How to Celebrate Saint Valentine's Day on Ash Wednesday

The Lenten Season is around the corner and this year with some interesting twists. To begin, the Lenten season's official start is Ash Wednesday and it coincides with another feast day that everyone enjoys to celebrate... Saint Valentine's Day.

These two celebrations are an interesting combination because Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting, abstinence and penance while Valentine's Day has become a day to indulge and celebrate. Combining traditions from each day may seem impossible but it's not!

Roses, chocolates and special trinkets have become the normal way to enjoy the feast day of Saint Valentine. Oddly enough, Saint Valentine was a priest that was sentenced to death because he married Christian couples and associating with the people that were being persecuted under Claudius so the association of couples, love and marriage are due to Saint Valentine's patronage as a Saint. The popularity of the color red on this day was because it represents martyrs.


The entire holiday has lost it's real value and most don't know about the history behind February 14th. Taking a real look into the true meaning of Valentine's Day and incorporating it with the customs of Ash Wednesday will make it a more meaningful holiday.

Here are some ways to celebrate both liturgical days together:

1. Attend Mass

This suggestion isn't really a suggestion. Ash Wednesday is a Holy Day of Obligation and Saint Valentine was martyred in honor of our faith. Spending time with those you love with God is the best place to spend your Valentine's Day.

2. Give SAINT Valentine Cards

Valentine Cards are a fun tradition but they don't embrace the Saint that is being honored on his feast day. Make sure to give these Saint Valentine cards to not only friends and family but those that are forgotten on days like this. Visit a Nursing home, the imprisoned or the sick.

3. Give Gifts

Lavish gifts are sometimes exchanged to impress our Valentines. Instead of giving jewelry or gadgets, why not give Lenten devotionals, monetary donations or the gift of your time to help those in need? Burying the Alleluia on Ash Wednesday is one of my family's favorite traditions. You could expand this tradition by wrapping up your Easter decorations and open it for Easter Sunday.

4. Don't forget the Chocolates

Lent is a time of preparation for the Easter Season. Although you can't indulge in sweets on Ash Wednesday, begin your preparations for your Easter celebrations by saving those chocolates. Besides you can always capitalize on those Valentine candies going on sale the next day too!

5. Wear Red

Red is the color of martyrs and love. Although the Lenten season color is purple, red is the color of the Triduum as well. Celebrate love, sacrifice and Lent by rocking your favorite red outfit to Mass and work.

6. Make a Special Dinner

Ash Wednesday is a day of fasting and abstinence while it is popular to share a special meal with your love on the feast of Saint Valentine. During a fast you are allowed one regular meal with two smaller meals that do not equal a regular meal. Abstinence means no meat but you can enjoy seafood. Make your regular meal count. You may not be able to indulge in wine and cocktails but a delicious sparkling water will quench your thirst and adds that little something extra to your dinner just as well.

The combination of Saint Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday may make you feel like you have to chose one or the other to celebrate. I hope this has helped to illuminate the importance of combining these liturgical celebrations and reflecting on the real meaning behind the celebrations. I hope this is a blessed Lenten season and you enjoy your Ash Wednesday and Saint Valentine's Day this year.

The Seven Sacraments for Children Coloring Pages

The Catholic faith is rich with prayers, devotions, traditions, sacramentals and many other elements that can be used to grow your relationship with God. The seven sacraments are pillars of the Catholic faith and mark extraordinary portions of our life. It is essential to treat these life-altering milestones as such, especially if we expect our children to understand the significance of each sacrament and it's meaning. My goal as a parent is to make sure I have immersed my children in as much of their Catholic faith as possible, in hopes that they will love it as much as I do.

"The Sacraments are the salvation of those who use them rightly, and the damnation of those who misuse them."
- St. Augustine 

How do we accomplish such a huge responsibility? First, we must make sure that we ourselves are well versed in the information that we are teaching to the younger generations. Do you know much about the sacraments?

Here are a few quick basics:

• There are seven sacraments; Baptism, Penance, Eucharist, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage and Holy Orders.
• These seven sacraments are broken down into several different types; The Sacraments of Initiation, The Sacraments of Healing and the Sacraments of Service.
• The Sacraments of Initiation are Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.
• The Sacraments of Healing are Penance and Anointing of the Sick.
• The Sacraments of Service are Marriage and Holy Orders. 

Although I said this was some "basic" information. How basic does this sound to children? Probably not very relatable and not very intriguing to young minds... yet.

Children retain more knowledge if they are able to play and create memories. Most of us were baptized as babies and the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist are given to us early in the elementary years. That is three out of six of the sacraments you are able to receive by the time you are 8/9 years old!

I state three out of six sacraments because you cannot receive Holy Orders and be married as well. There are exceptions, of course, but that is a little much to explain to children in this age group.

Illustrating the importance of these milestones can be difficult and hard to comprehend for young children if you are not able to portray these sacraments in an easy to comprehend state. I was contacted by my friend, Sherry, from Personal Creations about sharing some wonderful and captivating Sacrament Coloring Pages that can assist the teaching of the seven sacraments to children and make them more fun to learn!

Sherry has said...

"I hope these coloring pages give joy to families and teach children the milestones of Christian life. From baptism to marriage, these coloring pages are a delightful way to celebrate the many stages of a spiritual journey with God."

I was thrilled to be able to have a quick lesson with my boys on the Sacraments and share these coloring pages with them. I can honestly say that they both enjoyed it! I have a seven year old and a ten year old. They had requested I join in the coloring fun since we do have nights where we pull out all the art supplies and have "craft nights". 

