Ash Wednesday

What a blessing Mass was this morning!  I love going to Mass, and would go daily, if it were possible.  We started out in the car with listening to a Stations of the Cross.  This particular CD, available at Quiet Waters Production, is one of my favorite ways of "praying" the Stations.  The music is just moving and beautiful.  At Mass, our pastor's homily was on the importance of inward conversion, that the ashes are only an outward sign, that would not have any meaning unless we turn our hearts towards God and strive ever closer to Him. 

After Mass, we stopped at JoAnn's - - I wanted to get a legnth of purple cloth for our table and then the grocery store, so that I would have the ingredients I need for tonight's supper.  The kids and I have decided that it would be great to explore some simple soups and breads for mealtimes.  I made some roasted vegetable stock - - the first time I've ever used turnips!  I will use the stock later to make some vegetable soup for dinner.  For the bread, I will probably just make the Italian Featherbread that I make that doesn't take much time.  I plan on making a batch of boule bread to keep in the refrigerator for Fridays.  You can find the recipe here.  The kids love this crusty bread!

As stated in a previous post, we are going to be doing a Jesus tree (thanks to Shower of Roses for the idea!).  In addition, I downloaded the Timeline of Christ from That Resource Site and laminated the cards.  I picked out the cards that correspond to our reading for the Jesus tree and put the one for today on a photo holder.  Not all readings have a card, but that's okay.  I also downloaded Lent for Children:  a Thought a Day, from Family Feast and Feria.  I figured this can be a lunchtime devotion for the kids and I.  The download takes a while, but worth it.  So our days will look like this: (Before Schooltime) Morning Offering, Holy Heroes . . . . (Lunch) Lent for Children, Angelus  . . . . (Dinner) Prayers, Jesus Tree, and Decade of the Rosary.   As a family, we have given up eating out in general and we are going to work on family prayer - - specifically, the Rosary.  The kids also have personal sacrifices and virtues that they are working on, as do I. 

Figures for the "Passion" playset

Another thing I am working on this Lent is to create an "Atrium" corner of sorts.  I know that this has gone round the loops, and at the time, I admit I was a bit overwhelmed with it all at that time.  If I only had the older kids, I would probably not even try, but having little Daniel in the house has inspired me to give him little "toys" for him to play with that help teach the faith.  We already have a little Mass kit, which I will introduce to him when he gets a little older.  I have painted several little wooden saint dolls.  Now, I am working on figures for the "Passion" play - - I have a few done and am working on the rest of the apostles.  I am using templates from Young Children and Worship by Sonja Stewart.  While not Catholic, the authors draw heavily on Sofia Cavalletti and Maria Montessori, and have scripted lessons.  I am not sure I will use those, but the templates are great and easy to use with a scroll saw.  I figure I would start with the season which we are in - - Lent, and go from there.  I would like to build a model "Jerusalem" but not sure what time will allow.  

Lastly, I have our Stations of the Cross to repair and rehang.  I had bulked at putting nails in the walls, but am going to relent.  I had used the sticky hooks and they haven't held up as well as nails would have.  Several of our Stations have fallen, causing little rocks to fall off and so forth.  I have seven remaining on the wall and seven to repair.  I absolutely love these stations. 

May God Bless you!
Jennifer