The Liturgical Year for Little Ones

Santa Lucia! Tomorrow! December 13!

2011-12-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Our little Lucy is growing up. And, in honor of her being older, we are celebrating her name day more traditionally this year. For those of you who have a daughter, here is the more traditional way of celebrating Santa Lucia in Sweden:

Your oldest (or youngest) daughter arises in the darkness of the morning before the household and dresses in a white gown with a red sash and puts a crown of candles on her head. She carries a plate of Lucia buns and walks around waking the household while we sing the Santa Lucia song as we wake (granted, Pa and I are going to help her wake up this year).

There are many recipes out there. Traditionally the recipe uses to saffron. I will confess I have deviated from that in the past and used this recipe a few times (substituting soy milk) and the kids enjoyed it very much.

All right! Baby needs a nap! Blessings to you all!

Tree Blessing Prayer

2011-12-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

Every year on the Sunday of our Forefathers and in honor of my husband's patron saint, Jesse, we buy our Christmas tree and bless it. For those of you who would like to bless your tree, here is the prayer for it*:

Father or Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who hath made heaven and earth.
All: All the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord, for He comes.
Read Psalm 95.
All: All the trees of the wood shout for joy before the Lord, for He comes.
Leader: Lesson from the Prophet Ezekiel (Read Ezekiel 17:22-24)
All: Thanks be to God.
Leader: And there shall come forth a shoot.
All: Out of the root of Jesse.
Leader: In Him was life.
All:And the life was the light of men.
Leader: O Lord hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come unto Thee.
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And with your spirit.
Leader: Let us pray. Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Eternal God, Who hast caused Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to be planted like a tree of life in Thy Church, by being born of th emost HOly Virgin Mary, bless, we beseech thee, this tree that all who see it may be filled with a holy desire to be ingrafted as living branches into the same Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the HOly Spirit, One God, world without end.
All. Amen

Sprinkle the tree with holy water and sing an Advent hymn.

*Many thanks to Nan, who in her research years ago discovered this prayer!

Orthodox Jesse Tree Activity

2011-11-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

Jen (another contributor here) posted this link on facebook today. I hope you don't mind me posting this link for you, Jen!! We'll definitely be doing this activity here. Especially since Jesse is my husband's patron saint!!!

Anyhow, you MUST check this out!!!! Don't forget to check the links which provide all the printables.

Kicking off the Advent Season!!!

2011-11-15T15:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Advent, everyone!

If you haven't already constructed your paper chain, here are the color layouts for this year:
Week 1: 6 green strips
Week 2: 7 blue strips
Week 3: 7 yellow (gold) strips
Week 4: 7 white strips
Week 5: 7 purple strips
Week 6: 6 red strips

Do the Sunday reading* on the Sunday following each color week with the "red" reading being on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

This past week a World Vision catalog came in the mail and the kids were very excited about the idea of giving an animal to a suffering family. They decided they wanted that to be their gift to Jesus this year. However, instead of Pa and I just writing a check, the kids are working to earn money to pay for their gifts. What birthday gift are your kids/family giving to Jesus this year??

* (see the Nativity Fast section for more information on the weekly color schemes)

the nativity fast begins tomorrow!!!

2011-11-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Just in case you needed a reminder.

We were a bit distracted from our preparations though....

...as this little guy was baptized yesterday.

And since I'm sure you all had your own reasons to be distracted this last week, let me remind you of the different ideas we have on this blog...right on the sidebar...under the nativity fast link. Or, you could just click this.

As I said, we are a bit behind. But I will get started on that advent chain today! The wreath probably won't materialize till later.

And just so you know, making traditions in your home takes time.

Don't expect to perfect it all in one year.

Some things will work. Some won't.

During these early years, feel free to experiment and find out what works for your family. It might take a few years to figure that out.

We're still in the process. And this blog started four years ago.

Just sayin.'

Quick Soul Cakes

2011-10-31T00:37:00.000-07:00

For those of you wishing to celebrate the western All Souls Day and the Vigil of All Saints (a.k.a. All Hallow's Eve/Halloween) in a way that brings out the Christian (and Orthodox) significance of the day, I highly recommend for your enjoyment the tradition of making "soul cakes" (a.k.a. "doughnuts") with your children.

Before you freak out at the idea of making doughnuts from scratch, check out this short-cut version which I've adapted from Catholic Traditions in Cooking, by Ann Ball (see p. 129). All you need is a can of refrigerated biscuits, some spices, sugar, and oil.

These are called "soul cakes" because they are circular, signifying, in the unending arc of the circle, the immortality of the soul. Add a double whammy of catechetical instruction disguised as fun and yum, as you make the seven-spice mix with your children, teaching them the story and theology of creation (when human souls came to be).

Preheat oven to 375º.

Make 7-Spice Mix: Have your child(ren) help measure each spice and put it in the bowl as you talk with them about how the seven spices represent the seven days of creation and remember together what God made on each day. If you haven't read it recently, it may be a good idea to read the creation story in a children's bible before you begin your kitchen activities. (Note: You can substitute other sweet spices, if you wish, or organize them in another order. My ordering below is simply alphabetical and has no correlation to the respective day of creation being discussed.)

1/8 t Allspice—1st Day: Light
1/8 t Anise—2nd Day: Firmament (Sky)
1/8 t Cardamon—3rd Day: Dry Land and Seas, Vegetation (Plants)
1 t Cinnamon—4th Day: Sun, Moon, and Stars
1/8 t Cloves—5th Day: Sea Creatures and Birds
1/8 t Mace—6th Day: Animals, Adam and Eve
1/2 t Nutmeg—7th Day: Rest (and Worship)

Now for the Orthodox theological kicker: Ask your children if they know about the 8th day of creation and then tell them all about it. The 8th day of creation is, of course, the Sunday of the Ressurection of our Lord, in which He re-creates, making all things new; it is the unending "Day of the Lord," which we enter mystically in every Divine Liturgy resting in the completed salvific work of the Creator. (For more on the Orthodox understanding of the Sabbath and the 8th Day, I highly recommend the one-page article on p. 219 of The Orthodox Study Bible.)

To signify the 8th day of creation and emphasize how it is the most amazing, blessed part of creation, pour into the spice mixture,

3/4 C sugar—8th Day of (Re)Creation: New Life in Christ's Resurrection

Now you're ready to make the doughnuts!
Open

1 can refrigerated biscuits (Trader Joe's are the best).

Flatten and stretch biscuits, using your fingers to make a hole in the middle to form a doughnut shape.

Warm in a fry pan over medium heat

canola or other vegetable oil (enough to come up to midpoint on the biscuit cakes when placed in the fry pan).

When the oil is hot, place as many doughnut rings in the oil as will fit without touching, and fry until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side.

Remove from oil with tongs, allow excess oil to drip back into pan, and coat in sugar-spice mix. Place coated cakes on cookie sheets (covered with parchment paper for easy clean-up, if you'd like). Repeat the previous steps until all the doughnuts are fried and coated. Then bake until fully cooked through, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to rack to cool.

Makes 6 to 8 soul cakes; easily doubled.

Vegan Cornbread

2011-09-28T20:57:00.000-07:00

Now on to a more mundane topic: FOOD! Mmmmm.

This afternoon, I googled vegan cornbread on a whim to go with our chili tonight and came across this recipe.

Did you catch that link? If not, here it is again.

Because, seriously, this is the best cornbread ever. Yeah. It even beats the recipes I've tried that had the delightful ingredients of eggs and butter.

It is truly that awesome.

Now I did have to substitute a 1/3 c of semolina flour because I was exactly 1/3 c short of cornmeal and thought that would be the best substitute. Maybe that contributed to its moist, cake-y goodness? I don't know. But I do know that my family efficiently demolished that pan of cornbread.

Church year timeline 2011-2012

2011-09-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

**UPDATED below**

I don't know about you, but our family was finding itself so distracted by changes in our lives (new baby, new school situation, dissertation writing, etc) that we were finding ourselves completely out of sync and unaware of the church year. Not a very good thing.

So this weekend, I attacked a church year timeline for our home and here are the results:

I decided to place it in the hallway right upon entering our front door. This is the hallway that one must use to go basically anywhere in our house, and so I thought it was an ideal spot. Included in the timeline are the 12 major feasts, name days and St. Nicholas.

A close up:

On each square is the name of the feast day, date, icon image, readings for the day and an activity to do together as a family:

I feel so much more aware now that I've done this very simple project.

**Here's a link to my document I created for this project. Feel free to use it for your home or just for inspiration!

Nativity of the Theotokos Coloring Page

2011-09-07T00:56:00.000-07:00

We celebrate the Nativity of the Theotokos on September 8, but begin, as is the Church's tradition, with a versperal liturgy on the evening before. In addition to implementing Jen Marie's great idea of making a birthday cake for Mama Mary, this year I'll be using the Nativity of the Theotokos icon coloring page from the OCA website to help my children understand and commemorate the feast.

To download the full-size icon coloring page (pdf), go here and scroll down a bit. (I am surprised that this icon is not included in the "Orthodox Christian Icon Coloring Book," as it represents one of the 12 great feasts of our Church.)

See Kelly's previous posts for the Scripture readings, links to articles, and other helpful ideas.

St. Patrick Enlightener of Ireland

2011-03-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

As a teenager he was kidnapped, taken from Briton (Scotland) to Ireland and forced into service as a shepherd. His response was a life of prayer. He prayed day and night. Let us strive to emulate Patrick who in the face of difficulties turned his thoughts toward God instead of ourselves. Let us be an example to our children by praying with them frequently and praying for them often.
Listen to the life of St. Patrick on the saint of the day podcast

You can read more at orthodoxwiki too.

Troparion - Tone 3

Holy Bishop Patrick,
Faithful shepherd of Christ's royal flock,
You filled Ireland with the radiance of the Gospel:
The mighty strength of the Trinity!
Now that you stand before the Savior,
Pray that He may preserve us in faith and love!

Kontakion - Tone 4

From slavery you escaped to freedom in Christ's service:
He sent you to deliver Ireland from the devil's bondage.
You planted the Word of the Gospel in pagan hearts.
In your journeys and hardships you rivaled the Apostle Paul!
Having received the reward for your labors in heaven,
Never cease to pray for the flock you have gathered on earth,
Holy bishop Patrick!

Prayer of Saint Patrick

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, and in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

To celebrate This day with your kids during lent you could eat like he probably did and have porridge and fish and flatbread. see web page re 5th century Irish diet.

OAT FLATBREAD
Ingredients

1 cup large-flake rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup margerine softened
2 tbsp malt syrup or honey

Preparation:
In food processor, process oats until finely ground, about 2 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together oats, whole wheat flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in margerine and malt syrup to form soft, crumbly dough. With fork, stir in 1/2 cup (125 mL) water to make soft ragged dough.

With lightly floured hands, press dough into ball; cover with tea towel and let stand for 10 minutes. Divide in half.

On lightly floured surface; roll out each half into 16- x 12-inch (40 x 30 cm) paper-thin rectangle; prick all over with fork. Transfer to greased or parchment paper–lined baking sheet.

Lightly brush with water; bake in 400°F (200°C) oven, rotating halfway through, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Let cool on pan on rack. Break into pieces. (Make-ahead: Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Lenten Recipe Swap

2011-03-16T08:53:00.001-07:00

Please share your recipes in the comments section!

Chickpea Apple Curry

1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 apple, finely chopped
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cans chickpeas, drained
salt, to taste
Curry Powder to taste (I used 2 Tablespoons)
1/4 tsp ginger powder

Saute onion in a tsp veggie oil until soft. Add garlic and apple. Saute till garlic is fragrant. Add broth, coconut milk and chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and add salt, curry and ginger to taste.

Serve over rice. Fun toppings include raisins, shredded coconut and chopped cashews/peanuts.

Very quick and easy (I made this whole meal in less than 30 minutes). Tastes even better the next day after the flavors have sunk in.

The Virtue of Love

2011-03-09T08:38:00.000-08:00

I really appreciated this lovely post on Lent by a catholic mother of 7. A great reminder that what really teaches our children about Christ is the virtue of love, not arts and crafts and activities. Those are all good, but those are 'extras' to do and not essentials.

A couple of Lenten ideas

2011-03-08T15:54:00.000-08:00

This year, my 4-year-old is very excited about Pascha--already! It's hard for him to grasp how far it is away still. I saw this great magnetic door craft, but since we have a tiny fridge I decided to just do a paper chain this lent.

