A Very Happy Saint Nicholas Day!

Three Years...

Three years ago today, our parish bought a house with a three car garage.

 

  

It was a gorgeous property, but everyone was a little dubious when Father John said that he wanted to renovate this garage into a chapel.

But with God's help (and Miguel's!), he did it!

Glory to God for All Things!

(If you would like to see the work in progress, click HERE)

Icons in Grandfather Bear's Office...

Here's the icon corner in my father-in-law's office.  Isn't it amazing?

Our Namesday Boy...

 

Happy Namesday, Little Man!!  We love you, Sweet Boy!

Living and Learning: December...

Faith
Saint Alexander
Saint Nicholas
Saint Herman of Alaska
Saint Lucia
The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Homemaking
Finalize Plans for Little Man's Namesday and Birthday
Christmas Planning, Shopping, and Wrapping Gifts
Christmas Decorating
Christmas Tree
Nativity Preparations with Children
Perfect Stovetop Popcorn Recipe
Follow Cleaning Plan in Preparation for Nativity
Solidify Plans for the Twelve Days of Christmas
Decorate Kitchen with a Winter Jasmine Plant and a Potted Rosemary Plant
Enjoy Citrus Fruits - Oranges, Clementines, Tangerines, Grapefruit, etc.
Clean House for Nativity from Top to Bottom
Finish Tama sweater for Button
Begin Tama Sweater for Little Man
Begin Lap Blanket

Themes
Gingerbread
Saint Nicholas
Winter
Christmas

Read Alouds 
Christmas Book Basket

Special Days
Uncle Gregory's Birthday - 3rd
Little Man's Namesday - 4th
Auntie Kate's Namesday - 8th
Little Man's 3rd Birthday - 12th
Full Cold Moon - 16th
Uncle Nicolas' Namesday - 19th
Auntie Anna's Birthday and Namesday - 22nd
Lucy's Namesday - December 26th
Little Man's Hospital Homecoming Anniversary - 31st

Learning
Practice Entering the Church Prayerfully and Properly
Practice Chanting The Lord's Prayer
Clearing the Table after Meals
Washing Dishes and Loading the Dishwasher
Tidy bedrooms each morning
Tidy the playroom each afternoon
Put Away Own Laundry
Nature table scene
Christmas book basket
Watercoloring
Gingerbread House Building
Christmas Parade
Winter Wonderland of Lights Display
Living Nativity
Puzzles
Decorating the Christmas Tree
Children’s Nativity Play Set
Encourage imaginative play by not over-scheduling our days
Take the children for walks in the woods
Polish wooden toys together
Attend a Performance of the Nutcracker
Celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas

Yarn Along: Button's Tama

I am down to my last sleeve on Button's Tama ((Shepherd's Wool in the colorway Milk Chocolate)!  Hallelujah!  I'll finish it this week, block it, and add the buttons.  I think that I am going to knit a blanket next, but we'll see.

I'm read through my December UK Country Living early this month.  It was stocked at Barnes and Noble before the month even began (which I've never seen before), so that was exciting!  The children and I are reading one or two Christmas stories each night.  I've started with the ones that we borrowed from the library first (I felt a little badly for taking such a lot of them out for our family).  I'll take photographs of the ones we borrowed and ones we own so I can remember them from year to year.

December Sponsor News...

 Welcome back to Liturgical Time!

Liturgical Time provides handmade infinity veils, chapel veils, mantillas, and Christian headcoverings for their patrons to wear in church, at prayer, or in everyday life. They are the creators of the Eternity Veil - the original infinity scarf style head covering. They are able to take special orders, and to provide some customization, so don't hesitate to make special requests. Their veils are made with prayer and packaged with care. Please stop by their shop to buy a beautiful headcovering!  Remember:  Ten percent of gross sales from Chapel Veils at Liturgical Time Veil Shop are always donated to charity. At the present time, this money is being used to provide emergency assistance to children who have been orphaned and families who have been displaced as a result of the civil war in Syria.

And welcome back sponsor, New Cardea!

New Cardea is an online shop for digital art including Orthodox stamps for the Christian crafter. Stamps are used for scrapbooking, card-making or as printable coloring pages.

