The Jesus Tree ~ Week One
Starting on Ash Wednesday, each afternoon we will read a bible story from our family bible. Following that, I plan to re-read the story from New Catholic Picture Bible
(NCPB) by Father Lovasik. The simplified stories and pictures in the children’s bible help to capture my children’s attention. I will list the pages here as well, in case any of you want to join us in this activity. The children will then take turns placing a symbol that represents the story on our tree. I am hoping to find coloring pages to go along with each story as well to finish off the activity.In fact, you could do this Lenten bible study without even doing the tree. You could read the readings and then color a corresponding picture… (Older children could draw their own!) I will add links as I find them for coloring pages.
Day 1 ~ The Presentation
Symbol: Two Doves
Readings: Lk 2:22-38
NCPB: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Page 103
Coloring Page: The Presentation (Update: The Presentation)
Day 2 ~ Jesus in the Temple/Hidden Life
Symbol: Saw
Readings: Lk 2:41-52
NCPB: Jesus is Found in the Temple; The Hidden Life of Jesus Pages 108-111
Coloring Page: Jesus in the Temple (Update: Finding Jesus in the Temple)
Day 3 ~ The Baptism of Jesus
Symbol: Dove on Water
Readings: Mt 3:11-17, Mk 1:6-11, Lk 3:21-22
NCPB: The Baptism of Jesus 112-113
Coloring Page: Jesus is Baptized (Update: Baptism of Our Lord)
More Fun: Baptism of the Lord Crossword
Day 4 ~ Jesus Tempted in the Desert
Symbol: Tan Stones
Readings: Mt 4:1-11, Mk 1:12-13, Lk 4:1-13
NCPB: The Temptation of Jesus in the Desert 114-115
Coloring Page: Jesus Tempted (Update: Jesus is Tempted)
Day 5 ~ Jesus’ Miracle at Cana
Symbol: Wine Jar
Readings: Jn 2:1-11
NCPB: The Marriage at Cana 116-117
Coloring Page: Water into Wine (Update: Wedding at Cana)
To Be continued… only FORTY-TWO more to make! 🙂 It will be worth it though, and we will be able to reuse it every year!!**
**note: this is me talking myself into finishing this project 😉 Yikes! I wish I could get a couple of my sisters over here to help!
From the Jesse Tree to the Jesus Tree
During Advent, one of our favorite ways to prepare is through the study of the Old Testament through the use of our Jesse Tree. Last year, I thought it would be so neat if I could find something similar to do during Lent. We do make a Lenten calendar each year, which I will try to share with you soon, but I had been wanting to do just a bit more. Anyhow, I ran across a great kit for a “Jesus Tree.”
Our Lenten Bible Study will pick up where our Advent Bible Study left off. Each day during Lent we will read a Bible story from the New Testament about an event or teaching during Jesus’ life from His Presentation in the temple to His death and Resurrection. Like our Jesse Tree, we will have a felt symbol to represent each story. Instead of placing them on an evergreen tree like we did in Advent, they will be placed upon a dead, barren branch, also made from felt.
At first, the dead branch symbolizes the barren and lifeless feeling of the Lenten season as we reflect on our own sinfulness and the crucifixion of our Lord. As the season climaxes with Easter, we see the gift Christ gave us through His death and Resurrection. The beauty of that new life is reflected in the way the dead branch has “blossomed” with all the symbols of Christ’s life and teachings.
To begin the project, I started with taping the tree pattern to the brown felt. You could use pins as well, but I didn’t have any, and I think that the taped edges made cutting the felt much easier!
**I suppose you could make this on your own, but the patterns came in so handy… In case any of you would like to purchase the kit, I ordered it from Scripture Trees. There phone number is 651-426-2174. Last year, the kit was only $10.00 plus shipping.
In the meantime, I would love to hear what you have planned for Lent!
SNOW DAY!
I’ve always wanted to go to Boston…
It seems like everyone has been doing this little quiz, so I thought I would join in…
| You Are Boston |
 Both modern and old school, you never forget your roots. Well educated and a little snobby, you demand the best. And quite frankly, you think you are the best. Famous people from the Boston area: Conan O’Brien, Ben Affleck, New Kids on the Block |
I always find it interesting what these little quizzes say… I sure hope that I’m not snobby… And I wonder what it is that makes them always say “I think I have/am the best?” I hate that!