My son and I used a calendar to count down the days of "of preparing" left until Pascha. Weekdays and Saturdays are purple, Sundays are white with their name printed on them (ie. Orthodoxy Sunday, St. Mary of Egypt Sunday etc.), the Annunciation is in blue and Holy week is black.We are already enjoying the count down...hopefully our enthusiasm can last all of Lent!

I'm also doing a Lenten diary with my son. I cut printer paper in half, put a half sheet of purple on the outside, folded and stapled it in the middle. So far entries are: "What was your favorite part of Forgiveness Vespers?" and a tiny 4-year-old reflection on the story of St. Kevin and the bird's nest. The next question I'll try is asking him "Why do we clean things and ourselves?"

I'm making up questions everyday because I'm not the most organized person, but next year I'll have it down! So far, I'm liking the result because it is also making me think about the things I do with him. Often I forget that I don't have to be reading my Bible or the Fathers to benefit spiritually...I just need to take even a little bit of time to reflect.

May you all have a blessed Lent!

Simplicity: the lenten resolution

2011-03-08T08:51:00.000-08:00

I am having a rough 4th pregnancy, and so this year, Lent is going to be simple. Very simple. So simple that I am afraid our home might not feel very 'lenten', but, alas, that is what life is calling for right now. So although this resolution will not be fast-free and will probably not save us money to give to charity, it will hopefully help us to have the time and energy to establish a prayer routine again (something that was lost during my rough first trimester).

Much of this simplification will be in terms of expectations (as in, allowing my house to be a little less perfect). My other plan is to readjust my meal planning/cooking to reflect this. Basically, instead of worrying about making everything from scratch (like yogurt and bread), I am going to suck it up and purchase ready-made items so that I don't over-fatigue myself and, hopefully, will not have to rely on my husband quite so much (a very dear man who is not only sacrificing a lot of time and effort to help out around the house and with kids, but is also trying to write a dissertation).

The one thing that we must do because my daughters requested it, it is an awesome idea, and I promised over a month ago is that we're going to bake cookies and give them to the homeless at some point. I know it about the most unpractical thing to give to homeless people but I want to nourish the spirit of charity within my children.

While you establish your lenten routines, don't forget our list of activities that have been compiled over the last few years (that is, if you have the energy to do them)!

St Valentine

2011-02-14T09:09:00.000-08:00

So, although the Eastern Church commemorates this saint on July 6th, Western culture celebrates this day on February 14th, the anniversary of his death. Why? Read here. (hint: his death coincided with a pagan feast).

Activities:
If it ain't broke, why fix it? I have always thought that the way children celebrate Valentine's Day is sweet and don't see any problem with continuing with those same traditions with the addition, of course, of talking about St. Valentine's life.

Here's what we've done and are going to to do:

We made valentines last week to hand out at Wednesday school.
Today I have heart candies to give out during school lessons.
We decorated our living room window with hearts hanging on string.
We're going to bake heart cookies to have with a Valentine's tea this afternoon (which is when I'll tell them about who St. Valentine is).
This evening, we're going to a family candlelight dinner. Pa will present the girls with chocolate hearts and I will give one to the boy.

Any other activities that you recommend? (and my apologies for not posting this BEFORE Valentine's Day!!!). Blame it on my pregnant, mothering brain.

Presentation of the Lord in the Temple

2011-02-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow we celebrate how Joseph and Mary fulfilled the law by taking Jesus to the temple with an offering. This blog has two wonderful posts (Thank you, Ma!) on this feast which talk about it in depth as well as offer fun ideas for enjoying this special day with our little ones. Since I'm not one to reinvent the wheel, I'm just going to talk about a couple things (born out of those ideas) I'm doing with my little ones (4 &1) this year.

This year my four-year-old is participating in a wonderful program at our Church called the Catechisis of the Good Shepherd. He has already been reintroduced to the story and has been allowed to "act it out" with models. The thing he focused on was the gift of two turtledoves given by Mary and Joseph. He was told that the gift would actually go to the priests for food. As we were talking about the Feast on the way home from Church he decided we should bring a gift to our priests just like Mary and Joseph did. He also wants to bring a gift to his Catechists (teachers), because "they work at the church too."

I thought it was a wonderful idea to bring a gift that the priests could eat/use, not only does it show them our appreciation, but it allows us to offer something back to God in a very tangible way.
My son wants to get a clock for the church (I wonder if he thinks it will help the priest keep his homily short? j/k). My idea- dove shaped cookies.

Another thing we will do is to take candles to church for the service to celebrate the Light "to enlighten the gentiles!" We have the battery operated ones, but in the next few years we will graduate to real candles. At our church the priests bless the candles during the service. And just like Ma's posts suggest, we will decorate them! :)

I wish you all a blessed feast!

Epiphany

2011-01-05T20:29:00.000-08:00

In the West we celebrate the coming of the wise men at Epiphany. My girls are very excited about giving gifts to baby Jesus tomorrow. Tonight is the 5th of January. We took the ornaments off the tree but left the lights on. We sat around the wreath with it's 5 white candles glowing and sang many Christmas hymns for the last time this season. Claire decided she wanted to give baby Jesus an star shaped ornament with the three wise men embroidered on it and Emily will bring a gold bell. We will add the three wise men to our crèche.

A delayed St Nichola craft and SANTA LUCIA!

2010-12-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

A bit delayed, but while browsing the Craft Crow for ornament ideas, I came across this lovely St Nicholas Day craft. Definitely putting it on the shelf for next year!!!

And, now, for one of my FAVORITE Advent days of the year (and, yes, I am biased because I have a very beautiful Lucy Light of my own): St. Lucy's Day (or Santa Lucia!).

You can read about various ways that different cultures celebrate this day over at the Catholic Culture website (a great resource, imho). We do our own rendition of the Swedish tradition.

After the sun sets in the evening, we have Lucy dress up in a white dress with a red sash and her lovely crown of battery operated candles that her godparents gave her. She then processes, carrying a plate full of buns shaped in a ring like a crown and gingersnaps, (usually with the help of her siblings) to where we and our guests are sitting and singing Santa Lucia.

This year, we are giving Lucy and her siblings Santa Lucia paper dolls for a gift and will, per usual, tie a red ribbon around a white candle and give one each to our guests in honor of Santa Lucia.

Santa Lucia! Santa LUCIA!

Happy St. Nicholas Day

2010-12-06T09:21:00.000-08:00

I had a sudden thought last night to include a note of encouragement in the girl's St. Nicholas stockings. I hope to remember to do this each year. This time it reads, "Be kind to one another."

We also listened to this podcast of St. Nicholas http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/saintoftheday

Santa Lucia Paper Dolls

2010-11-29T13:30:00.000-08:00

For any of you who will be celebrating Santa Lucia on December 13th, here is a link to some paper dolls I found online. A great gift idea for all the little girls in your family!

For ideas of how to celebrate St. Lucy, look here. It is a very fun tradition that our family enjoys celebrating each Advent season.

Hail King Edmund

2010-11-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

Now, although slacker Ma is on a delayed celebration schedule for Edmund's name-day (which was this past weekend), Grandma had all her ducks in a row and mailed this wonderful King dress-up outfit for the occasion. Of course, Edmund couldn't wait to try it on.

The real celebration will occur Friday or Saturday this week. We'll hang the St Edmund flag we bought in England. We'll eat sticky buns in memory of his sticky end and have St. Edmund story time. Afterwards, we'll decorate our own crowns to wear that day in honor of the Saint and King.

What do you do to celebrate your children's name days?

Nativity Fast preparation

2010-11-12T09:40:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 15th marks the beginning of the Nativity Fast. For a more in depth look at some activities and crafts to due during advent, look no further than here. But, in brief, here are some activities to do with your children throughout the next 40 days to help prepare you hearts for the celebration of Christ's birth.

Remember that each week has a theme: faith, hope, peace, love, repentance and communion. Light your candle for the week at the beginning of that week and continue lighting until Christmas and through the 12 days (or as long as they last)! The theme ideas come from Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home by Anthony Coniaris. The activities to go with are of my own silly creation! If you have any other ideas, please do let me know!

1. Make an advent wreath and paper chain, Eastern Orthodox style.
2. For Faith Week, beginning November 15th, sit down as a family and list gifts you'd like to give to the baby Jesus. Then spend the rest of the Nativity Fast preparing these gifts (whether by making them or saving money for them). Remember all these gifts, however silly, can be given to people in need. To give unto someone in need is to give unto Christ.
3. The Entrance of the Theotokos falls on Sunday, November 21st this year. Check out this activity from our archives.
4. For the second week of the fast (beginning Nov. 21st), make some anchor ornaments to hang around your house. Anchors are a traditional Christian symbol of hope. Print out this picture as a template, and cut out card stock or construction paper and let the kids decorate them. Then hang them around the house or tape them on your windows.
5. For week 3, December 5th, decorate a tree outside!
6.  December 5th, the beginning of Week 4. Make doves to hang for this Week of Peace.
7. Monday, December 6th, is St Nicholas day!!! Don't forget to read stories of St Nick to your kids and fill their shoes with goodies.
8.Week 5, beginning December 12th and the Sunday of our Forefathers. For this week of repentance, make your candy cane craft and/or join our style of celebrating our Forefathers. This is when we get our Christmas tree!
9.  Lucy Light!!! Monday, December 13th. This is a Xmas staple in our family. Pa's family did it because they are of scandinavian origin, we do it for that reason and because we have a little Lucy of our own. Even if you don't have a little Lucy, this is a very fun day if you have any girls in your family. Read more about how you can celebrate this day here.
10. We light the candle for the last week of Christmas on December 19th. Make gingerbread houses and talk about how through the sacrament of communion, Christ lives in us.
11. December 25th! Christmas Day! Light your final candle and feast with joy on the day of Christ's birth!

Halloween

2010-10-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned last year, I know that many Orthodox Christians do celebrate Halloween and many don't. I, personally, see nothing counter-cultural in simply abstaining from Halloween celebrations, but think that doing our best to transform our celebration of Halloween into something holy is the most Christian thing we can do. In addition to last year's suggestions, here are some activities to enjoy with your children:

Dress Up--Next to the candy, this is the most fun part of Halloween, is it not? My advice is to just avoid any dark-themed costumes like vampires, devils and the like.

Pumpkin Carving--I liked Elizabeth and Michelle's idea from last year: carve crosses into your pumpkins. For little children, let them paint the pumpkins. Sure, it's messy but a lot less risky!

Games/crafts--Apple Bobbing, blindfolded 'feely' box (great idea, Elizabeth!), pin the tail on the donkey or some other variation (pin the face on the pumpkin--everyone can be a winner with this one), make popcorn balls, etc. The Crafty Crow has a large selection of Halloween crafts to do (I particularly like the different pumpkin themed crafts).

Trick or Treating--Whether you choose to do this probably depends on your neighborhood and how 'thoroughly' your neighbors get into their decor. We avoid scary homes, but do allow our children to trick or treat. If you choose not to trick or treat, I would suggest doing a variation of an easter egg hunt in your house but hide candy bags instead. Another option would be to give each child some clues and they have to use the clues to figure out where their candy is hidden (this might be helpful in making sure candy is evenly distributed).

Feasting--Feast on caramel apples, hot apple cider, popcorn balls, and other autumn-y treats!

Prayer--Most important of all, say special prayers with your family. I suggest singing 'Christ is risen from the dead' and to say prayers for the departed and light candles for loved ones who have passed from this life.

Happy, holy Halloween!

Prayer and School

2010-10-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of homeschooling is that it is very easy to work prayer into the day. Every school day, we begin with morning prayers followed by saying a prayer before our lessons. It is a wonderful way to start the day and I really believes it helps me to be more patient than my nature otherwise tends to be.

However, not everyone has the luxury or the desire to homeschool and finding prayer time is probably much more difficult to do as a family. I was wondering if any of you have a consistent routine of morning prayers with school children and what kind of routines you have to make that possible. It would be wonderful if you could share them!

I think that prayer is so important before school because it is a reminder that learning is character forming and the disciplines of learning affect our spiritual life. Learning to be diligent and disciplined even if the desire might not be there is of great value and will serve us all well in our spiritual walks. It is important for us parents to help our children incorporate prayer into their daily lives. I know it can be difficult with how busy we can all be, but it is not only good for our individual spiritual health but our families as a whole. To be united in love for Christ is the most incredible treasure a family can have. So let's seek that treasure and hold on to it!