A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy...

I was very happy to hear that Ancient Faith Publishing was tackling the job of creating a children's Divine Liturgy book when I heard about it a few weeks ago.  Once we got a copy of A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy,  I was blown away.  These photographs simply do not do the illustrations justice.  Nearly every two page spread has a lovely drawing on it.  The colors are vivid and Megan Elizabeth Gilbert, the artist, incorporated collage into her work using real Liturgical fabric.  The effect is just breathtaking!  I love that Gilbert chose to illustrate this prayer book with a wide variety of Orthodox Christians from different backgrounds and nationalities...  her work is very easy to relate to for my little ones!  

Ancient Faith Publishing also made the decision to keep the amount of text in this little book spare.  I love that choice for two reasons:  

1.  It helps to keep the children's attention focused on the service itself, and not on the book in their hands.

2.  There are many different translations of the Liturgical texts.  With less text, the children won't be so distracted by the differences that are bound to be there. 

I am very thankful that Ancient Faith Publishing created A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy.  It is a wonderful tool for parents looking to help their children learn how to pray during the Liturgy and I believe that a copy of their wonderful prayer book should be in every Orthodox child's Christmas stocking this year! 

 

Reading...

But habit is very strong and I have instead been cleaning the house all day.  Now everything is in place, what you see and what you do not see.  New summer pillows in the living room look fresh against my cool flowered slipcovers.  My curtains are crisp from my iron.  the tidy, soap-smelling linen closet alone is enough to give me a modicum of peace.  It is interesting that things in themselves good - things usually pejoratively called chores - are so good for you, reliable healers of a reluctant spirit."

Daybook

Anne Truitt

A Peek Inside A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy...

I often want to see what a book is like before I purchase it, so I thought that I would take a few photographs of A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy so that people can look at the amazing illustrations by Megan Elizabeth Gilbert (I love the diversity of people and vestment styles throughout the book as well as the collage of the liturgical fabric onto the illustrations!) and the translations that were used for some of the prayers.  A more formal review will be posted tomorrow.

Antler Buttons...

I am finally nearing the finish line for Button's sweater.  It was meant to be a sweater for Little Man, but there was a bit of a snafu with the yarn and it ended up being more Button's size.  I have been kind of looking for the buttons that I'll need during these weeks of knitting, and I mentioned it to a friend.  Her son actually makes these buttons from deer antlers that he finds on jaunts through the woods.  I bought six and can't wait to sew them on!  I just have to finish one more sleeve...

Icons in Grandfather Bear's Living Room...

While we were visiting family for Thanksgiving, I found myself looking at all the beautiful icon corners that they have in their homes.  It occurred to me that you might like to see them too.  I will be featuring a new photograph of an icon corner each week  so that you can be inspired to create or rejuvenate your own icon corners.  I hope that you enjoy this little series!
 

Gift Ideas for the Little Ones in Your Life...

I just wanted to take a minute to suggest two gift ideas for the special children on your Christmas lists this year:

The first is a brand spanking new book by Ancient Faith Publishing called A Child's Guide to the Divine Liturgy.  We received it last week and I will do an official review of it that includes photographs of some of the pages, but I wholeheartedly recommend that all Orthodox little ones have a copy!  It is simply amazing!

The second gift suggestion I wanted to let you know about is this dear little crocheted censer from Cozy House Curios.  It is beautiful!  The censer even comes with a piece of black wool charcoal inside. It is very well made and seems very sturdy! I am excited to give it as a namesday gift to Little Man this coming week! Since it is handmade by the talented Matushka Anna, you should order as quickly as you can to ensure that you can get it in time for Christmas! 

In Thanksgiving...

O Lord, how lovely it is to be Thy guest. Breeze full of scents; mountains reaching to the skies; waters like boundless mirrors, reflecting the sun's golden rays and the scudding clouds. All nature murmurs mysteriously, breathing the depth of tenderness. Birds and beasts of the forest bear the imprint of Thy love. Blessed art thou, mother earth, in thy fleeting loveliness, which wakens our yearning for happiness that will last for ever, in the land where, amid beauty that grows not old, the cry rings out: Alleluia!