Excellent Award…
Kathy at The Daily Grotto just sent this award my way. Thank you Kathy for nominating me, I am in such wonderful company!
The rules: By accepting this Excellent Blog Award, you have to award it to 10 more people whose blogs you find Excellent Award worthy. You can give it to as many people as you want but please award at least 10. Thank you out there for having such great blogs and being such great friends! You deserve this! Feel free to award people who have already been awarded…
I am going to pass it along to:
- Knit Together in Love, Amy was the one who initially got me interested in blogging.
- Trina, at Merryheart Acres, is one of my best friends, who moved too far away, too long ago… I’m so excited that she has started a blog, and it is EXCELLENT!
- Regina, she is always making me laugh!
- My cousin Margaret, it’s so nice to keep “in contact” once again! I love her ability to create such interesting blog posts. They are such fun to read.
- Unam Ecclesiam, my hubby’s blog, is definitely excellent, in my TOTALLY UNBIASED opinion!
- Sweetness and Light, is one of my FAVORITE blogs. I still think Meredith REALLY SHOULD HAVE WON the award for best cyber-buddy! In my mind she did. 🙂 (I know Kathy awarded you already… but the rules allow me to send it your way too!)
- Just another day in Paradise is another of my favorites, and I just love Ruth. Her blog is wonderful!
- Waltzing Matilda never ceases to amaze me with her creativity!
- I just found Totus Tuus Family & Homeschool, or rather she found me., which I am really enjoying.
- And last I am nominating the Josephine County Right to Life blog. It’s brand new and is has many, many wonderful pro-life links and videos! I encourage you all to link to it in your sidebars, if you can!
I wanted to nominate so many more, there are some truly wonderful blogs out there through which we are so blessed. Thank you!
The Weather Forecast says:
I’m not complaining, I love the snow! We still even have power, although, this type of weather usually always causes it to go out. And even then, a power outage is better than being stuck at Costco with a dead battery!
This morning we woke up to a (typical for here) damp, raining day… However, after lunch the snow started falling… In no time, this was the view from our front door:
Right now, a few hours later, it looks like this:
And, it isn’t letting up! The forecast shows snow ALL WEEK! This winter has been SO abnormal, but the kids are LOVING it! They can’t wait till I let them out to play in it, tomorrow.
Preparing for Candlemas
The Feast of the Purification is also called Candlemas or Candle Mass Day.
This feast commemorates the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the presentation of Christ in the temple, which took place 40 days after his birth as Jewish law required. It is also called Candlemas day, since the blessing of candles takes place on this feast.
I have been browsing around online and through a few of my favorite books, trying to collect ideas of things I might do with my children to commemorate this feast, and so I thought I would take a second and share them with you all.
First of all, on the Eve of Candlemas, we will take down the last of our Christmas decorations and store them away till next year, since this is the last day we see the infant Jesus in the Gospel readings. This old poem, Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve, is about doing just that:
Down with the rosemary, and so
Down with the bays and misletoe ;Down with the holly, ivy, all,
Wherewith ye dress’d the Christmas Hall :
That so the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind :
For look, how many leaves there be
Neglected, there (maids, trust to me)
So many goblins you shall see.
On Candlemas day, which is also First Saturday, we will all go to Mass. If I can get them all together in time, we will bring along all our candles for the year as well, and ask our pastor to bless them.
I think I will also plan a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, since this spice is associated with the Blessed Virgin. (Sirach 24:15 “Like cinnamon, or fragrant balm, I give forth perfume.”)
In one of my favorite liturgical year resources, Celebrating the Faith in the Home, it says:
The doves that Mary and Joseph brought with them to the temple should also be incorporated into your
Candlemas observance. They are significant because they demonstrate the Holy Couple’s poverty, for the doves were only the alternate sacrifice for the poor not able to afford the prescribed offering.
I absolutely love the centerpiece Matilda made last year which incorporates the doves. I hope to make one like it with the children and use it as the centerpiece for our candlelit dinner that night! Isn’t it beautiful?
In another favorite resource, The Year and Our Children
After dinner the children tell the story of the Purification and the Presentation and present it in their shadow-box theater…
…This night, after the story is told and the theater is alight, we say the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary while we meditate on this scene.