*Don't forget the links on the right have a variety of crafts and activities to do as a family for various feast and fasting periods. My apologies for not having any recent activities to present.

a good use of time

2010-09-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

It was my husband's idea. And the result has been well worth the minimal effort.

On Sunday mornings, even on the mornings where we are running late, my husband writes down the scripture readings for the liturgy and brings a bible to the car. During the drive to church, he reads the passages and explains them to the children.

By the time our children get in the car for the ride home, they have heard the scripture stories 2-3 times. Once in the car. Once during the liturgy. And, nearly every Sunday, once during Sunday School (granted, this is usually the gospel story).

The result: our children often understand key parts in the homily; our children are prepared for Sunday School and return home really having learned something.

I am very thankful for my husband taking the time and effort to do this. Do try it too!

Saints Peter and Paul

2010-06-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear (1 Peter 1:17)

I was reading from the Prologue of Ohrid this morning and was struck by the homily of the fear of God on the above verse. At one point he writes:

"Will I be saved? This question should torment every one of us in the same way that the sower is tormented by the question: Will I reap the fruit of my labor in the field? The sower labors and fears every day. Let us also labor and fear "all the time of our sojourning" on earth."

As trite as it may be to say, it is very easy to have anxiety and to fear earthly things. To fear God--that is a struggle. However, it is a struggle we need to embrace and seek that we may have the same boldness as Paul one day and be able to say, "Not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20).

To celebrate the feast:

Here is a list of activities I compiled last summer for this feast.

In addition to these activities, I have a challenge for all you mothers (and fathers). We all have fears and anxieties we struggle with. I was told during a confession once that it was my duty as a mother not to pass on my fears to my children. What is the first step to doing this? Control your mouth. Do not speak of your fears in front of your children. During your prayers, seek repentance for those earthly fears and ask that the Lord replace them with the holy fear of God. This is what we want to teach our children: to fear the Lord our God.

May the Lord have mercy on us and each of us learn to be driven by the fear of God in our daily lives.

Pentecost

2010-05-21T14:25:00.000-07:00

Pentecost is this Sunday--May 23, 2010. I can't believe the Pascal Season is already over with! If you haven't already started hyping this momentous feast, now is the time. There are lots of great ideas in the archive of this blog which I'm trying not to overlap on. Make sure to check them out too.

Pentecost is especially exciting for children being that it is the church's birthday and kids love birthdays! Start prepping for this feast by reading the story of Pentecost over and over again--it's helpful for children in church to hear a familiar reading, as well as important for them to know this story. Start brainstorming with your kids about ideas of gifts we can give to the church (money, flowers, candles, icon (depending on your church)) as well as gifts for the poor & others and make sure to follow through with it on Sunday. Perhaps bring a cake to coffee hour and sing "Happy Birthday" to the Church (or have your own party at home). Reuse your Ascension puppet theater and puppets to put on a Pentecost production. There are so many fun ideas!

It's also an important time to focus on the gifts/ fruit of the Holy Spirit. Whenever the opportunity presents itself, whether at home, driving, watching TV, reading a book, point out examples of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control. It is actually amazing how often you will see these values manifest in our society. As mentioned previously in this blog, especially focus on one or two and try to think of a creative gift to give your child/children based on this.

The Troparion for the feast is (tone 8):
Blessed art Thou, O Christ our God, Who hast revealed the fishermen as most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit - through them Thou didst draw the world into Thy net. O Lover of Man, glory to Thee!

Singing the Troparion is always a helpful way to establish a church/home connection for kids. It also provides us with important theological insights about the significance of the feast. In order to make this troparion come alive for children there are many good fishing inspired games to enjoy. For instance, you could make a "go fish" game with the fruit of the Holy Spirit (either words or pictures depicting the word) or create a game in which you use a pole or net to capture fruit of the Holy Spirit fish (little pretend fish with a word or picture on them). Be creative! This can be lots of fun for us parents too!

May you all have a blessed feast!

Saint Brendan the Voyager

2010-05-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

Today is Saint Brendan's Day, and I apologize for not posting this ahead of time so that you could prepare. It's not too late to celebrate, though!

Another wonderful pre-schism western saint, Brendan the Voyager (b. 484) was a monastic in Ireland who founded many monasteries. As his title and icon imagery suggest, he was a sailor who traveled around. He is said to have gone in search of the Land of Paradise. While the account of his journeys are intended to be of a symbolic and spiritual value, some have conjectured that he may have been one of the first saints to set foot in North America, some say Canada.

Thus, in French Canadian spirit, serve up some Canadian bacon with French toast cut into simple fish shapes to symbolize simultaneously St. Brendan's ocean travels and also the Christological "ichthys" fish. Serve breakfast for dinner! (Or, next year, serve fishy toast for breakfast and Irish fare for dinner.)

You can also play the card game "Go fish!" and make origami boats to sail in the tub at bath time.

Talk to your children about The Water Project and make a donation.

(You can buy the beautiful Orthodox icon featured on the left above from Come And See Icons. Below is the troparion featured on their website.)

Troparion (Tone 4)
The Divine Likeness has been perfected in thee, O holy Father Brendan, for taking up the Cross thou hast followed Christ, and by thy deeds thou hast taught us to disdain the flesh for it passes away, but to cultivate the soul for it is immortal: wherefore, O holy father, thy spirit rejoices with the Angels.

Vegan Hot Cross Buns

2010-04-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

A great fasting-friendly recipe to allow the Orthodox to participate in the Western tradition of Hot Cross Buns:

Ingredients:

1 package yeast (or 2 1/4 tsps)

1 cup soy milk

2 tbls vegetable oil

1/4 c sugar

2 tbls applesauce

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 c currants (I like a mixture of raisins and dried cranberries)

2 tbls finely chopped candied lemon peel (or orange). This can be omitted but it is SO good.

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

3 1/3- 3 2/3 c all purpose flour

Mix yeast with 2 tbls warm water (approx 105-115 degrees). Let sit for 5 minutes or so till yeast has dissolved.

Meanwhile, warm the milk to about 105-115 degrees. Stir in vegetable oil, sugar, applesauce, salt, currants, lemon peel, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cool to lukewarm and add to yeast mixture.

Add part of the flour and stir it in. Then knead in by hand the rest, only adding enough to handle the dough easily.

Place in an oiled bowl. Brush top of dough with vegetable oil. Cover and let sit in a warm place until double.

Punch the dough down and divide into 18 pieces, shaping them into balls. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until almost double.

Heat in oven at 425 degrees about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool.

Decorate with a glaze of powdered sugar and lemon or orange juice into the shape of a cross.

Holy Week Clock

2010-03-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

Here is this year's version of our Holy Week clock! I used coloring pages from online (see the links below).

Here are the coloring pages I used for the clock:

Ten Virgins Parable

Jesus Heals Peter's Mother in Law (Holy Unction)

Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet (Holy Thursday)

Good Friday

The Guards guarding Jesus' Tomb (Holy Saturday)

The Resurrection (Pascha)

Easy AND Yummy Vegan Recipes

2010-03-25T18:55:00.001-07:00

To help guide you through the last week of Lent, here are some easy and yummy vegan recipes, courtesy of Ms. Martha Stewart:

Pea Soup (A great choice for Palm Sunday, where it is traditional in Wales to have pea soup).
Black Bean and Corn Stew
Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Avocado Sauce
Sesame Noodles
BBQ Tofu Burgers
Chickpea Apple Curry (simply ditch the yogurt as a topping)
Eggplant and Tomato Pasta (omit the optional Parmesan garnish and you're good to go!)
And, believe or not, you can make sloppy joes with lentils and the kids'll love it. Simply substitute lentils for the ground beef and you're good to go (you can find vegetarian versions of Worcestershire Sauce quite easily. If you have trouble finding some, it is quite easy to make. Use this recipe).

Annunciation of the Theotokos

2010-03-25T09:03:00.001-07:00

March 25th (today) marks the annunciation of the Theotokos. It is a feast celebrating the Archangel Gabriel appearing to Mary, announcing that she will bear the son of God. We celebrate both God reaching out to man and Mary's response; a humble obedience we should all emulate.

This is one of the only days during Lent (along with Palm Sunday) when fish is allowed. In the western church, this feast is also referred to as "Lady Day".

Ideas to celebrate:

1. Treat your family to a feast of fish for this celebration.

2. The Liturgical color for this feast is blue; so why not dress appropriately?

3. Read the story of the annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) and have the children memorize the verse, "Be it unto me according to thy word."

4. Here is a simple handprint angel craft. You could also use finger paint for the activity instead of cutting out paper. A bit more messy, but the kids will think it's fun!

May you all have a blessed Feast of the Annunciation.

Holy Week Activities

2010-03-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

A friend from college emailed me some links for activities yesterday (thanks, Christa!). One is for making The Hill of Calvary and the other is for making an Easter Tree.

Hill of Calvary

Easter Tree

The latter activity I really like and I thought it would be fun to do a twist on it and put images of the Stations of the Cross on it. You can print out images of art for this (see the stations listed below) or have your kids color these coloring pages of the different stations.

Jesus is condemned to death
Jesus is given his cross
Jesus falls the first time
Jesus meets His Mother
Simon of Cyrene carries the cross
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Jesus falls the second time
Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem
Jesus falls the third time
Jesus is stripped of His garments
Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
Jesus dies on the cross
Jesus' body is removed from the cross (Deposition or Lamentation)
Jesus is laid in the tomb and covered in incense.

Although this is definitely part of the Western tradition of Christianity and not the Eastern, I think it is a very good way to educate our children in preparation for Good Friday. I would suggest spending the week coloring a page or two each day and putting up the tree on Good Friday.

Another twist on this activity would be to buy a live tree to plant on Pascha in honor of the Life Giving Tree, the Cross.

Do remember that I have other activities listed for Holy Week and the rest of Lent in the archives and that this is a blog that depends on group participation. In other words, please share your ideas! We can all benefit from each other's creativity as we strive to educate our children in the faith.

Lent Begins

2010-02-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

Here is something that I posted on my personal blog site for the beginning of Lent. Many of the ideas are basic, but if any help you in your lenten journey this year, Glory to God.

Lent began this afternoon with the Forgiveness Vespers Service. This is our first year in an Eastern-Rite Orthodox Church. I really enjoyed the service today and look forward to encountering more lenten services the weeks ahead.

The focus of lent is truly about fasting from sin, but fasting from certain foods, prayer, and almsgiving are avenues to this end. Here are some of my "tips" or getting through lent. Let me add the disclaimer that I am NOT an expert at fasting. These are just some things that I have found helpful.

1. Pray! Pray like you are really in a battle (it is more real than we know). If I begin the day praying, I have more energy to journey on and am less likely to despair. I suggest Met. Philaret's prayer for the beginning of the day, and the Lenten standard: The Prayer of St. Ephraim (see below). Really embrace the words and keep them with you throughout the day.

2. Go to the extra church services if at all possible. It is SO encouraging to remember that we (the Church) are all in this together. It is easy to get bitter if you feel alone in fasting. Truly, I have found that struggling through Lent with my fellow parishioners glues our community together in a way that nothing else can.

Since Luke doesn't do well at the night services in general, I am going to try to listen to Ancient Faith Radio podcasts during the season. We will try to actually make it to church too, but it may not always be possible. AFR is such a tremendous resource for families to bring the Church into their homes.

3. Have a project. If you are spending less on food, buy extra food for the local food bank, send money to Haiti, etc... Almsgiving really helps fasting make more sense to me. Volunteering works if you cannot give, just have a goal.

4. Find good recipes and recycle them. I always face the temptation of trying out all sorts of recipes and spending hours in the kitchen. As our priest in CA said, Lent is about simplification. The fast is to focus our minds on the spiritual, not on proper meal preparation. OrthodoxMom.com, Orthodox Mother's Digest , and this site have hosted several fasting recipe swaps.

5. Have a baked potato night each week. Baked potatoes are great, and there is little prep time involved. I like to rub oil on the skins before baking them. They are 10x better this way and it encourages everyone to eat the skin (the best part in my opinion!). Vegans-serve with baked beans, chopped green onions, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, grilled onions. Vegetarians- use cheese, cottage cheese, butter, sour cream, etc... Homemade pizza once a week is also good, and fun for a Saturday night.

6. Make breakfast easy. I like Emily's idea of having oatmeal every day. For myself, I know that the more I have to think about, the more distracted with food I become. I also like cheese or a homemade energy bar for breakfast.

7. Prep veggies and fruit and dips to have on hand. Tomorrow I will make hummus, ranch dip (160z sour cream + 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix), and cut up a bunch of carrots.

