Starry Sky Ranch

Into the Midst

"For while gentle silence enveloped all things and night in its swift course was now half gone, Thy All-powerful Word leaped from heaven, from the royal throne, into the midst of a land that was doomed."

Wisdom 18:14-15

 

These words made me actually catch my breath and continue to occupy my imagination.

To think, even now the Lord is so eager to draw very near and fill up the cold recesses of our hearts, even if they hold much the same as what filled that barn so long ago.

To think, He can make dark caves shine with Light. Furthermore, He longs to do so. 

Make room for Him. 

4 Steps that Lead to Peace

 

 MY CHILD, I will teach you now the way of peace and true liberty:

 

Seek, child, to do the will of others rather than your own.

Always choose to have less rather than more.

Look always for the last place and seek to be beneath all others.

Always wish and pray that the will of God be fully carried out in you.

 

Behold, such will enter into the realm of peace and rest.

Imitation of Christ, ch 23

 

The 24 Days

"What's the surprise for the first day of December?"

It wasn't completely a surprise because each year it's an advent calendar, but it's partly a surprise because it's always a new one.

Advent means coming and it's the four weeks that lead up to Christmas. Mother and Daddy read serious things in the evening, and talk about them, a book called The Four Last Things, for instance."

 - The 24 Days Before Christmas

The wind is blowing outside reinforcing the inward turning of the season. Everyday the girls and I read a little about a different advent practice and the symbolism attached to each. We do some work on the tree. (It is many days project here.) Social media has been quieted. We do a little something each day to direct our focus. Even still, there is the nagging, "You're falling behind...you forgot to....the deadline for..."  Some of that is absolutely true. Adding seasonal tasks to an already challenging to-do list of classes and extracurriculars and keeping slow moving teens moving along is not exactly conducive to  meditative contemplation.  We can establish little checkpoints throughout the day though to anchor our hearts:

some seasonal read aloud after morning prayer

reciting the St Andrew Novena at noon

lighting the advent wreath at dinner

A little something every day to take our thoughts captive. 

 

resources for you and your children:

Family Advent Customs

Advent Journal (printable)

 

Reminder  St Nicholas Day is Sunday.  It is time to print coloring pages and gather treats for the shoes. 

A Mother's Worry

 

Years ago a friend gifted me a wonderful novena booklet called Sacred Motherhood by M. Kley from the Schoenstatt Center which had prayers for each month of pregnancy. Remembering how inspiring it was to me then, I pulled it out to share with young friends expecting babies this year. While perusing the reflections I came across a wonderful meditation which is perhaps much more relevant to mothers of older children. I found it quite encouraging.