Then we have our family procession with lighted candles. Small paper cuffs keep the wax from dripping on hands. The babies have their candles alight in candlesticks on the mantel. All through the downstairs we walk, with a grownup reading the Antiphons for the procession of the morning and the children joining in hymns. We sing Salve Regina in English, and O Sanctissima, and the familiar “Hail Holy Queen, Enthroned Above.” Families who know chant well have a large repertoire of songs to choose from, and for those who are anxious to add to their repertoire or improve it, the Pius X Hymnal is an excellent investment. We have just been given one by a holy friend who is anxious that we improve our repertoire. Bless her!
Doesn’t that sound like fun? The directions for making this shadow-box production can be found in The Year and Our Children
Catholic Culture also gives a few suggestions of things to do, including:
- Read Luke 2:22-35, the account of the presentation including the Canticle of Simeon.
- Meditate on the constant fiat of Our Lady of Sorrows, who embraced the will of God even as Simeon predicted that a sword would pierce her heart.
Oh! Don’t miss checking out last years Lovliness of Candlemas Fair over at Blessed Among Men. It contains links to so many wonderful posts.
If you have any other ideas, please leave them in the comments. I would love to hear them!
Choices Meme
Ruth just tagged me for another meme that Robynn (my sisters sister-in-law) started! Thanks for tagging me Ruth!
Here I go… Let’s see if I can be decisive for a change:
(My choices are in bold italic type.)
If you HAD to choose one or the other would you choose…
- Thai or Mexican
- bubble bath or back massage
- boots or sandals
- the 90% “pro-life” good chance or the 100% pro-life long shot (This is a hard one, but if everyone choose the 100% pro-life candidate, he would no longer be the “long shot!”)
- a cruise ship or a mountain cabin
- Rome or Paris
- Ordinary or Extraordinary
- Rosary or Stations
- surf or hang glide
- Regal Cinemas or Netflix
- sweet or salty
- pen or pencil
- how-to book or fantasy novel
- crossword or sudoku
- lose a leg or lose your sight
- North or South
- a power outage at home or a dead car battery at Costco
- classic rock or country
- wool or linen
- lots of good friends or a few great friends
- soup or salad
- Merlot or Chardonnay (Although I am allergic to both!)
- Picasso or Da Vinci
- charades or trivial pursuit
- Evangelical Protestantism or Orthodox Judaism
- stone age or dark age
- Steven Spielberg or Ken Burns
- Thermopylae or Alamo
- Big Foot or Loch Ness Monster
- babies or teenagers
March for Life Photos
This past weekend our family participated in our annual March for Life.
Upon arriving, I was disappointed to find the flashcard of my camera full, and for some reason, it wasn’t even letting me delete any pictures… I love pictures, and camera problems TOTALLY frustrate me… So, much to my dismay, I wasn’t able to take any pictures.
However, a friend of ours was there videoing, and since we stand out with five little ones he happened to get a few shots of our family, he was able to email me a few still clips of the video!! Yeah!!
In fact, I am actually shocked that he already emailed these to me!!! I figured–when he mentioned last night, that he was going to–that I would receive them in a couple years, give or take, considering we are still waiting for the video of Chiquita’s baptism, which was almost 3 years ago… But, to my astonishment, unlike the baptism video, they were in my inbox this morning!! I have been told, that things get better with time? So I expect Chiquita’s baptism video will be pretty awesome by the time we actually get it. (hint…hint) Right?!?
I’m just giving you a hard time, Marc. Seriously, THANK YOU so much, for the pictures! Now, all my dear blog friends can see them!
(Chiquita is showing off the doll puppets on her favorite mittens)
Following the March, there was an awesome rally. Here are some photos of Snuggles during that rally… (Its always nice to find out you were unknowingly being filmed… Isn’t it!? Looks like Snuggles didn’t mind.)
Snuggles does look so snugable and lovable though, doesn’t he? Just looking at him is such a wonderful testimony for LIFE! Babies are SUCH a BLESSING!
My Neighborhood
I haven’t posted any Little Saints Pre-School projects in awhile.
Mainly since we have been really busy with other things, and it had been placed on the back burner, so to speak. I do love the program, but it is very time consuming and I just haven’t had the time it requires. We do follow it loosely and we read many of the selections recommended, and do a few of the games and art projects.
This week, we worked on “My neighborhood.” The girls especially loved this craft (pictures following) in particular. We talked about the different shapes and colors, and they got to paste them all on a poster to make their “neighborhood.” It was fun, and very easy!
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