May God bless you all and multiply your efforts to His glory!

Lenten Prayer Of St. Ephrem The Syrian

O Lord and Master of my life!
Take from me the spirit of sloth,
faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of chastity,
humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.

Yea, Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.

Presentation of Christ in the Temple

2010-02-01T16:19:00.000-08:00

On February 2 the Church celebrates Christ's presentation in the Temple. In the Western Church it goes by the name of Candlemas and was traditionally the day to take Christmas decorations down. But I don't know much about the Western traditions other than that.

In the East, this feast commemorates Jesus' first visit to the temple (Luke 2:22-39) 40 days after his birth. It was custom to offer a lamb for sacrifice or two doves (if one was too poor for a lamb). Joseph and Mary brought to doves (they were poor) and Jesus--the Lamb of God. St. Simeon and St. Anna, both of whom were very old were there to witness Christ's entrance. The former's prayer (Lord now lettest thy servant depart in peace according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to enlighten the gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.) is still a staple prayer in the Eastern Church being said at the end of every Vespers and when leaving the Nave.

In our home, we read this story and talk about how special it is to be able to go to church. We also read My Forty Day Blessing Book by Christina Kyriacou which talks about the blessing infants and their mothers receive when they are churched. We look at pictures of my childrens' churchings and talk about how special it is to be welcomed into our church family in this way.
We also bring a special offering to the church-whether it be money or decorations. I always read the kontakion as well as the scripture readings we will hear in church beforehand so that we can talk about their meanings before and after the service.

For a craft I suggest making a lamb and birds out of paper and cotton balls or other decorations. Coloring pictures of the feast's icon is also of value since it allows children to identify this story when they're looking around during church.

St. Brigid of Kildare

2010-01-29T09:22:00.000-08:00

This coming Monday, February 1, marks the feast day of St. Brigid of Kildare, Ireland, a pre-schism Western saint, a contemporary of St. Patrick, and also my patron.

St. Brigid "did not take her mind or her attention from the Lord for the space of one hour at any time, but was constantly mentioning Him, and ever constantly thinking of Him, as evident in her own life [. . .] She was very hospitable and very charitable to guests and to needy people. She was humble, and attended to the herding of sheep and early rising, as her life proves [. . .] She spent indeed 74 years diligently serving the Lord, performing signs and miracles, curing every disease, and sickness in general as evident in her own life, until she yielded her spirit, [. . .] A.D. 525 [or] 522, [. . .] and she was buried at D/un in one tomb with Patrick, where Colum Cille was afterwards interred."

It's too late to order it for Monday, but there is a new children's book about St. Brigid with beautiful illustrations written by an Orthodox mom and published by Conciliar Press. (See thumbnail on the right.)

In lieu of the children's book, you can learn more about Saint Brigid online. There are many primary sources available here. (I also wrote a brief tribute to her on my own blog last year; click here to read it.)

Here are several ideas for celebrating her wondrous life of devotion and faith:

Make a St. Brigid Cross and hang it over the doorway; keep it there until next year and then replace it with a new one. If you don't have rushes or long grass near you, you can substitute with palm leaves, plastic straws, or something else creative. If you can, take the rushes to church on Sunday to have them blessed by the priest before you make the crosses.
In the spirit of St. Brigid's generosity, assemble emergency kits for IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) to send to people in places like Haiti.
Collect dandelions, which are sometimes spoken of as "Brigid's Flower."
Make wheat- or cross-shaped bread and serve with butter. (For example, see Pain d'Epi recipe in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, or use an oat bread recipe.) Before she became an abbess, Brigid was a dairy maid.
Visit a (dairy) farm and feed the animals.
Serve corn beef and cabbage or other hearty Irish dinner, and invite some friends or neighbors to share it with you (perhaps a poor family who cannot afford to eat nice dinners).
And don't forget the beer (for the adults, that is)! Brigid is known as the patron saint of beer because of her miraculous multiplying of beer to supply the county churches for Bright week after Pascha.
If someone in the family (or one of your guests) has St. Brigid as her patron or namesake, have her wear a white dress and pretend to be the saint knocking at the door saying "Go on your knees, open your eyes, and let Brigid in." The family should answer from within "Greeting, greeting to the noble woman."
Pray and sing hymns to St. Brigid, the "Mary of the Gael":

Troparion (Tone 1)
O holy Brigid, thou didst become sublime through thy humility, and didst fly on the wings of thy longing for God. When thou didst arrive in the Eternal City and appear before thy Divine Spouse, wearing the crown of virginity, thou didst keep thy promise to remember those who have recourse to thee. Thou dost shower grace upon the world, and dost multiply miracles. Intercede with Christ our God that He may save our souls.

(Saint Bride painting by John Duncan)

Bonny Saint Brigid, pray for us!

Spring Cleaning Preparations

2010-01-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

Lent is quickly approaching. Valentine's Day marks Forgiveness Sunday and Clean Monday follows directly!

In the past, I've used Clean Monday as a "Spring Cleaning" Day, but it really wasn't an adequate amount of time. Start NOW with the purging and be done before Lent. When getting rid of stuff, think of how you might bless others with things you don't need or want. Maybe some old clothes to give to a homeless person? Some toys for some children you know who might be less fortunate? Some books for students?

On Clean Monday, read Is 1:1-20. Talk to your children about how just like we need to clean our bodies and our houses regularly so that they don't get dirty and grimy, we also need to cleanse our hearts and minds. Clean something that is dirty to demonstrate visually the need for cleaning. Then talk about how we need to put away wicked thoughts, feelings, habits, etc. These are the things that dirty us. Talk about how we do this through repentance, prayer, fasting, almsgiving and mediation of the scriptures. It is only by putting on Christ that we can truly be holy.

Another activity we plan on doing on Clean Monday is to make a "Kyra Sarakosti" (a Lady Lent). Cut out a paper doll. The doll has no mouth (because she is fasting), her hands are joined in prayer, and she has a long skirt with 7 feet for the 7 weeks of Lent. Let the children decorate the paper doll. On each Saturday during Lent, cut off a foot. On the last Saturday, Holy Saturday, insert the foot into a dried fig and tradition has it that it brings luck to the finder.

Quick Theophany/ Epiphany ideas

2010-01-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

After two weeks of travel, it dawned on me this morning that Theophany was tomorrow and that our liturgy for it was tonight, so I quickly pulled myself together and this is what I came up with.

1. First, my pre-schooler and I read through the Old Testament stories of Creation, the Flood, the crossing of the Red Sea, the Children of Israel crossing the Jordan and Jonah and the Whale. We also read the NT stories about Jesus' baptism, calling the fishermen, and walking on the water. We read from a toddler Bible (stories are short) and I edited the stories as we went. We talked about how God blessed the water, motifs of cleansing, tried to make connections with the stories and focused specifically on how Jesus blessed the water by being baptized in it (as much as one can do with a three-year-old). As my boys get older and I don't have to rely on Children's Bibles (and/or I have more time) we'll read all of the stories which we will be hearing in the service tonight which include the washing of Naaman, Elijiah being taken up and Elisha crossing the Jordan just to name a few!

2. We also looked at the icon for Theophany and photos of my sons' baptisms and discussed them as well. My first son was actually baptized on Theophany 3 years ago, so it is also a special anniversary for us to remember.

3. We sang the troparion for Theophany over and over again (Byzantine-tone 1: When thou oh lord was baptized in the Jordan worship of the Trinity was made manifest/ for the voice of the Father bore witness to thee calling thee his beloved son/ and the Spirit in the likeness of a dove confirmed the truth of his word/ oh Christ our God who hath appeared and enlightened the world glory to thee) and also the baptismal hymn "As Many as have been baptized into Christ"

4. Finally we made a very quick version of a Kings Cake. I used a Trader Joe's Apple Bread mix I had lying around, letting my son help me by hiding a nut in it. I cooked it in a bunt cake pan to keep the appearance of a crown and decorated the top of the cake with blue icing (made from powdered sugar, butter, milk and food coloring) and Swedish Fish candy (we had it left over from Halloween). I want to learn more about the cake traditions for next year, but I wanted to start it now. I added the blue icing to look like water and the fish are pretty obvious. We're going to take the cake to church to enjoy with others after the service tonight. My son is so excited about finding the nut--what a fantastic idea!

Thankfully our church will also be blessing the Ocean water this coming Sunday so it will allow for more learning and fun to continue despite my lack of planning!

I wish all of you a Blessed Feast!
-Sara

Kings Bread

2010-01-04T15:54:00.000-08:00

[Updated January 2011]

Ma Torg has graciously invited me to be a periodic contributor here at the Liturgical Year for Little Ones, and I am honored to accept.

I thought I'd dive in with a recipe for your Twelfth Night/Epiphany/Theophany celebration. I know Ma Torg has shared fun ideas for a Twelfth Night party on her other blog.

For now, I'll just offer a simplified recipe for Kings Bread, so called after the three "kings" or magi, the first gentiles to worship the child Jesus as King, God, and Savior of all the nations. Kings bread is formed in a ring or crown shape with jewel-colored candied fruit toppings.

I've adapted a more traditional recipe using the high-moisture method of the excellent Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day cookbook by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe François. (And, oh my goodness, I am now drooling over their newer book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Whole grains, baby! Whole grains! But I digress.)

The wonderful features of the high-moisture method are (1) mix dough one day and bake another, (2) no kneeding needed!

I'm still experimenting with this recipe, so improvements may be posted later. Let me know if you have any tips.

Kings Bread
Mix in a 5-quart bowl or a lidded (not airtight) container:

3/4 C lukewarm water
1/2 T salt
1 T granulated yeast (1 packet)
1/4 C honey
1/2 C (one stick) unsalted butter, melted
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 t lemon extract
1 t vanilla extract
1 t lemon zest

Mix in without kneading, using a spoon or stand mixer with dough hook:

3 & 3/4 C unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 C chopped mixed candied fruit, and/or cranberries and golden raisins
1/4 C chopped almonds and/or other nuts

Cover (not airtight) and rest at room temperature (or in a warmed oven) until the dough rises and collapses, about 2 hours. Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container to chill. Use when chilled and within five days.

When you're ready to bake, grease a baking sheet with a small amount of

butter.

Insert into the chilled dough

1 whole almond, 1 raw bean, or 1 well-washed penny.

Dust dough with

flour

and quickly form into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Place the ball on the baking sheet, seam side down. Make a four-inch hole in the center and push dough into a ring. Butter the outside of a three or four-inch custard dish and set in the hole.

Loosely cover the dough with oiled plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375º.

Remove plastic wrap and brush the loaf with

1 egg beaten with
1 t water.

Press dough lightly with more

whole candied fruit/cranberries/golden raisins and
whole nuts and/or sliced blanched almonds

Sprinkle top with

1/4 C sugar.

Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden browned on the outside and hollow sounding when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Whoever gets the whole almond/bean/penny in his or her slice of bread can either be king/queen of the Twelfth Night party, or be the one to bring a baby Jesus doll in christening gown on Candelmas (a western tradition--I'm the Western Rite dark horse that Ma Torg is trotting out--Hope you all don't mind my western ways), or be the one to host the Twelfth Night/Epiphany party next year.

Happy and blessed festivities to you all!

Orthodox Book Giveaway!

2009-12-08T08:46:00.000-08:00

Do you love children's books? Would you like to win a copy of The Woman and the Wheat by Jane Meyer? If so, head on over to her blog to enter her giveaway!!!

Name Day Celebrations

2009-12-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

Nameday celebrations are quite fun for us. We try to make them unique to keep it distinctive from a birthday celebration. We also view them (as my husband likes to call it) as 'hobbit' parties in that the idea is to 'give' rather than 'recieve'. To encourage you to creatively come up with ideas for your own family, please read my ideas for our family's saints and our godchildren. If there are any saints you would like me to post about, please just ask!

Sunday of our Forefathers, Jesse and King David (Whatever Sunday falls between December 11-17 of each year. Note that Kind David is also celebrated on December 30th)

On this Sunday we celebrate my husband and godson's nameday. For our own family, this is the day we get our Christmas tree. We then pray a special blessing of the tree and sprinkle the tree with holy water. We then decorate the tree and enjoy fast appropriate treats for the celebration. In the past, I've bought tiny Christmas trees at Trader Joe's to give as gifts to our guests.

St Lucy (December 13)

I have blogged about this before. Look here for how we celebrate this at home! For a gift, we give our guests white candles wrapped in red ribbons.