My youngest son loves games! He had asked me if we could use these pictures to make a game. I told him, "Of course we can!" We created a Matching Sacrament Game by printing two of the coloring pages that summarized all of the sacraments and cutting them out. We now have a Liturgical Game that my son is very proud of because he did all the coloring and cutting and I have a game to play with him that will teach him about the sacraments. Definitely a Win, Win!

My older son is more of a perfectionist and insisted that he make the pages look as life like as possible. He had to use the perfect combination of crayons, markers and colored pencils to get each page looking like a masterpiece.

Having an activity that was intriguing to both my children was such a blessing. They are at those ages where it can be difficult to find something that reaches them at their own levels and yet keeps them on the same task. It turned into a nice family evening.

Advent is just a few short days away. What a great way to anticipate the Christ child's birth by learning more about the seven sacraments with your families. If you are interested in these beautiful Sacrament Coloring pages, please check out the link to Personal Creations here. These wonderful coloring pages will help establish a great love for the sacraments in your children and help explain some of the more difficult aspects of the sacraments in a child's way.

Three Ways To Nurture Your Catholic Faith in Your Children

In this day and age of technology and instant access, there is much to compete with in our children's lives. It can be more than difficult to connect and create strong enough bonds to our faith and family without added distractions. I truly believe that knowledge is power and understanding your obstacles is the best way to create a plan to succeed in any endeavor.

The endeavor that is most important to me right now is helping to cultivate a love for God, family and the Catholic Church in my children. This has been a topic of interest for me for quite awhile actually. I am a cradle Catholic. Born and raised to go to Confession on Saturday afternoon, attend Mass on Sunday mornings and participate in Catechism classes and Youth groups as needed. That was the recipe to create a love for my Catholic faith. I am not knocking this recipe because obviously something went right. I am now thirty years old, still Catholic and attempting to nourish a faith in my own children and family. I am here to share what I have learned through many trials, more errors and things that I still do today.

Find a Parish to call Home

This is probably one of the most important things you can do to establish a real relationship with your children and their faith. A Parish is not just the church you attend on Sundays or other Holy days of Obligation. A Parish is a second family. They will be present for some of the biggest milestones and memories of your family! Baptisms, First Communion, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage and even funerals. They will be there when you need help, whether prayers or other types of assistance.

Create relationships with the people sitting with you in the pews and go say hello to your priest. My children have always been enamored by the priests of our parish. They love to give hugs, high-fives and always smile when they see people from our parish around town. My oldest son's teacher is even in attendance at our parish!

Another important aspect of being in a Parish is participation. Sign up to attend bible studies and other Parish hosted events as a family. Allow your children to make friends with kids at Religious Education and youth groups. Embrace what your Parish can offer your family but remember that it is also important to volunteer and give back as well. 

Decorate Your Catholic Home 

As a child, I remember the beautiful gold display that had the Ten Commandments engraved above my dining room table. The nostalgia of childhood rings so strong when you become an adult. Bring your faith into your home and allow it to have a place in your everyday life, not just Sunday worship.

The Liturgical season is full of distinct colors, sounds and beautiful scenes that can be displayed in your home. Add Holy Water Fonts, Crucifixes and display portraits of Our Lady and the Holy Family. I have incorporated a Home Altar that we update with the Liturgical colors, special Saints of the season, candles and rosaries.

The more these special reminders of our Catholic faith become apart of your families everyday life, the harder it will be for your children to go out into the world without them. These additions to your home can also be passed along to your family as they grow. There was a gorgeous statue of Mother Mary that was my Grandmother Mary's that my dad gave to me when I had children. It was something that I was able to bring with me from my childhood and I hope to pass along to my children one day as well.

Create Happy Memories and Traditions

This suggestion is probably the most important. Creating memories that are warm, happy and include our faith will be what our children think about in times of turmoil. The Liturgical year makes this super easy! Celebrate anniversaries of your children's Sacraments and Saint's feast days. Make new traditions with baking special dinners or desserts on certain days. There are several Liturgical seasons to embrace and each month is dedicated to a special devotion too. I include those days on our family calendar so everyone can see it. My children have started to remind me about certain activities or movies we are suppose to watch on certain feast days now! We incorporate special blessings and prayers. Create candles, crafts and so much more. Make the Catholic faith come to life.

If you need some ideas for ways to incorporate faith into your everyday activities, check out some of my ideas under the Liturgical Celebrations tab. Let your creativity free! You will be creating memories for yourself and your children! The positive association between happiness, love and faith will be something that your family can tangibly look back on as they grow older and venture into the world. My favorite thing about my faith is that we Catholics know how to celebrate! We do have many traditional ways you can incorporate but do not let that interfere with trying out some new family traditions that will be passed on to your children's children.

Interested in more ideas to keep your children Catholic? Checkout this month's CWBN Blog Hop with several articles written on this very intriguing and important topic. Several of my friend's from Everyday Ediths are contributing to this Blog Hop as well.

The Lenten Season and the Five Senses

If you read my previous post on Ash Wednesday then you already know that I am feeling behind on my Lenten preparations. Today is the First Sunday of Lent and I have challenged myself to get my home and plans solidified by the end of the day. I am feeling pretty confident that I will have everything accomplished but I am trying not to count my chickens before they hatch too. It is time to dive into the Lenten Season head first and be engulfed by the beautiful simplicity and meaningful moments that can come from fully participating.

First things first. How do you create an atmosphere for Lent? With Decorations? Music? Changing up your Family Meal Plans? I dapple in each of these areas since I like to immerse my family in the season and I have a sensory child that enjoys and understands the concepts more with his environment being overtaken with sights, sounds, touches, scents and tastes. What could be better than finding a way to entice your senses while on your journey to a closer relationship to God. After all, he created us with these senses, he surely wants us to use them!

