My Advent Daybook

For today ~ Monday November 30, 2009 ~ Happy New Year Everyone! What a wonderful way to begin our preparations for the birth of Our Savior. A new liturgical year - a fresh start- preparing our homes and our hearts!

Outside my window ~ Rain. It isn't dampening our spirits though!

Around the house ~ Snuggle Bug set up our beautiful Advent wreath with purple and pink candles standing tall ready to welcome the King. The entertainment stand is freshly dusted (and cleared away of the junk it attracts.) Now you can actually see the liturgical candle burning brightly! Our new Advent calendar is waiting for us to begin peeking in it's doors tonight. Yes, we were planning on starting yesterday but, God had other plans for us :)

Last night ~ A call from my hubby's oldest brother. He's passing through town with his two sons. Would we come and visit with them at their sister's home here in town? You bet! You just can't let that opportunity pass you by. Even if it is passed the little one's bed time and Honeybee is still coughing :/

One (or some) of my favorite things ~ Excitement in the air. Spontaneity. Laughter!

I'm working on ~ Our Christmas list. I'm really leaning towards doing most of my shopping on Amazon this year. It just seems soooo much easier. Easier on the body and on the nerves :) I'm also getting ready for a run to the library. Time to drop off Thanksgiving books and pick up the Advent ones :)

I'm hearing ~ Snuggle Bug, Buck and Honeybee singing The Advent Wreath Song. No doubt they are sitting around it upstairs :) The dryer is running. Do I hear The House Cat shuffling around upstairs after a late night?

First week of Advent ~ Read aloud a story from The Jesse Tree each day. This is a book about Our Lord's family tree. Fling Wide the Doors Advent Calendar, prayers, and Advent songs each evening before bed.

~In the Advent basket ~ Cobweb Christmas, the tradition of tinsel on the tree. The Cobweb Curtain. The Christmas Cobwebs. Christmas Is..... by Jan Brett. B is for Bethlehem. Christmas in the Stable. S is for Star. When it Snowed that Night. All For The Newborn Baby. Apple Tree Christmas. The Attic Christmas. Christmas Tapestry. The Anne of Green Gables Christmas Treasury. Christmas With Victoria (2002).

Looking forward to ~ Celebrating my birthday this week with my family. The music of the season. I'm especially enjoying The House Cat bringing her guitar into atrium and sharing Advent songs with all of us. She'll come for our Advent celebration next Sunday morning.

Feast Days This Week ~ Monday Nov.30 ~ Saint Andrew. Plans: Print these fish for Buck and Honeybee to color. Explain why the fish is used as a Christian Symbol.

The fish is a symbol of the Christian faith because the letters of the Greek
word for fish, "ichthys" form an acronym for the Greek phrase, "Jesus Christ,
Son of God, Savior". Early Christians, during the time of persecutions when it
was not safe to be a known as a Christian, drew a fish in the ground in order to
secretly identify themselves to other believers. Even today one sees this fish
symbol, often containing the Greek letters spelling "fish", on religious
articles and even on bumper stickers.

Maybe make Saint Andrew Scones for snack time. Watch the part of Jesus of Nazareth that has Saint Andrew on it. Here are some other links for your Saint Andrew Day Celebration.

Other Saints we celebrate this week: Saint Edmund Campion, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint John Damascene and on Sunday Saint Nicholas. I hope to share more plans for these celebrations later.

~ My Picture Thought ~

This is how my mom's pecan pie looked when we arrived for Thanksgiving dinner. My dad can never wait until Thursday for his first piece of pecan pie :)

I pray for God to richly bless you and your families as we begin our Advent season. Love, Lori

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