St Mary of Bethany (June 4th)

It is Mary of Bethany who anoints Christ's feet with ointment and wiped them with her hair. We do not require our daughter to do anything of this kind! However, within that theme, we have Mary give a special 'ointment' to our guests (lotion or a perfume of sort). I do struggle with this one a bit (maybe you can help). Ideas are to 'act out' the story either in costume or with homemade puppets.

St Catherine of Alexandria (November 25)

For this feast day, there are lots of fun food themes. I like the ideas at Catholic Cuisine, which include eating pasta (using the special wheel pasta you can find at the store) and making heart shape cakes (an old french custom on St Catherine's Day. Read the above link for more info). For a fun activity, bake St Catherine's Wigs together or have a cake decorating contest. For a gift for your guests, send home a small lace doily or something else of that sort, as St Catherine is the patron of lacemakers and spinners. Her anniversary is still celebrated as the lacemakers feast in England!!!

St Edmund (November 20)

When we were in England last year, we had a grand time celebrating our son's name day. We visited Bury St Edmunds where this great saint was martyed and enjoyed pints of St Edmund's Ale. The kids and I painted our very own St Edmund flags on construction paper and hung it in our living room. While there, we had the foresight to buy our very own St Edmund's flag from Bury St Edmund's and hang it on his feast day. We unfortunately can't buy St Edmund's Ale here in the US. However, we can still honor his British (or, really, Anglo Saxon) heritage with a fish and chip supper. In England, there' s a silly custom (I think new though they claim it is old) of handing out sticky buns in remembrance of his 'sticky' end. Quite the breakfast story, no? A fun activity for the little ones would be to 'crown' the king. Decorate crowns and read the story of his martyrdom together. For gifts, make bookmarks with a Psalm on it (St Edmund was known for having memorized the Psalms). Simply type a Psalm in columns on your word processor and print unto cardstock. Cut it into bookmarks and give to your guests.

Christmas is coming!

2009-11-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

We are going crazy in our house finishing up the graduate school term and preparing for an extensive road trip over the holidays (3 1/2 weeks!). However, if you haven't already, be sure to check out the compilations of crafts and activities for the Nativity Fast to do with your little ones.

Besides those listed, here are some other activities to do together this year:

1. Assemble together on Xmas eve and sing Advent songs. The next evening, gather together and drink Mulled Wine and sing Christmas carols together. We use a hymnal we have, but you can easily find music and lyrics on the internet.

2. Get a small gift for your children for each of the 12 days of Christmas. Or another idea (for older children) is to give your child a new clue each day that will lead to a hiding spot on the 12th day of Christmas and have a special gift hidden.

3. Wait until Christmas Day to put baby Jesus in the manger. On Christmas Eve, say special prayers and bless the crib with Holy Water.

4. Bake a cake for your Christmas dessert and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus before opening presents.

I hope you all have a wonderful Advent and Christmas season! Please share any ideas you have!

Trick or Treating?

2009-10-20T08:21:00.001-07:00

In not too long, Americans will be celebrating the ghoouulisshhh feast of Halloween. What will you be doing?

I am well aware that most Orthodox are told not to celebrate Halloween because of its pagan roots. I know many Orthodox who don't. But I also know many that do.

In the past we have not celebrated Halloween, but this year we are. My reasoning: I see nothing counter-cultural through simply abstaining from celebrations. I think true counter-culture actions are ones that seek to transform. What better thing can we do then to do our best to transform Halloween into something holy?

I'm not sure yet what that will entail in the years to come. Western Christians have the advantage of celebrating All Saint's Eve on Halloween in anticipation of their feast day. We Orthodox do not. However, there is always a time and place to celebrate Christ's victory over death and what better time than Halloween to do just that.

For those of you looking for wholesome ways to celebrate Halloween, below are some ideas. If you are not celebrating Halloween, feel free to talk more about why in the comments.

An appropriate opening to any celebration of this holiday will be to sing a triumphant song. Although it is NOT pascha, I do think the paschal song is appropriate. "Christ is risen from the dead and by his death he has trampled death and unto those in the tombs, he has granted life."
Carve pumpkins. I have always loved this activity as a kid. We will be having a 'silly face' competition. Whoever carves the silliest pumpkin face wins a prize! For the little ones, simply let them go crazy with markers and glitter and glue.
Play doughnuts on a string or apples and flour for some great laughs.
Watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown for some old fashioned American fun.
End the evening fun with vespers and light candles for your departed loved ones.

Do you have any ideas to contribute?

Mommy Brain Strikes Again!

2009-09-03T11:56:00.001-07:00

I nearly made a major mistake...I almost forgot the feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos!!! That comes prior to the Elevation of the Cross. It is next week on September 8th!!! Dear me, when will my brain ever start functioning properly again? Is it the multi-tasking involved with motherhood that makes you overlook the fairly obvious or do you really lose brain cells when those babies are baking in the oven?

So do, please, check out this for an idea on how to celebrate the feast with your little ones.

For a great summary of the feast and its significance, read what Fr. Hopko says here.

And, as always, please share any ideas you have for celebrating this feast with your children.

The Year's Beginning

2009-08-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

Part of raising your children in the church is teaching them and helping them to have ownership of their faith. It is not just the faith of the family or the faith of the church but their own personal relationships with Christ. Without individual faith, there would be no community of believers.

It sometimes seems silly doing these little crafts with our children. However, these things are important in that they help make faith tangible for our children. It is the living of our faith that makes it real and engaging our children in such things helps them to see this: The liturgy in the every day.

This upcoming month of September not only marks the beginning of the secular school year but the beginning of the church year. It is all kicked off with the feast of The Elevation of the Cross on September 14th. With all the busyness of the beginning of the school year, do not forget to celebrate this feast in your home and at church. Along with these various activities you can do on the feast day itself, don't forget to talk with your children about what calendar our lives revolve around as Orthodox Christians, and it is NOT the school calendar!!!! (o:

One activity you can do to help facilitate this is to make a festal timeline. Get a long strip of butcher paper (or tape together several regular sheets of paper). Draw a line along the middle and mark the various major feasts and fasts, beginning with the Elevation of the Cross on September 14th. Then, have your children color pictures to represent these events. Glue them onto the strip of butcher paper and you have a Church Year Timeline!!!

To mark the progression of the year, you can cut out a cross out of colored construction paper. Simply pin it on the appropriate time of year with a push pin or use putty.

Happy Schooling!!!

scrap stock

2009-08-03T20:07:00.001-07:00

I've just discovered another incredibly easy, incredibly fun, and incredibly free kitchen trick.

Scrap Stock.

Collect those onion skins, potato skins, eggplant skins, etc. Keep those ends of veggies like carrots and zucchini. And don't throw away those limp carrots that you never got around to using up. Just throw them in a pot. Add water to cover them and a lil' bit of salt. Bring it all to a boil, simmer for an hour & half and then strain. The result:

Yummy veggie broth.

Vegan Recipe Swap

2009-07-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

My husband is a missionary kid, and this year's 2 international moves have given me a whole new respect for my mother in law. We've been back in the U.S. since July 1st and in our new home since the 6th, and I still feel dazed and confused from the transition. Thankfully the kitchen is now settled in and the cooking can begin!!!

The last theme for our Vegan Recipe Swap was Grains. Thank you for all your contributions! For some great recipes, go visit these blogs:

Michelle M. at Our Little Monkeys for Spanakorizo
Monica at Orthodox Mother's Digest for Crockpot Vegan Grains
Katie at Making Room for Curried Lentils and Rice

Now for this weeks theme....Beans.

Please excuse yet another Mexican themed recipe, but I've been deprived this last year and am currently obsessed.

Tacos with Garlicky Black Beans
(feeds 6-8)

3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
salt to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Mince garlic and saute with pepper in 1 tsp oil till fragrant. Add black beans plus 1 1/2 cups water or broth. Simmer for 10-15 minutes till thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Add salt to taste.

Drain liquid at this point or serve with a slotted spoon (if planning on leftovers, I recommend using a slotted spoon as the liquid helps the beans to reheat easier). Spoon into tortillas and add your favorite taco toppings. During fasting periods, we like to throw on grilled or broiled veggies (zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and onions) for a nice smoky, fajita flavor and top it with Tomatillo Salsa.

Leave a link to your blog in the comments with your favorite Vegan Beans recipe!

Vegan Recipe Swap

2009-06-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Well, the tofu didn't generate much (or anything, for that matter). It may be simply because this blog is still busy trying to resurrect from its hiatus...so here's another go. This week's theme: Grains (rice, barley, couscous, etc.) Please share your recipe in the comments section...just type it in or leave a link to your blog and I'll feature it in the next recipe swap!

Paella (serves about 8)

1 tablespoons olive oil
1 can artichoke hearts or 1 bag frozen
1 large bell pepper (green or red), diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 can diced tomatoes, (14.5 ounces)
2 cans vegetable broth, (14.5 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

In a heavy 12-inch saute; pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and rice; cook, stirring to coat, until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in paprika, turmeric, tomatoes, artichokes and broth, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed almost all liquid, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in peas; cook 1 minute; serve immediately.

This dish is delish, but lacks protein. I usually serve a chickpea salad on the side, but a can could also very easily be added to the Paella itself.

Saints Peter and Paul

2009-06-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Troparian
O Leaders of the Apostles and teachers of the world, Peter and Paul, pray to the Lord of all to grant peace to the world and abundant mercy to our souls.

Monday, June 29th, is the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. It also marks the end of a fasting period called the Apostle's Fast (which begins every year after All Saint's Sunday). On this day, focus on talking with your children about how even great sinners can become great saints through repentance.

Activities:

Make Mandryky (meaning 'to wander')! It is a Ukranian custom to eat this on the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul due to a legend that the Saints were sustained by these rolls while traveling for missions. Here is a recipe for the dish. If you lack the time, energy or skill to make it, go ahead and buy the pre-made rolls (or bread dough from the freezer section) and add the topping yourself.

While the kids enjoy the rolls, talk about the lives of these great Saints and read some of the scripture stories. Suggestions include: Peter walking on water, Peter' denial and restoral, Paul's conversion, Peter's escape from prison, etc.

Make some sidewalk paint and help your children depict stories of the lives of Saints Peter and Paul in color!

Talk about missions with your children. Does your church support a missionary? If not, why not support one as a family? You can find one at the Orthodox Christian Mission Center. Talk about a missionary family with your children and pray the prayer for missions. Decorate a jar/small box/can with your children to collect money for the missionary. For some decoration ideas, look here or here or here!

Happy Feasting!

Vegan Recipe Swap

2009-06-16T05:50:00.001-07:00

We normally eat vegetarian, but going vegan is still a bit of a challenge for me. So, I am going to start hosting a recipe swap on this blog. Each exchange will have a theme and the more who participate the merrier! Simply post a link in the comments to your blog post or type out your recipe in the comments section. This week's theme: Tofu.

Green and Easy Enchiladas
1 jar green enchilada sauce (32 oz)
1 block extra firm tofu
2 zucchinis, quartered and diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can corn, drained
salt and pepper
12 corn or flour tortilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir fry zucchini, garlic and onion until soft. Meanwhile, cut tofu into small cubes and place in a bowl. Add corn and zucchini mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently.

Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan.

Either microwave tortillas until soft or fry briefly in oil. Divide mixture amongst tortillas. Roll tortillas and place, seam down, in the prepared pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until sauce is bubbly. Let cool 5 minutes and enjoy!

Pentecost

2009-05-28T00:41:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a glorious Ascension Day feast today!

I am putting up a Pentecost post a bit early in order to participate in an Anglican friend's liturgical blog carnival over at Homemaking Through the Church Year. Be sure to participate too!

This year, Pentecost falls on Sunday, June 7th for the Orthodox Church. It is celebrated every year 50 days after Pascha. On this day we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. This event occurred on a Jewish feast called Pentecost and is seen as fulfilling the revelation of the Trinity.

We will be throwing a birthday party for the church this year, complete with special festal decorations and gifts 'of the Holy Spirit'.

For the decorations:

Greenery: The Eastern Rite Orthodox Liturgical colors for Pentecost are green, the symbolic color of the Holy Spirit, life and the wood of the cross(Western churches wear red on Pentecost). It is an old custom to decorate the churches (and homes) with lots and lots of greenery.

Dove Mobile: In some Catholic churches, a dove (real or a model) would literally be lowered down as trumpets sounded or choirs mimicked the sound of rustling wind, and as the dove descended, red rose petals would be strewn to symbolize the tongues of flame. So make a Dove Mobile with kids! We will be making one and I will document the event with instructions, but for now, why not look here and here or here for some inspiration.