SIGHT

Let's start with the sense of sight. The breathtaking colors of Violet and Purple and the rustic accents of branches, thorns and wilderness really make Lent come to life. Simplicity is key. So far I have adorned our fireplace mantle with a DIY board I created of the Stations of the Cross and flame-less votive candles. The twinkling flames against our Stations as they each go out one by one as we pray the Stations on Fridays, create a nice prayerful ambiance. I also have plain branches in a vase that is tied with a violet ribbon on our dining room table and a beautiful picture that represents Lent to my family on display. I also tied a grapevine wreath with the same purple ribbon as the vase on our front door. Our home altar has been cleaned and looks very simple with a purple cover, crown of thorns, sacrifice bean jar, our operation rice bowl and a beautiful purple rosary I won in a giveaway hosted by Mrs. Andy Anchored by Faith. This is one of the areas I just completed today and I am feeling quite proud of the Lenten feel that is in my home.

SOUND

Sounds are a little more difficult for me to chose during this season. When I think of a prayerful place, I think of quite, which is not something you will find in our crazy little home. So to embrace both Lent and the crazy that is happening in my home at all times, I thought some nice background music would be good or some nice calm prayers. My children and I are huge fans of Holy Heroes line of audio CDs. They offer the Stations of the Cross, the Rosary and Glory Stories about the Saints! and I was also given a great review about Music for Children's Liturgy of the Word by Christopher Walker that I purchased to add to our collection. I would love to hear what you consider a "sound of the season" for Lent.

TOUCH

The most difficult sense for me to decide on is always Touch. To satisfy the sense of touch, I have collected a nice amount of coloring pages. Once again, I have to mention Holy Heroes. They offer a FREE Lenten Adventure that send you coloring pages, word searches, cross words and much more that is relevant to the season of Lent. I also would like you to check out Life, Love and Sacred Art for some great coloring pages. In addition to coloring, there are some great crafts to have readily available. Burying the "ALLELUIA" is one of my children's absolute favorite crafts. We will also be creating a Resurrection Garden that you start during Lent so it is in bloom for Easter. Making Sacrifice Beads, Rosaries and Lenten Trees are also some fun and simple crafts you could do as a family.

Books are another touch that would be great to dive into during Lent. Devotionals and stories that explain the Lenten season and some of the feast days we celebrate during the 40 days. I was struggling with a Lenten devotional I wanted to focus on since I had already read a Walk in Her Sandals, I knew I would reread that during Holy Week but I was stumped about what to do the rest of the season. I decided I would read Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation and Resisting Happiness both written by Matthew Kelly. I am excited about these National Best-Sellers because there are questions in each section that allow me to ponder what I have read and how it relates to me so I can write in my prayer journal.

TASTE

When I think of tastes, the first thing that comes to mind is food and drink! The whole premise of the Lenten season is simplicity so simple meals, snacks and drinks are what I consider to captivate my family's sense of taste. I love baking pretzels and special meatless meals each Friday. The Crock pot is my lifeline during the incredibly busy season of Lent so it makes my home smell delicious and gets our taste-buds ready for our tasty meals. Here is a short list of Lenten recipe ideas below:

Shrimp Pasta

Shrimp Tacos

Tuna Sandwich

Vegetable Soups

Simple Salads

Spaghetti Squash and Marinara

Fruit Salad

Three Bean Salad

Homemade Pretzels

Macaroni and Cheese

Breakfast Bread

What are some of your go-to recipes? Do you prefer to cook out or go out? Are you active in the Knights of Columbus Spaghetti Dinners and Fish Frys? We are going to a Knights of Columbus Fish Fry this upcoming Friday!

Scents

What other scents do you think of for the Lenten Season? I think there could be an argument for incense and essential oils as an important aspect of your Lenten experience as well. Frankincense is a great option. Maybe purchase some candles made by monks or nun to keep in your home during seasons on extra prayer!

Let's also not forget the smells of Spring Cleaning! We use organic products in my home called Legacy of Clean and they smell amazing!

Still need more ideas to tingle your senses? Check out the CWBN Blog Hop! So many wonderful ideas and suggestions to bring the full season of Lent to your families with sacrifice, prayers and alms-giving.

It is important to remember that Lent is what you make it. You can make it simple or as complicated as you like and just like anything else in life, you will get out of it what you put into it.

Happy Lent and God Bless!

Ash Wednesday: A Story You Won't Forget

I am struggling with this Lenten season already: I have not started a devotional yet, I have not set out our Lenten decor and I am feeling a little unmotivated. I feel like these are the very same reasons I need to get my butt in gear and finalize my late preparations and immerse myself in this blessed season as soon as possible and so this is the reason behind this post. I wanted to refocus on what is truly important and share all about my awesome experience this past Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday is the official kick off day of the Lenten season and for Catholics means a day of fasting and abstinence (no eating meat). It is Day 1 in your Lenten sacrifice, additional prayers and alms-giving. Honestly, I have a deep love of Lent. It is always an enlightening experience and I feel that I make great strides in my vocation as a wife, mother and friend while growing closer in my relationship to God. 

Well, this Ash Wednesday was a little different and I can promise you that I will never forget it.

I have two children, Little Man (age 9) and Goalie (age 6). Little Man is old enough to receive Communion and often Altar Serves on a regular basis in our parish. Goalie on the other hand is too young to really participate in the Mass besides as a parishioner and he is often saddened that he cannot receive Communion or help as an Altar boy yet. In addition to Goalie's sadness about just getting to sit with mommy, he is developmentally delayed and undergoing autism testing (they are pretty sure he has Aspergers). I am sharing this background so you can truly understand my experience this past Wednesday.