Thou hast brought me into life as into an enchanted paradise. We have seen the sky like a chalice of deepest blue, where in the azure heights the birds are singing. We have listened to the soothing murmur of the forest and the melodious music of the streams. We have tasted fruit of fine flavor and the sweet-scented honey. We can live very well on Thine earth. It is a pleasure to be Thy guest.

Glory to Thee for the Feast Day of life
Glory to Thee for the perfume of lilies and roses
Glory to Thee for each different taste of berry and fruit
Glory to Thee for the sparkling silver of early morning dew
Glory to Thee for the joy of dawn's awakening
Glory to Thee for the new life each day brings
Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age!

 

-Excerpt from The Glory to God for All Things Akathist

:::::

A Brief History:

"This Akathist, also called the Akathist of Thanksgiving, was composed by Protopresbyter Gregory Petrov in a Soviet prison camp shortly before his death in 1940. The title is taken from the words of St. John Chrysostom as he was dying in exile after being forcefully and unjustly removed as Patriarch of Constantinople.

Fr. Gregory's work is a comprehensive celebration of God's glory as found throughout a broad examination of life, in the smallest of things, and most basic circumstances. It is a celebration as understood by someone from whom all beauty was seemingly denied, but who was given the gift to see the beauty of God's work in all things. It is a song of praise and gratitude from amidst the most terrible sufferings.

Fr. Gregory could have reflected on how evil the Communists were who caused his exile and imprisonment. Instead, he rejoiced in Christ, Who was within him and would never leave him. He could have reflected on his misery, on how the rulers had deprived him of his priestly duties and the ability to ministration to his flock, and on the pain that his captors inflicted upon him daily. Yet, the text speaks from someone with the knowledge that everything that happens to those who love God is for their benefit. It is a song of joy emanating from the heart of a man whose physical eyes could not not see the beautiful things which are described so vividly, but through Our Lord, was given a superior vision."

-Taken from: http://yya.oca.org

Frosty Nutcracker...

The children and I were able to attend a Nutcracker storytime on Saturday and enjoyed a preview of one of our favorite shows!  We'll be going to the ballet in early December, so there's not much more time to wait!  In the meantime, we've been enjoying a Nutcracker cd I found on the library sale shelves for $1 in the car.

Autumn Color...

Reading...

I could lower my standards but in so doing would sink with them, taking my children with me.  It is not necessary for us to have candlelight dinners every night.  But the ceremony of meals has always been important to regard.  Where else can children learn so easily and pleasantly, and at such range when guests are included, what it is to be grown-up?"

Daybook

Anne Truitt

Holy Orthodoxy: The Ancient Church of Acts in the 21st Century...

Warmth...

I found a folder full of photos that I took during our first Thanksgiving feast with my husband's side of the family at the beginning of this month.  Actually, the ones I am posting here are from the day after...  once all the work was done and I could put my feet up for a bit.  I remember sitting on the porch swing with that slice of leftover pie, watching the trio race around on their various wheeled things (bikes and roller blades) in the warm sun.  Bliss. 

Now that the November chill is here, I have to be moving around to stay warm when we go outside.  Raking is a good activity to get the blood pumping, and so is stacking wood.  Our first load of firewood is about half gone now and I'll probably need to call up the woodcutter after Thanksgiving to request another delivery.  It's kind of exciting to wait for the truck to come racing up the drive, watch it tip it's bed full of wood onto the ground, and then work all together taming the wild mound into a neat stack of wood on the porch.  

I've placed an order for one of Little Man's Namesday gifts and another for the presents we'll give the children for Saint Nicholas Day.  I can't wait!    

Reading...

My house is coming back under my hand.  Clothes, washed and ironed, are hung in order in our closets.  Sheets are piled up in crisp folds.  Tables have been polished so that we may sit around them and laugh and eat a lot of the things that we particularly like. The web of the house is caught up here and there, reattached, realigned, loosened and straightened.  My bedroom curtains, lightly starched, dance with light.  The front porch is swept ready for the winter firewood."

Daybook

Anne Truitt