Party Time-complete with cake and presents!

Fruits of the Holy Spirit Cake....: Don't forget the birthday cake!!! Use fruit filling or bake a fruit pie to represent the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Read the story of Pentecost in Acts prior to cutting the cake and sing "God grant you many years" to the church.

....and presents: Finally, no birthday party is complete without presents. But these presents have a special twist. Give your children tiny gifts to symbolize the fruits of the Holy Spirit. I would suggest picking one fruit (or two) each year to focus on. For example, you might pick 'Generosity' and give your children little packets with things to give to a homeless person (like a hygiene kit). Or you might, for older children, choose self-control. Give them a favorite candy and if they can manage not to eat it for a week, then tell them they will get another candy. The gifts can be more light-hearted and fun too! You might give your child a gift and explain that it is for a kindness they performed earlier in the week, or for their patience during a certain event. Regardless, use this as an opportunity to explain some of the virtues/fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Happy Feasting!

Holy Ascension

2009-05-25T01:17:00.000-07:00

Thou hast ascended in glory O Christ our God, granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing they were assured that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world! (Troparion).

When Thou didst fulfill the dispensation for our sake, and didst unite earth to heaven, Thou didst ascend in glory, 0 Christ our God, not being parted from those who love Thee, but remaining with them and crying: I am with you and no one will be against you! (Kontakion).

The 40 day Paschal celebration will come to a close this next Thursday with the feast of the Holy Ascension. This feast marks Christ's ascent into heaven after the 40 days he spent with the disciples demonstrating his Resurrection. Here are several ideas to help you celebrate the day with your children:

In Western Christendom, it is common to eat some sort of bird on this day since Christ "flew" into heaven.

Another popular custom to take a hike up hills or Mountains on Ascension Day to commemorate Christ and the Disciples climbing up Mt. Olives. The Swedes have a tradition of getting up very early in the morning and going to a forest glen to hear birds singing at sunrise. Dependent on when the sun rises in your city, you might want to try some variation of this. Maybe start a morning hike at sunrise and end on top of a hill with a picnic breakfast?

In the Catholic Church, there is recorded an English custom of a processional involving a banner bearing a lion at the head and a dragon at the rear to symbolize Christ's triumph in his ascension over the evil one. So, the project for Ascension Day is to make a Banner of Triumph. Here are two links for paper plate lion and dragon crafts. You can draw the faces and let your toddlers color them in before attaching them to a banner. Then, at the end of the day before extinguishing the Paschal candle, make a processional around the house during prayer time singing the hymn "Christ is Risen from the dead" one last time. Then, hang the banner on the wall until Pentecost (remove the Christ is Risen banner) and extinguish the Paschal candle together before bedtime.

One last idea is a little 'puppet' show. Help your children to make Toilet Paper Tube Dolls. Make disciple dolls and a Christ doll. Attach a long string to the Christ doll. Make a stage with a large cardboard box. Decorate the box and set the dolls in it. Run the string through the top/back of the box, with a hole cut out large enough for the doll to be pulled through. Read the story of the Ascencion from a Children's Bible, and pull on the string as Christ ascends into heaven.

St. Thomas Sunday: The Antipascha

2009-04-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

Apolytikion in the Grave Tone

Christ our God, You are the Life that dawned from the grave, though the tomb was sealed. Through closed doors You came to the Apostles. You are the Resurrection of all. And, You renewed us through them with an upright spirit, according to Your great mercy.

Tomorrow is St. Thomas Sunday. In Orthodoxy, Thomas is seen not as Thomas the 'doubter' but Thomas the 'believer', who laid aside his disbelief when he touched the living Christ!

Always held the Sunday after Pascha, the 8th day after the resurrection when Thomas first saw Jesus (John 20:26-29), it is custom for some cultures and parishes to travel to the cemetery with their pashcal candles lit and cry out "Christ is risen!" and leave a Paschal egg on the grave.

Other activities for the day:

Saint Thomas the Believer Cookies: Make your favorite sugar cookie dough. Roll out the dough and cut out in the shape of hands. To do this, trace a child's hand on a piece of thick cardstock paper and cut out. Place this over the dough and cut around with a knife. Have your child press his thumb into each hand and fill the hole with red jam. Then bake according to your recipe. The hands are representative of Christ's hands which St. Thomas touched.

Make Koliva and discuss with your children why we make it. Goarch provides a good discussion outline here.

If you will not be visiting graves, have a special service at home. Remember the names of loved ones departed and cry out, "Christ is risen!" after each name.

Saint George the Great

2009-04-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Troparion for St. George
Liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings, O trophy-bearer, Great Martyr George, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Today marks the feast of St. George, the dragon slayer. My apologies for not posting on this earlier, but I have been debating about which saints to include apart from the great feasts and fast periods and finally decided that this one is too good to pass up.

Activity suggestions for the day:

Read/tell the story about St. George and read the Troparion with children (or sing it if you know how!)

Read Margaret Hodges children's version of the story. It is very beautifully illustrated and is a favorite with our children.

Make a dragon mask

Make a St. George costume out of household items. Simply cut out a sword and shield out of cardboard and cover in foil. Paint a red cross on the foil covered shield. The kids will love it. Painting on foil is quite the novelty.

Finally, put those costumes on and put on a play!

Fun facts: St. George was a relatively minor saint until 8th century England when his story was translated into English (or Anglo-Saxon to be more proper). He was later adopted as patron saint of soldiers and became, known as the patron saint of England in the 14th century. In honor of England, why not have a good ol' English pub dinner. Bangers and mash. Steak and kidney pie. Whatever sounds good. And don't forget a pint of Ale (well, for you, that is)!

Happy Bright Week!

2009-04-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

I love Bright Week! Who doesn't!?

Need some ideas to celebrate? Check out my original post on Bright Week. Here are a few extra ideas to add:

Collect large rocks with your children and paint them in memory of the stone that was rolled away from Christ's tomb. Use them as door stoppers and let in the lovely spring air.

Spruce up your house and bring out the spring colors in your home decorations! If you don't have the materials to do so, buy some cheap streamers and balloons to decorate with for the week.

Print out copies of the Resurrection Icon from this great online Icon coloring book (page 25). Have the kids color the icons and decorate each room with a copy. You can even turn them into homemade icons (see instructions here).

Lastly, if you haven't already used your Lenten savings to do some charity work, use it now. Help out with your local homeless shelter or bring a nice meal to a family in need.

I wish a joyous Bright week to you all! Don't forget to light your Paschal candle the next 40 days and sing the Resurrection Hymn!

"Christ is risen from the dead and by his death has trampled death and to those in the tombs he has granted life."

Holy Week Activities

2009-04-20T02:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos to illustrate some of the Holy Week activities.

Our Simple but Purposeful Holy Week Clock
A bit pitiful, I know, but I had a lot less art supplies on hand than I had thought!
The kids thought is was great, though.

A plate of homemade Hot Cross Buns w/cards

Pa washing Mary's feet during our Last Supper

Coloring Easter eggs on Good Friday

A photo of the kids after their Easter Egg hunt on Pascha

Pascha Greetings!

2009-04-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

CHRIST IS RISEN!

egg dyeing tip

2009-04-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

Sick of your Pascha Eggs turning out pink? Well, here's a simple tip: use brown eggs.

I made up my normal coloring potion (1 bottle red food coloring, 2 tsp red vinegar and 1/2 cup hot water) and dumped my brown egg in the cup and voila! a RED egg!

Farewell, pink wannabes!

Resurrection Cookies

2009-04-15T06:29:00.000-07:00

Because you won't be busy enough on Holy Saturday, here is a great recipe for Resurrection Cookies with scripture readings included! Head on over to Orthodox Mom and check it out!

On Scheduling

2009-04-14T02:25:00.001-07:00

I have fought it, fought it, fought it and now must finally give in. I hate schedules. Detest them. I like plans but when it comes to actually nailing down a schedule for every day, I cannot stand it. However, I am finally facing reality. I need a schedule.

I first tried doing a pie graph with basic activities that should be done everyday. But the reality of not having a time frame set aside meant that activities were often missed or they were all crunched together in a random, spastic time. It was not going well. I was struggling with slothfulness and depression and feeling overwhelmed all the time.

My Lenten resolution for this year has been to try to integrate prayer throughout the day. Trying to accomplish this led me to realizing that I was unable to do this consistently because my day had no set routine. I fought the routine hard. However, the Lord has humbled me this lent and I have realized that the so called freedom and control I tried to grab at through NOT having a schedule was not freedom at all.

So we are on a schedule now and it is great. It is refreshing. It is hard. But struggle is good. Struggling for self discipline over the body and desires is healthy and needful for our salvation.

Our new schedule revolves around the Hours. I wake up and jog (focusing on praying while I do so. If I am unable to focus on intercessory prayers, I simply say the Lord's Prayer over and over and the Jesus Prayer). Then I come home and read Matins. Our time is now blocked into 3 hour allotments around prayer times. Each time block involves chores, education (reading, math, art), read aloud time and free play. At the beginning of each time block we read aloud one prayer from that section of the Hours. We end the day as a family with Vespers, reading Scripture and talking about it and a hymn for the week.

It is strange to me having such a disciplined schedule now. But oddly, I feel much free-er. Who would have thought?

I highly encourage every stay at home mom to try to schedule your day this way. Centering each day around prayer is beneficial not only for the souls of us mothers, but also for the souls of our children.

Blessings.

Holy Week Activities and Crafts

2009-04-13T03:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! After a short stint at Icon New Media Network, I've decided to return to the simplicity and flexibility of my own old fashioned blog. So, without further ado.....

Holy Week Crafts and Activities:

For a list of various crafts and activities for Holy Week, look no further than here!

In addition to the compilation above, make some paper lanterns for the Bridegroom services. This activity is centered around the parable of the 10 virgins. Read the scripture aloud and act it out together.

Memory Verse of the Week:

Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

Moving

2008-05-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

I am now a contributing blogger for Icon New Media Network. This blog will now be posted through that forum. Please check it out! It is a great new Orthodox website. I'm not sure where or when my first post will arrive, but it should be soon! It's titled 'Sweeping in the Seasons'. (by the way, did I post enough links for you to follow?)

Christ is Risen!

2008-05-01T08:27:00.001-07:00

Okay, I know this blog needs a major update right now. For instance, the Nativity Fast is long over and I should change that icon. However, we underwent a very interesting Holy Week this year....we found out we have bedbugs (got it from another apartment in our complex) and have spent most of Holy and Bright weeks packing up all of our belongings. I suppose this is what I get for skipping my Lenten/Spring housecleaning this year! You can check out all the gruesome details of the move on my family blog: http://torgusborg.blogspot.com/.

One of the interesting things happening is that they will be freezing our computer to kill any possible breeding of the bugs in the keyboard. So blogging will not be happening much, to say the least. However, I promise when I return that this blog will get some renewed attention. Ok?

Until then:

Christ is risen from the dead! And by His death has He trampled death! And unto those in the tombs, He has granted life!

2008 Lenten Resolution

2008-03-03T12:34:00.000-08:00

Lent is very rapidly approaching. Due to not having much extra time this year with 3 under 3 in my charge, please refer to my lenten posts and pre-lenten posts from last year for suggestions. I might occasionally update an older post, but I am not quite sure how feasible it will be.

However, since the Lenten Fast is that which tends to occupy most of our thought, I want to spend this post on that issue. The whole point of the fast is to simplify our lives that we may devote more time to prayer and more money to charity. You should approach a spiritual father to help determine your own personal fast for your family, but remember that simplicity is the key (both in preparation of food and in cost).

As I am nursing this year, the questions that will be guiding this year's fast are: 1) Could I make a cheaper meal? and 2) Could I make a simpler meal? I chose question #1 as the primary question because it is my goal this Lent, to save at least a 1/3 of our grocery budget to give to charity or a family in need. My kids and I will be decorating our Lenten savings can this week to put in the money saved after each week's shopping trip. My goal is not to cut out anything necessarily, but to make wise choices.