Little Man was Altar Serving at the Ash Wednesday Mass we attended in the evening and Goalie and I were sitting in the front pew, as we always do, so we can see Little Man in action and Goalie can be close enough to the Choir to feel as if he is a part of it. Mass was going great! No real outbursts from Goalie and Little Man was doing an amazing job attending to his duties.

The ashes were blessed and we were in line to receive them on our foreheads. I can't even begin to describe Goalie's excitement to receive his ashes. He had made it seem like it would be the highlight of his life! We were blessed with our ashes and returned to our pew. 

Then it happened....

Goalie is holding his hands in front of him like he is fighting the urge to grab his face with both his hands and his face is contorted like he is in pain!

I ask him, "Are you Okay?" "What's wrong?"

He begins to shake his little hands and points at his head while exclaiming "My head is on fire!"

I was completely taken by surprise by this answer and obviously his head was not on fire but I think I sat there for a minute of two starring at my child while he was having a complete sensory meltdown. When I finally understood what was happening, I calmly explained that the ashes maybe felt strange but I assured Goalie he was not on fire and he was okay. This conversation about Goalie's head being on fire went on until right before the Consecration of the Eucharist. The poor little guy couldn't move past the idea that his forehead was on fire so in my desperation to make him feel better and screaming "My head is on fire!",  I allowed him to rub his ashes off. 

Looking back on this story now, it is actually quite funny, I mean it is the kind of story people joke about happening but I got to live it. 

If you think that's the end of my story you would be wrong, here's the icing on the cake.

After Goalie had calmed himself, I realized that I heard the bell ringing that is normally rung when the Eucharist is being blessed. But the Eucharist was not being held up by the priest yet. I looked up toward the Altar Servers to see Little Man ringing the bells like there is no tomorrow and he is just grinning from ear to ear. It was his first time getting the honor of ringing the bells and he obviously was excited and also had no clue what he was doing. One of the other servers was trying to get his attention to stop, but their efforts were in vain.

Between Little Man ringing the bells throughout the entire Consecration and Goalie's head "being on fire". It was quite the eventful Mass to say the least. 

 As promised I guaranteed you a story you would not forget! I can promise you that although this was the most hilarious Ash Wednesday, it was also one of the most special. Goalie was able to receive ashes for the first time (even though it was short lived) and Little Man had his first experience with more responsibility as an Altar Server and was extremely enthusiastic. We all made a memory we would never forget and found ourselves closer to God, that's what it is all about anyway right? The picture above is our #ashtag we shared in honor of Ash Wednesday.

Now, I want to hear from my readers! How is your start to Lent going? Are you feeling like me, behind and unorganized? Or have you already dove into this amazing season with two feet and feeling the blessings that come with a meaningful Lenten season? Have you had any experiences like me with burning heads and an excited Altar boy?

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday:

Gracious God, today begins a period of inner reflection and examination. The days stretch before me and invite me inward to that silent, holy space that holds your Spirit. This special time beckons me to see my life through Christ's eyes and the truth and reality of your love incarnate. Give me the grace to enter the space of these days with anticipation of our meeting. And, when I open my soul to your presence, let your loving kindness flow over me and seep into the pockets of my heart. I ask this for the sake of your love.

Amen.

Shrove Tuesday: Feast Before You Fast

Today is the last day before we begin our 40 day journey into Lent. Ash Wednesday is tomorrow but before you begin your Lenten walk, make sure to feast on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday. This day is meant to be the day for you to purge your home of the ingredients you should attempt to stay away from during the Lenten season such as butter, milk, sugar and eggs. You know... the tasty ingredients that make our foods full flavored. It is for this reason that pancakes are super popular on Shrove Tuesday and is sometimes referred to as Pancake Day! I know we have an annual Pancake dinner every Fat Tuesday. I also learned that there is another reason that pancakes are so popular on the day before Lent. They represent the four pillars of the Christian faith. Eggs symbolize creation, flour is the mainstay of the human diet, salt represents wholesomeness and milk is a symbol for purity.

In our home we spend this day enjoying our delicious pancakes and normally a king cake. I was unable to get a king cake this year so we settled on a beautiful cake decorated in a similar fashion. We also prepare for Lent by discussing the things that we will be fasting from during the upcoming 40 days.

I have to admit I am somewhat behind on having I need ready for Lent but I should have everything completed by tomorrow. Check out my post about the Lenten Season to get ideas on how to celebrate this amazing season of Lent with your families.I will be sharing more tomorrow on Ash Wednesday as well.

Do you have traditions for Shrove Tuesday? If so, I would love to hear all about them! What about Lenten activities too?

I hope you and your families were able to feast before fasting begins tomorrow. Honestly, Lent is one of my favorite times of the year. A time to embrace a positive change in faith, love and life. Get ready for an amazing journey and be ready to accept your Lenten adventure. I can't wait to see what is in store for us all.

Prayer for Shrove Tuesday:

Lord, give us grace to inaugurate with holy fasting the defenses of Christian warfare, so that we who are to fight against spiritual wickedness, may be helped and strengthened by self-denial.
Amen

Catholic Style: Planner and Bullet Journal

Have you jumped into the Bullet Journal craze yet? If not, I think you should consider giving it a try. I am a mommy that is responsible for a lot of planning in my household and I am sure many of you can relate whether you are a mom, dad, student or just a busy person.

This post may contain affiliate links that I receive a small commission. It does not change the price for you but it is a small blessing to my family. All opinions are my own.

