:

Saint and Angel, Ox and Ass,

Kept a watch together,

Before the Christmas daybreak

In the winter weather.

Jesus on His Mother's breast

In the stable cold,

Spotless Lamb of God was He,

Shepherd of the Fold:

Let us kneel with Mary Maid,

With Joseph bent and hoary,

With Saint and Angel, Ox and Ass,

To hail the King of Glory.

C. Rosetti

26 August 1859