Now, for the 2008 Lenten Resolution!!! Each year, I try to make one change in our daily routine to help simplify our lives. Last year, it was to start using my Slow cooker. I am pleased to announce that I now use it for nearly every meal and the dinner hour is no longer an opportunity for a mental breakdown!!!! Now, although I have learned to plan our dinners efficiently, I cannot say the same for lunches and snacks. There is many a morning when my husband asks what he can take for lunch and I think, "Hmm. Good question." Then I frantically try to figure out something out of nothing or send him away telling him to just buy a sandwich. The same goes for my kids snacks. I have the food, but it isn't prepped and I find myself getting annoyed and stressed when my girls ask for a snack because I'm most likely in the middle of something and can't cut up that apple right now!!! So, this year's goal is to prepare lunches and snacks for the week ahead of time. In other words, if tuna salad sandwiches are on the menu, I'll make the tuna salad at the beginning of the week and have it sitting in a tupperware ready to go. Carrots will be peeled and cut up ahead of time. Eggs will be boiled. Apples will be sliced and tossed with lemon juice so they don't brown. And it will all be sitting, ready and waiting, in the fridge for their time of need. So, instead of spending 20-30 minutes accumulated throughout each day preparing snacks and lunches, I will spend about 5 and when my kids want a snack, I can tell them where to get it...all by themselves.

Yes, it sounds simple. That is the point. Sometimes the simplest things can make a very big difference. Please share your resolution for this year!

What is your Lenten Resolution this year?

The Presentation of the Lord, February 2nd

2008-01-28T18:44:00.000-08:00

As recorded in the gospel of Luke 2:22-40, this feast celebrates Joseph and Mary bringing Jesus into the temple 40 days after his birth as required by mosaic law. At this time, Jesus is beheld by Simeon who was promised by God not to die until he saw the Messiah and upon seeing Christ, he cried, "My eyes have seen your salvation, now let your servant depart in peace".

Readings: Hebrews 7:7-17 and Luke 2:22-40.

For the Little Ones: In the west, this feast is referred to as the Candlemas (for in "about 450 AD in Jerusalem, people began the custom of holding lighted candles during the Divine Liturgy of this feast day" see here). For Christ is He who will bring light to the Gentiles and is the glory of his people Israel. It is traditional in many parts of Europe to feast on crepes on this day.

An ideal craft for this feast would be to make candles. Dependent on how little your kids are, this may or may not be feasible. However, tea cup candles are very easy to make and little ones can help with various aspects of it (securing the wick, picking out the cups at a thrift store). Best of all, these are great gifts to give to the neighbors and you can tie a little note to the handle with the hymn of St. Simeon on it.

Epiphany (or Theophany), Jan 6

2008-01-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

Well, my son is getting baptized sunday on this great feast. My husband is out of town currently in an intensive French language program in Monterey (though he'll be back this weekend for the baptism before taking off again) and I have been having extended family come in and out of town a lot recently. So, my preparation for this particular feast is sadly very little. Actually, nonexistent. I promise improvement next year. Please feel free to post any ideas you have, though! I'll try to do a follow up post sometime next week.

Christmas Day

2007-12-17T14:13:00.000-08:00

Read the Christmas story in Luke together. Sing Christmas carols now that Christ has come!!! Light your Christmas candle; now the Advent wreath can blaze in its full glory. We all have our own personal family traditions. Remember to talk to your children about why we do the things we do. Keep the meaning in tradition!

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

(and for a Christmas follow up, now is the time to start teaching your children to write thank you notes. Read to them the story of the ten lepers in Luke and talk about how important it is to say' thank you'. For ones who are too little to write a thank you note, have them color a picture instead (I'm sure you could even find one of the ten lepers on the internet).)

Week 6: Communion (color: red, December 23)

2007-12-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

This is the very last candle lighting before Christmas. He who came and will come again is present with us in the sacrament of Holy Communion.

"And the Word became flesh , and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1: 14

"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6: 54

For the Little Ones: It is this sacrament that allowed Paul to say Christ lives in Him. And we can do the same through our own participation. To encourage talking about how Christ lives in us, build Gingerbread Houses with your children (so very Christmas-y). Talk about how our bodies our also houses that God can live in and discuss the Eucharist with your children.

Sankta Lucia! Sankta Lucia!

2007-12-14T14:08:00.000-08:00

Week 5: Repentance (color: purple, December 16th, 2007)

2007-12-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

"Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.'" Mark 1:14-15

As always, I suggest purchasing the book I mentioned in my previous post. It contains evening readings for the Sundays in Advent, suggested hymns to sing, special prayers and discussion topics pertinent to the readings.

For the Little Ones: The Candy Cane looks like the staff that the shepherd uses to bring his sheep back into the flock. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who brings us back to God. The white stripe reminds us of Jesus' innocence. The red stripe reminds us of the blood he shed for us. John 10:11: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

Candy canes are a very appropriate craft theme for this week. They remind us of our Good Shepherd who calls us to repentance and grants us life through the blood he shed. Another plus: they are very 'Christmas-y' and there are tons of activities/crafts you can do with them. Here are a few ideas for starters:

1. Tell your kids the story of the candy cane and color this page.
2. Clay/Play dough candy canes (perfect for toddlers)--Moms: roll out red and white play dough into long strips. Show your child how to wrap the strips around to make a candy cane pattern. Continue wrapping until the play dough is used up. Have your child shape it into a candy cane shape and leave out to dry. When dry, tie a ribbon around it and hang it up, or hang it on your Christmas tree. (you can do a similar thing with cookie dough).
3. Get a white candle and have your kids glue candy canes around for a candy cane candle to light on Christmas day.
4. For toddlers, draw a candy cane shape unto a piece of white paper and have your child draw on the stripes. Then have your child count how many stripes he/she drew (red or white). That's simply for math practice. (:
5. Candy Cane Balance (for multiple children): Supply each child with a candy cane. Ask them to balance it on their head. Then have the children race (you'll pick the course). Whoever makes it to the finishing line first without dropping their cane wins (when cane falls, they return to the beginning!).

Sunday of our Forefathers

2007-12-10T08:18:00.001-08:00

This Sunday is the nameday of my husband, Jesse and our godson, Davede (David). On this day, we get our Christmas tree (to symbolize the tree of Jesse). We read special Western Orthodox blessing of the tree prayers (which I can post later if people desire) and will place a star on the tree (for the star of David)...we won't decorate the tree till Christmas Eve, though (our own tradition).

We will have friends join us for the blessing of the tree and supper. We'll sing some Advent hymns together, read some Psalms in memory of King David and send friends away with their own little trees (courtesy of Trader Joe's) and some homemade star-shaped cookies (for the star of David).

*** The Sunday of our Forefathers is celebrated on Sunday, Dec 11 or the first Sunday after Dec. 11th).

December 13th: Lucy Light!!!

2007-12-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

This thursday is the name day of my dear eldest daughter, Lucy Rose. We are having a party!!! Lucy has a lovely crown of candles (battery operated, thanks to her loving godparents), a beautiful white dress which she picked and a red sash (the latter of which I am in the process of sewing). In Swedish/Scandinavian tradition (of which my husband descends from), it is traditional for the eldest daughter to awake the family with a tray of Lucia bread in the above costume. Due to the age of our children (5 months, 2 years and 3 years), we have decided to instead have an early evening Santa Lucia Tea and have invited some church friends to join us. (For more Lucy customs, see here).

I have a lovely recording of Elvis Presley's version of the Italian Santa Lucia song to play while guests come. Then we will all learn the St. Lucy song together and sing it while Lucy brings out the Lucia bread in her lovely costume. We will feast on fast appropriate tea treats and read the devotion from Ohrid's Prologue for St. Lucy. Guests will be sent home with gifts (candles wrapped up with red ribbons).

***In families where there isn't a daughter named Lucy, it is still a tradition in many cultures to have the eldest (in some the youngest) daughter play the role of Santa Lucia.

Week 4: Peace (color: white, Dec. 9th)

2007-11-30T12:56:00.000-08:00

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Luke 2:14

Here's another reminder: I suggest purchasing the book I mentioned in my previous post. It contains evening readings for the Sundays in Advent, suggested hymns to sing, special prayers and discussion topics pertinent to the readings.

For the Little Ones: Do this fun paper dove craft together.

CRAFT MATERIALS:
Paper plate
Scissors
Tape
Two plastic spoons
Pebble
Rubber band
Markers

Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Cut the plate in half, then cut one half into three equal wedges. Tape one wedge to the bottom of the intact half. 2. Draw the bird's face on one spoon with the markers. Then sandwich the pebble between the two spoon bowls and bind them with the rubber band. 3. Tape the spoons to the bottom of the paper plate half.

Tips: To fly, throw like a paper airplane. Adjust the pebble size to improve flight.

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (December 6th)

2007-11-30T12:32:00.000-08:00

Stuff those stockings today!!!! So much of American Christmas tradition is wound around the figure of St. Nicholas. I fondly remember as a child leaving out home baked cookies for Santa Claus and eagerly awaiting opening my stocking in the morning. But, I digress. To learn about the real St. Nicholas on whom all of this fun tradition is based, you can look no further than here. This site has great ideas for celebrating this Saint, some of which I've included below.

For the Little Ones: On December 5th, read the story of St. Nicholas and have your children help you prepare some cookies to set out before bedtime (for vegan, fast friendly cookie recipes, see here.) Listen to fun Christmas music about Santa Claus while you bake (and enjoy when the kids are in bed!). In the morning, have stockings or shoes for your children set out filled with the tradition St. Nicholas treats (chocolate coins or pennies, apples, oranges and nuts). Then, take your children to pick out a gift to give to someone less fortunate (you might know someone, or donate it to a toy drive). Have your children color some St. Nicholas pages (see here) and pass them out to neighbors along with candy canes.*

*Candy Canes *These are really candy croziers, one of St. Nicholas' symbols. All bishops carry staffs, hooked at the top like a shepherd's crook, showing they are the shepherds who care for, or tend, their people.St. Nicholas Day Blessing of Candy Canes

Week 3: Love (color: gold, December 2nd)

2007-11-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

For the Little Ones: It is believed that St. Boniface was the first to establish the fir tree as a Christian symbol. He referred to the triangular shape as a symbol of the trinity, the evergreens as a symbol of eternity, with the branches pointing towards heaven. Hence its being seen as a symbol of the Christ child who brought us eternal life.

Now we like to wait until the feast of our forefathers to buy a Christmas tree for indoors in honor of my husband's name day, Jesse and the Jesse tree (it also is better to wait if you want your tree to survive the 12 days of Christmas celebration!). So this week help your children to decorate a Christmas tree outside for the animals instead! Invite neighbors to help. Talk about how the tree is a symbol of eternal life and the love that God has for us (John 3:16). Buy a living Christmas tree or decorate a tree you already have outside (it doesn't necessarily have to be a fir tree). String berries or other fruit and popcorn. Place pieces of bread on the branches. Hang birdseed in small paper cups. Smear peanut butter on crackers and place on branches. Then watch the animals feast away!

Week 2: Hope (color: Blue, November 25th)

2007-11-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

This is also my goddaughters nameday (St. Catherine)! I will hopefully post more on that later. But will now restrict my post to the second Sunday in the Nativity Fast. That which begins the week of Hope.

Luke 1:29-33

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

For the little ones: A traditional Christian symbol of hope is the anchor (as St. Paul writes, "We have this [our faith in God] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul..." Hebrews 6:19). It ranks among one of the most common symbols in the catacombs. Moms, get thin pieces of cardboard and trace/draw an anchor onto it. Cut out the anchor shape so that a stencil remains. Buy/make some washable window paint in various colors and get some sponges. First, have your children help clean the window(s) they'll get to paint on. Then give each of your children a stencil and a sponge and help them to paint anchors onto your windows for decoration during Hope week (or the entire Nativity fast, if you wish!).

Another project is to do a science-like demonstration. Have your children help you make a toy boat. You can make one out of a clean Styrofoam meat tray (or a cut up take out container). Insert a straw into the tray for a mast and tape triangular sails (cut from construction paper) to the straw. Tie a string to the bottom of the straw and let hang. Fill your bathtub with water and place the boat in. Have your children help you make waves in the water through splashing with your hands (or do this demonstration during bath time!). Talk about how the boat moves all over the place and can't hold steady. Then tie a rock to the end of the string and show your children how it anchors the boat in place. Direct the conversation to talking about how our faith in God is an anchor that holds us in place as we struggle in this world.

The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (Nov. 21)

2007-11-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

According to the book of St. James, Mary entered the temple at age 3 and remained there for nine years. The priest Zacharias placed her in the Holy of Holies and the grace of God descended upon her. On this feast we celebrate that, like Mary, we too are the house and tabernacle of the Lord.

Readings: Hebrews 9:1-7; Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28.