I am responsible myself for keeping track of my work schedule, which varies since I work in a restaurant, my doctor appointments (I was born with Spina Bifida so they have been pretty frequent lately and can include physical therapy and pain management) and scheduling myself time for myself to enjoy my workouts, hobbies and volunteer commitments. My children are your normal crazy kids that want to be involved in everything: altar serving, football, soccer, Cub Scouts and extra curricular school activities. To make things even more exciting, my youngest son is developmentally delayed and has weekly speech, occupational, behavioral and group therapies. In addition to the craziness I just described, I am also responsible for planning our family meals and running errands because my husband works 60+ hours a week and commutes 90 minutes each way to work. We are also a Catholic family, so that means we set aside time for prayers, devotions, Mass and the Sacraments. Now I am sure that you are probably reading this and thinking that I must be completely crazy to juggle the schedule that I just described but nowadays it is the norm to be extremely busy and feel stretched thin at times

Now, I am not going to convince you that the Bullet Journal is the answer to every families needs but it has certainly made a HUGE difference in mine! Not only has it become essential to my planning routine but it is relaxing and can be a great tool to increase your faith! If you are a little weary, don't be! I will be sharing some of my page layouts and explaining why I have decided to include them in my Bullet Journal. If you are convinced to try this system out, do not feel obligated to include every page layout in your system. The beauty of the bullet journal is that it is something that can be personalized to your unique needs.

I have always been a lover of organization and I have always utilized a planner even before including a Bullet Journal as a supplemental planning tool. To make my system a little easier to understand you first need to know how my planner is put together so I am going to divide this into two sections to make it easier to refer to as a template for your own planning needs.

Schedule Planner:

Some things to consider in your planner and how you need it to be utilized to be the most beneficial to you and your purposes:

1: How do you keep track of your schedule and the schedules of those you are responsible?

2. How detailed do you need your planner?

3. Do you use multiple planners? Print and/or electronic? Both?

I use a planner that has times written down each day and color code the events that are written in the planner. I also make sure to write the corresponding times even though there is spaces between the times to make sure I do not make myself late to something on accident. I do not normally include end times though because as a hospitality worker I know that NOTHING ends on time. You can only estimate which would add additional  planning so start times work best for me.


I also stated that I have recently started utilizing a bullet journal but I also use an online planner called Cozi to have reminders sent to me daily as well. Cozi is a great family app that allows your entire family to access the family schedule through a shared family password. The amazing thing is anyone can add, delete or update an event and you can send a notification so everyone that is attending will be made aware. You also have the option to set reminders before events occur just in case you need to have a warning before you move on through your schedule. There is a place to record your grocery list, find recipes and so much more. I highly suggest checking it out, especially since the basic package is FREE and can be downloaded on to your smart phone! 

Here is my color code system:

Me- Pink

Husband- Light Blue

Kids- Dark Blue

School Event- Orange

Important/ Need to Remember- Red

Church- Liturgical Season Color (Advent/ Lent- Purple, Ordinary Time- Green, etc)

Bill Due Dates- Light Green

Black/Brown: Menu

As I mentioned earlier, I do keep track of Liturgical Calendar events in my planner. It helps me plan our menu and family activities. It is the first thing I write each month when I am getting organized for each new month.

As you can see from this exert from my planner that there is room for me to write "scheduled" events but not much room for writing to-do lists, errands or other important things such as book lists, blog ideas, exercise routines water intake and so much more. What about ways to hold yourself accountable to your prayers? attending Mass? Adoration? Devotions? Fellowship? That is where the Bullet Journal comes in to play.

Bullet Journal:

A Bullet Journal has no defined order. No necessary inclusions. It is completely your creation used in any way that you deem important. For me, creating healthy habits is vitally important.

Habit Tracker: A Habit Tracker is one of my favorite ways to increase my good habit making decisions and have a physical copy of things that I can visually look at, to see my strengths and weaknesses. You could also utilize this to help with Natural Family Planning as well. This habit tracker is a monthly one that I really did like but I decided that things I am unable to do everyday, such as, Confession, Adoration and attending Mass should be included on my weekly spreads since it is something I tend to do weekly versus daily. Praying the Rosary and other daily prayers could easily be included in a Monthly Habit Tracker like the one above.

Reading Challenge: Reading is one of my hobbies and an essential aspect of growing my faith. Included in my Reading Challenge for this year is A Walk in Her Sandals and Rediscover Jesus. Many of the books that I have been pulled to read are devotionals or are inspirational. This Reading Challenge layout is suppose to look like a library and I am coloring in each book as I finish reading them. You could modify this layout to contain the devotionals and bible studies you would like to complete throughout the year.

Rosary Tracker: I'll admit that this tracker I actually found online and just printed it small enough to fit on the inside cover of my bujo. If you follow the link it will take you to a PDF that you could also utilize in the same fashion or you could go ahead and draw a similar copy if you prefer. With this being the 100 year celebration of Fatima, there is no better time to get on your daily family rosaries.

Weekly Layout: My weekly layouts are used to create to-do lists and keep track of when I attend my Sacraments. I keep things simple and try to utilize the same color code I mentioned is in my regular planner so my organization flows more easily but sometimes I have to jot down an errand or idea with whatever writing utensil is readily available.

Adoration Intentions: It is so easy to create a list of intentions to bring with you to Adoration and to know you have a location to jot down a friend or family members special prayer requests. If you ever see my posts asking for your requests, you can guarantee I write them out so that they are with me. I also revisit these requests each time I attend the Sacrament of Adoration. This layout is similar to the ones I've already shared but because several of the intentions I have written on my list are personal for myself and several others I decided not to share.

Obviously, the layouts that can be included in a Bullet Journal are infinite. Anything you dream up can be included in your unique journal. I would also like to point out that my Bullet Journal pages are not works of art. I have seen some absolutely beautiful pages on Pinterest and in Bullet Journal Groups I participate. If you are not artsy, do not allow that to push you away from trying out this great organizational tool. The purpose of these tools is to make yourself more accountable and organized. I would love to see some of the beautiful Catholic style layouts you design in your bullet journals and feel free to share how you use your planners. Are there designs you would like to to create? Just ask and I'll do my best to help find or create something that can help you.

God Bless!

Quiet Faith: Reconciliation

It's the start of a new year. A new year means all things are new, bright and clean. Reconciliation is like the start of a new year and is an act of quiet faith. To be completely honest, the quiet faith required for Reconciliation is terrifying to me. I am so grateful for this wonderful Sacrament but I am overwhelmed with the immensity of the act of complete forgiveness that leaves your hear and soul quiet so that it is prepared to hear God speak. 

I am a cradle Catholic and when I was growing up we went to Reconciliation very consistently. My father would bring my entire family to our local parish every first Saturday of the month. We would wait in the line outside the confessional and just wait. There was no talking. There was only silence. I remember realizing this quietness at a young age, before I was old enough to participate in the Sacrament, and thinking it was odd. Church was a quiet and reverent place but this silence was different than anything I have ever experienced.

I would watch people come and go from the Confessional. Some were quick, others took a very long time; Some parishioners left smiling and others left in tears. My mother was one of those who often left in tears. Seeing all these grown people that I admired, loved and looked up to in such an emotional state after leaving the confessional had a huge impact on me. Those were my first memories of Reconciliation. After that, I remember attending my Catechism classes to receive my first Reconciliation and being so terrified of the confessional. I was petrified of admitting all the not so nice things I had done, said and thought throughout my short 7 years of life. I had convinced myself that I must be the most horrible person in the world.

The day that I received my First Reconciliation was a life changing experience for me. I actually cried while I waited to go into the confessional and when it was my turn all I remember is opening the door and hearing silence. As I entered the confessional, I completed my blessing and even (with a huge burst of courage) decided to sit in front of the priest versus behind the screen. As I began speaking to start my confession, I again started crying. I apologized to the priest expressing that I was so scared that God would hate me for admitting all the sins I had committed, especially the ones I committed on purpose.

I will never forget the priest, Fr. Grotchen, who took my hand and smiled at me. He explained that the entire purpose of Confession was to reconnect with God. He listened to me pour my little heart out and many many tears. He told me that I should never be afraid to speak to God because God is always longing for me to return to him just like the story of the Prodigal son. He told me that when I did my penance to be calm and quiet and God would wash away all my sadness and restore me to grace. I was shocked when he told em to be "calm and quiet". It has always stuck with me.

Since my First Reconciliation I have been to MANY confessionals and I have had an abundance of sins to confess but I will always remember that the quiet that I was once so afraid of, is nothing but God's way of connecting to me in my heart and cleansing my soul. You have to embrace the Quiet to feel God speak to you.

Truth be told, I am still scared of Reconciliation and I have made it one of my resolutions to embrace this Quiet Faith and attend it more often. It is even more important now because my oldest son has received his First Reconciliation and loves it. I don't want him to lose that love for the Sacrament that makes us new again. I am so proud of the gentleman he is growing into and the love he has for his faith.

Oddly enough, I decided to pick a saint at random to learn about and pray for spiritual guidance throughout this year. I drew the name Saint Jan Sarkander, the martyr of the confessional. I'll share more on this amazing saint later. I know God is asking me to come to him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and I know that he gave me this saint to help me find him where I am most fearful to go.... into the Quiet, because I feel unworthy. Where do you find the quiet in your faith? Is it a struggle like it is for me?

This is my post for The Zelie Group’s new link-up, “Getting To Know Us”. We invite you to write a blog post (or two!) or post on social media about what “Quiet” means to you during the month of January. Link up and use the hashtags #thezeliegroup, #tzg_quiet and #tzg_gettingtoknowus to connect with us. 

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Seven Activities to Celebrate the Epiphany

Christmas is still not over! Nope! Not yet... Today is the twelfth day of Christmas also known as the Epiphany, Little Christmas or Three Kings Day. The day that commemorates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. The traditional date is January 6th but the church will celebrate the Epiphany on the Sunday between January 2th and January 8th. This very special feast has some amazing traditions correlated with it and they certainly can make some lasting memories for your friends and family involved. The Epiphany is celebrated world wide and there are many traditional ways to celebrate and unique ways to celebrate in different countries and cultures. Besides completing your Nativity with the Wise Men, here are seven activities that you can do to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. 

{ONE}

Chalking the Door

Chalking the Door is a great tradition to start with your families! A traditional way of doing this is to use blessed chalk to write above your home’s doorway:

20 + C + M + B + 17

While you write this above your doorway remember to recite:

The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and fifteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen.

The letters C, M, B have two meanings. They are the initials of the traditional names of the three Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus Mansionem Benedicat, “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs represent the cross and 17 represents the year. 

To bless the chalk prior to "Chalking the Door" recite the following prayer and sprinkle holy water on the chalk:

Loving God, bless this chalk which you have created, that it may be helpful to your people; and grant that through the invocation of your most Holy Name that we who use it in faith to write upon the door of our home the names of your holy ones Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, may receive health of body and protection of soul for all who dwell in or visit our home; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

{TWO}

Sing Epiphany Songs

Who doesn't love a great karaoke number? There are two songs that are quintessential to celebrate the Epiphany: We Three Kings of Orient Are and the Twelve Days of Christmas. For obvious reasons you can see why these songs are so perfect. It is traditional to sing and celebrate the Epiphany with Christmas music so don't forget to add these songs on your Epiphany play list. Don't know the songs? I have attached the lyrics below so you can sing until your hearts content!

We Three Kings of Orient Are:

We three kings of Orient are,

bearing gifts we traverse afar,

field and fountain, moor and mountain,

following yonder star.

Refrain:

O star of wonder, star of night,

star with royal beauty bright;

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light!

Born a King on Bethlehem's plain,

gold I bring to crown him again,

King for ever, ceasing never

Over us all to reign. (Refrain)

Frankincense to offer have I:

incense owns a Deity nigh;

prayer and praising, gladly raising,

worship him, God Most High. (Refrain)

Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume

Breathes a life of gathering gloom;

sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,

sealed in the stone-cold tomb. (Refrain)

Glorious now behold him arise,

King and God and Sacrifice;

heaven sings, alleluia; 

alleluia the earth replies. (Refrain)

The Twelve Days of Christmas:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me two turtle doves

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me three French hens,

Two turtle doves, and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me five golden rings,

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me six geese a laying,

Five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves

And a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a swimming,

Six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens,

Two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me eight maids a milking,

Seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds,

Three French hens, two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings,

Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me ten lords a leaping,

Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying,

Five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves

And a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a leaping nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking, seven swans a swimming,

Six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds, three French hens,

Two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me twelve drummers drumming,

Eleven pipers piping, ten lords a leaping nine ladies dancing, eight maids a milking,

Seven swans a swimming, six geese a laying, five golden rings, four calling birds,

Three French hens, two turtle doves and a Partridge in a pear tree.

{THREE}

The Three Kings Cake

The Three King Cake is a very special treat that can not be forgotten on the Epiphany! It is eaten in honor of the three kings, also known as the Magi or Wise Men. A custom that I really enjoy is when one slice of the King Cake is set aside for God. There are so many different variations of this delicious treat but all have something hidden inside ranging from a plastic baby that represents baby Jesus to chocolate coins. The traditional custom states that whoever finds the baby Jesus or Chocolate Coin must host the party on Candlemas, which falls on February 2nd. I am doing a similar version of this but with cupcakes placed in a circle and a crown as the centerpiece of the presentation. 

I think it would be completely appropriate for you to allow your children to craft some Crowns to wear during the festivities as well.

{FOUR}

Giving Gifts

In several cultures this night is the evening when they receive gifts! In the Spanish culture, children go to bed waiting with anticipation for a visit from the Three Kings. They place snacks for the Kings' camels under their beds or in their shoes near the fireplace on the night of the Epiphany. The next morning, the children awaken to find that the camel snacks are gone and presents are left for them. Sometimes the camels will leave a trail of the hay to lead the children to where their gifts have been placed.

Have you ever heard of Belfana? I think this custom is so amazing because they leave out wine and an orange for Belfana in hope that she will reward them with gifts for good behavior. She is also known to leave coal for the naughty children. The legend states that the Magi invited Belfana to accompany them to visit the Christ Child but she was too busy sweeping her house at the time. She quickly regretted her decision and went out after the Magi, who were all ready far, far ahead of her. She continues her search to this day, riding her broomstick all over the world in search of Jesus. Want to learn more about this legend? Checkout Old Belfana. There is also a song that accompanies Belfana's legend:

La Befana comes at night

In tattered shoes

Dressed in the Roman style

Long live la Befana!

{FIVE}

Decorate With Flowers

Decorating for events is a great way to set the mood of an event. If you are hosting a Twelfth Night Party or a special Epiphany dinner try including an assortment of "Star of Bethlehem" flowers and/or "Mary's Star" flowers. Both are brilliant white flowers that look similar to a star. They would certainly be a great conversational piece for your friends and family. A little less known fact is that there is a legend involving the Magi and a Mary's Star also known as the Ox-Eye Daisy. Legend says that after the Magi followed the Star of Bethlehem into Bethlehem, they stopped because they didn't know where to go. Saint Melchior looked down and saw an Ox-Eye Daisy blooming. He noticed its resemblance to the Star they had followed to Bethlehem and decided to pluck it from the ground. As he did this, the door to the stable where the Holy Family was staying opened, showing the Magi where the Christ Child lay.

{SIX}

Cheers to the Epiphany

What kind of celebration could you enjoy without a special beverage? There are several drinks that I have come across that are encouraged to share on this night. Hot chocolate variations and Cider drinks are all very popular during the feast day, especially since it is Winter and the air has a bite to it most days. A recipe for a drink called Lamb's Wool is a traditional Epiphany drink. I have shared a recipe below:

6 baking apples, cored

2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup brown sugar, depending on sweetness of cider/ale

2 quarts cider, hard cider, ale, or a mixture of cider and ale

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Roast the apples in a baking pan at 450 degrees for around an hour, until they are very soft and bursting open. In a large saucepan, dissolve the sugar a few tablespoons at a time in the liquid of choice, tasting for sweetness. Add the spices. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Squeeze all of the pulp from the apples and discard the skins then fluff the puree with a fork and add to the liquid. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and serve immediately. 

I am sure you could make this for children if you simply substitute the hard cider with a sparkling non alcoholic apple cider served in a mug.

{SEVEN}

Woman's Christmas

So although I am in love with all the previous mentioned activities, the next one is definitely my favorite! The Epiphany also known as 'Nollaig na mBean' or Women's Christmas in Ireland is becoming very popular. On the Epiphany the women get the day off and the men do the cooking and the cleaning! Women gather together to meet up to enjoy tea and cakes while their husbands prepare their homes for the Epiphany. I don't know about you, but I don't think my husband would have the time to pull together a Twelfth Night Party with his crazy schedule but I do think it would be a great new tradition to setup a special time around breakfast or lunch to get together with your close women friends and family for some light refreshments. What do you think? Anyone want to come over for some tea and cakes this Sunday? 

Whether you decide to celebrate the Epiphany tonight, this upcoming Sunday or maybe even both nights, remember to create some family memories and traditions! I would love to hear all about your Epiphany celebrations so please tag me in your Instagram or Facebook pictures or comment below with your activities! I will be sharing details about our Epiphany party this Sunday! Now I have a big question for you:

Do you take down your Christmas decorations after the Epiphany or do you leave them up until Candlemas? 

I am going to start a poll on Facebook so please stop by and give me your vote. I am sharing this with This Ain't the Lyceum for Seven Quick Takes.

Have a Blessed Epiphany and God Bless!

What God has Taught Me in 2016

With the official end of 2016, I can hear the lyrics to one of my favorite songs ringing through the air:

"Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes; Five hundred twenty-five thousand Moments so dear. Five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes. How do you measure - measure a year? In daylights - in sunsets. In midnights - in cups of coffee. In inches - in miles. In laughter - in strife. In - five hundred twenty-five thousand Six hundred minutes...How do you measure A year in the life. How about love?"

As the first week of January 2017 comes to a close, I have been contemplating about the lessons that I have learned throughout 2016 during my last five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes on Earth.

{ONE}

There is a Beauty in Suffering

Suffering is something that scares me. Hurting mentally, physically or emotionally is something that I try to avoid at all costs. However, over the past year, I have struggled physically with my Spina Bifida and mentally and emotionally with my depression and anxiety. 

Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. Spina Bifida literally means “split spine.” Spina Bifida occurs when a baby is in the womb and the spinal column does not close all of the way. I was born essentially with a hole in my back and spine and it is extremely painful. Lately my condition has caused muscle spasms up and down my legs and back and I receive shooting pains when I walk, sit or stand. Sometimes it feels like there is no relief. My amazing husband rubs Biofreeze and massages my spasming muscles everyday for me. I am so blessed to have him. 

Depression and Anxiety are two more enemies that I face everyday. I have my good days and bad days just like everyone else but sometimes it is an all out battle just to complete every day activities. I just want to sit in bed and cry or I over think a situation to a point where I no longer have the motivation to try anything new.

It is through this physical, emotional and mental suffering that I have found a closeness to God that I have never known. I honestly use to pity myself and just felt that I deserved to feel this pain because it was a punishment of some sort. I know now that is not the case. I feel God comfort me when I cry out asking for pain relief, for him to ease my overactive mind and to calm the sorrows that I feel like are drowning me. I am only 30 years young and I hope to live a long life. I know that my life is a blessing regardless of the pain and that God is besides me, holding me up so that I can make it to the next area he wants me. I am ready and willing to accept this cross. Jesus laid down his life so that I may have one. Who am I to question him? This is who I am. I have also come to accept the beauty in this relationship and cherish the growth in my faith from it. 

{TWO}

The Best Things in Life Aren't Planned

I am a planner. Planning, making lists, organization all make me feel safe and happy. I have come to the realization that life cannot be put together like a puzzle and that the most amazing parts of my life have happened completely differently than I anticipated. The unknown honestly scares me... but I have come to realize that although this is my life, I am not the driver, God is and his plans for me and more wondrous than anything I could dream up myself.This past year has been FULL of surprises and although at times these surprises seemed bad... they were the best things that could have ever happened to me and my family. If someone would have asked me just a few years ago where I would be in my life now? I would have told you a completely different story than what has happened. I am blessed beyond measure

{THREE}

Be More Appreciative

I have an awful habit of not seeing the amazing blessings right in front of my face. I need to learn to be more receptive of these blessings and acknowledge them. My husband would be one of these blessings. He is understanding, loving and thoughtful. I often forget all that he does for me and my family because I focus on the one time he didn't do the laundry, or the time he left dirty clothes on the floor. Why do I focus on such petty everyday activities? I honestly can't tell you why but I know it is not a good thing to do ever!

Our financial status is something else I need to learn to appreciate more. Yes, we owe a lot of money for legal fees and medical care and many other things but we have a nice warm home with an abundance of food and all the necessities we need to survive. We have what we need and that's all that should matter.

My back pain is something else I should appreciate because I only deal with pain when I could be unable to walk or do many other things for myself. Spina Bifida ended the life of my mom's sister before my mom was ever born.... It is a blessing that I am able to get around and I should focus on that more.

{FOUR}

The Journey is just as Important as the Destination

Goalie has been struggling with many different medical diagnoses: ADHD, SPD, Anxiety and he is being tested for Autism. All of these things make school so extremely difficult for him. Although a specific diagnosis would help with his IEP, therapy costs and many other things, it should not change him. My son is amazing. He is the most compassionate human being, he is so loving and has taught me so much about patience, love and courage. We are discovering so much about each other and our relationship as mommy and son through this journey that I don't care if it ever ends. I don't ever want to change him but sometimes I do wish I could change aspects of the world for him. 

{FIVE}

If All Else Fails; Just Love

Several times throughout this year I have been in a situation where I was at a loss for words and action. I just did not know what the right thing to do was for myself or the other people involved. I found that everything always works out when you choose the option that involves Love. Love can be as simple as a hug or listening ear, even if you don't feel like it. Or it can be a grand gesture of volunteering your time, talent or money for something that does not affect you. It also mean offering forgiveness or something else as difficult. Release yourself from the chains that hate breeds and allow healing and love to enter your soul. This is a lesson that I have had a hard time swallowing over the past few years. I have shared my story several times and although it's not pretty, it has led me to this moment here with my family and I wouldn't change a thing. Love can transform this world if we let it. This is the greatest thing that I have learned this year. 

I have shared these thoughts not for any other reason than to share my wisdom gained. Although these lessons may have been officially "learned" over the course of the past year, I can guarantee you that the Lord has been working on me for quite a longer time than just a year. So please, keep your heart and soul open to hear the advice that he is attempting to teach you and let's make 2017 the best possible year for ourselves and all those that we meet along the way. I am sharing this with Revolution of Love. 

God Bless!