For the little ones: Get rolls of construction paper. Unroll and cut slightly longer than child's height. Have child lay down on paper and trace his/her body. Explain how our body's our temples for the holy spirit who dwells inside us. Draw/trace a dove in the middle of the body. Have your child color his body. Help the child to memorize

1 Corinthians 6:19, "...your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you"

Week one: Faith (color: green, Sunday, Nov 18th)

2007-11-06T08:26:00.000-08:00

Readings: Again, I suggest purchasing the book I mentioned in my previous post. It contains evening readings for the Sundays in Advent, suggested hymns to sing, special prayers and discussion topics pertinent to the readings.

For the Little Ones: Begin the season right and have your family make a Christmas gift for Jesus. Ask your children what they'd like to give Christ for Christmas. Make a list and spend the season preparing these gifts. Remember that all items, however silly they may seem (like a doll) would be appreciated by someone in need.

In the Orthodox Church, the Nicene Creed is often referred to as the symbol of our Faith. Help your children to learn the Nicene Creed (if they don't already know it). Talk about it with them. Help them to make a picture book with the words of different portions of the creed written on each page. I love the description of God as being 'Light of Light' in the creed. So, use this week to decorate candles and give a gift of 'light' to friends and family members. Include with the gift a copy of the creed. See here for a kid-friendly candle craft. And, remember, the point is to have fun...so let your kids go crazy and bring out those aprons to help manage the mess!

Advent Preparation List

2007-11-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

I know it's crazy, but Advent is almost here! November 15th is a short two weeks away. Assuming your life is a least half as crazy as mine (3 kids 3 and under), then you will need at least two weeks to start getting ready.

First things first, I recommend that everyone buys Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home by Anthony Coniaris. I've found this to be a great resource. It gives good ideas for discussion topics for families regarding feasting, fasting and other various Christian topics (death, sex ed, etc.). It also has a great Advent section telling how to make an Orthodox Advent wreath and my favorite part (which I will not be printing on this blog...hence your need to buy the book) is that for every Sunday of Advent, this book lists readings, prayers, hymns to sing and discussion topics pertinent to the day.

The first big project for us all is to purchase the necessary craft material for Advent. I will spend the next couple of weeks listing the various projects I've planned out for Advent and the materials needed. I will also include directions for making an Advent Wreath adapted for the Orthodox Christian family. Please feel free to leave any suggestions you have to help present Advent to little children!

Advent Wreath materials:
A large styrofoam wreath (space will be needed for seven candles)
Evergreen branches (fake or real)
Colored candles (at least one each dependent on whether you think you'll be lighting candles every night): green, blue, gold, white, purple and red. Michael's carries candles in these colors. If you can't find colored candles, you may purchase white candles and the appropriatedly colored ribbons to tie around.
A paschal candle (one remaining from Pascha or another one similar too. Or just a plain white one.)

Directions: Place candles in the styrofoam wreath in the order listed above. Now, my preference is to place a large, white 'paschal' candle in the middle, but you may also include it in the ring. Lay evergreen branches around candles to cover styrofoam. Another option would be to by a large evergreen wreath and 6-7 candle holders. Place the candles in the holders and arrange in the wreath.

Advent paper chain:
Construction paper in the various colors corresponding to the candles (for gold paper, you might need to use wrapping paper. That or you can substitute yellow or orange.) Cut the paper into strips. Tape strips into a ring, interlocking them as you go. Due to the timing of Advent this year, you'll need the following number of strips for each color and place them in the following order, taking them off one by one on each evening in Advent. Now, I like the idea of hanging the chain from a star that will remain for Christmas Day but you may do as you please. (:

Green--10 strips (because Nov 15th isn't a Sunday, you will have extra strips of this color)
Blue--7 strips
Gold--7 strips
White--7 strips
Purple--7 strips
Red--2 strips

**If you have readers, you can use your computer and print out a bible verse on each strip to be read each night when taken off.

More to follow soon!

Exaltation or Elevation of the Cross (September 14th)

2007-09-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

On this day we celebrate St. Helen's finding of the Cross that Christ died upon. One fun fact is that the term "knock on wood" derived from ancient Christians touching relics of the cross (often worn around the neck) during times of trouble.

Readings: I Corinthians 1:18-24; John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30-35

For the Little Ones: After talking with your children about the meaning of the feast, spend time practicing making the sign of the cross if your children don't already know how to make it properly. Explain to them why Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross. You can check this page for help in explaining it.

Tradition holds that sweet basil was found growing where the cross was found. Make a dinner using basil (like spaghetti) and explain to your children why the plant is special. Bring in a basil plant (you can buy them anywhere real cheap) and keep it in your icon corner for the day. Or if you grow basil, cut some stems and make a basil bouquet by holding them together and tying a ribbon around. Follow dinner with a cake made into the shape of a cross or make hot cross buns for breakfast.

For an art project, buy small wooden crosses at a local arts and crafts store (like Michael's). Preferably buy ones that can be used to make necklaces. Have your children decorate their crosses with paint or paint markers. Then they can have their own little crosses to 'knock on wood' with!

Nativity of the Theotokos (Sept 8)

2007-09-04T08:03:00.000-07:00

The feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos is one of the first feasts in the church year (Orthodox Church Year begins September 1st). On this feast day, we celebrate the birth of the most holy Mother of God who was born to Joachim and Anna in their old age. I like how Goarch.org words the significance of this feast:

"The icon and the feast also acknowledge a transition from barrenness to life. This was but another foreshadowing of what would be offered through Christ, the transformation from death to eternal life."

Readings: Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28.

For the Little Ones: Let us use this feast to reinforce to our children the need to offer thanks to God. Help your children to make a little prayer book. Make a little book by stapling together folded pages of blank paper. Moms: choose two to three prayers that you say regularly with your children. Open the prayer book. On the left, write down one of these prayers. On the right, help your children to draw and color an image that will help them to remember/recognize the prayer. You can free hand draw an image or have them color in a black and white icon that you have printed and paste it into the book. Then, each day say these prayers with your children letting them use their very own prayer book. I suggest choosing a cover for their books that matches the cover of your very own prayer book. With my own daughters, I have started a routine of laying them in their beds for quiet time/naps and saying prayers with them to help calm them down. If you have a similar routine in your household, then would be a very good time to utilize the use of their prayer books. Also, remember to tag onto your prayer times a time of thankfulness. Ask your children what they are thankful for and who they would like to prayer for. It is important at an early age to involve your children in prayers and help them to participate.

Dormition of the Theotokos

2007-08-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my tardiness...a newborn and a brief vacation have made blogging rarely accessible.

In brief, the Feast of the Dormition commemorates the death and assumption into heaven of the Theotokos.

Readings: Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28

For the Little Ones: Look at an icon of the dormition with your children and discuss the figures depicted and tell them the story that the church teaches regarding her death and assumption. It is the custom in some parishes to bring flowers to be blessed at this feast. Take your children to a florist and let them pick some fresh cut flowers. Bring them home and help your kids to make bouquets to take to the church and be blessed. Make at least two...one to leave at church and another to bring home to your icon corner (where you should have an icon depicting the virgin with her child). Have your children give any extra blessed bouquets to your neighbors and tell them that it is in honor of this feast.

The Transfiguration of our Lord

2007-08-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

On August 6th, we celebrate when Christ revealed his divinity to the disciples Peter, James and John. This feast is called the Transfiguration. This event has manifold significance in Orthodox theology being seen as a foreshadowing of Christ's second coming and also as representing the transformed state in which Christians will some day appear.

Readings: II Peter 1:10-19; Matthew 17:1-9.

For the Little Ones: Fruits are traditionally blessed on this day, particularly grapes and other soft fruits. Why grapes? They show physical transformation and represent a religious transformation (i.e. wine). So, take plenty of grapes with you and your children to liturgy to be blessed. Prior to attending the liturgy, read a toddlers/children's version of the story of the transfiguration to your children and color a picture together, talking about it in light of the story you read together. Upon returning from the liturgy, light some candles and place them on the table to symbolize the light of Christ and enjoy the blessed fruits with your family while having a discussion of the significance of the fruit in light of the feast of the Transfiguration.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul

2007-06-24T19:58:00.000-07:00

June 29th marks yet another important feast in the Orthodox liturgical year. The feast marks the end of a fast period that begins after All Saints Day and commemorates the lives of these great saints, the Apostles Peter and Paul, who contributed so much to the early church.

Readings: 2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9, Matthew 16:13-19.

For the Little Ones: First off, my apologies. I am at the very end of my pregnancy and my brain is not functioning normally (though what is normal when you chase around two toddlers everyday!). Anyhow, maybe next year I'll have better ideas for this feast! Please feel free to contribute any ideas you have.

The liturgy for the feast is usually conducted in the morning after matins. After the liturgy, come home and read bible stories about Peter and Paul from a children's bible (where the stories are paraphrased). Or, tell them on your one and act them out for your kids' amusement. One kid favorite is when Peter walks on water. And for story time...have a snack:

Now, it is a Ukrainian custom to eat Mandryky (meaning 'to wander')on this feast day due to a legend that Peter and Paul were sustained by these rolls while traveling for missions. If you are energetic, you can make them. If you're lazy (like me!), go ahead and buy some yummy rolls that resemble Mandryky (as much as is possible) to eat while telling the stories.

Lastly, for a fun summer activity, make some sidewalk paint and after story time, go out with your children and paint the sidewalks with stories of Peter and Paul serving as the basis.

All Saints Day

2007-05-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

John 12:24 "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

In the Orthodox Tradition, All Saints Day is not celebrated the day after Halloween, but the Sunday after Pentecost. I'm honestly not sure exactly why this particular date was chosen, but it does preempt the Western Christian date of Nov. 1st. It brings a beautiful close to the Easter season, a reminder of the purpose of Christ's life.

Readings: Matthew 10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30,Hebrews 11:33-12:2

For the Little Ones: Traditionally, the Orthodox bring Kaliva (a boiled wheat dish) to commemoration services for the dead. Have your little ones help you make it at home and have a special memorial service for the dead that evening. Pray particularly for family members and friends you know who have passed away. You can find a recipe for Kaliva here.

***A quick bit of history found here. Phyllis Onest explains that the origin of this tradition: "On the first Saturday of the Great Fast we remember the miracle of St. Theodore of Tyre in 362 AD with koliva. The Emperor, Julian the Apostate, had the food in the market sprinkled with the blood of animals sacrificed to pagan gods in order to defile the first week of the Great Fast. Patriarch Aphdoxios of Constantinople appeared to the saint in a dream warning him of the emperor's scheme. St. Theodore told the people to cook the wheat they had at home rather than grinding all of it into flour. Thus, they did not buy anything in the market and avoided the tainted food."

Pentecost-Trinity Sunday

2007-05-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 27th, we celebrate Pentecost, also called Trinity Sunday. It is the church's birthday, everyone! Pentecost is celebrated every year, 50 days after Pascha. On this day we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. This event occurred on a Jewish feast called Pentecost and is seen as fulfilling the revelation of the Trinity.

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; John 7:37-52, 8:12

For the Little Ones: Parents, it's time to throw a birthday party. The Eastern Rite Orthodox Liturgical colors for Pentecost are green, the symbolic color of the Holy Spirit, life and the wood of the cross(Western churches wear red on Pentecost). It is an old custom to decorate the churches (and homes) with lots and lots of greenery.

Now there are many rich symbols that can be utilized on this day and explained more and more in depth as your children grow. In some Catholic churches, a dove (real or a model) would literally be lowered down as trumpets sounded or choirs mimicked the sound of rustling wind, and as the dove descended, red rose petals would be strewn to symbolize the tongues of flame. In your party decorations, try to include some of these aspects. I like the idea of suspending a carved wooden dove over the dining table, but you can also cut out paper doves and hang those. Also, scatter some rose petals on the table and light some candles. And maybe, if you have such music, play some trumpet music in the background.

And what else? Bake a birthday cake!!! Use fruit filling or bake a fruit pie to represent the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Read the story of Pentecost in Acts prior to cutting the cake and sing "God grant you many years" to the church.

Finally, no birthday party is complete without presents. But these presents have a special twist. Give your children tiny gifts to symbolize the fruits of the Holy Spirit. I would suggest picking one fruit (or two) each year to focus on. For example, you might pick 'Generosity' and give your children little packets with things to give to a homeless person (like a hygiene kit). Or you might, for older children, choose self-control. Give them a favorite candy and if they can manage not to eat it for a week, then tell them they will get another candy. The gifts can be more light-hearted and fun too! You might give your child a gift and explain that it is for a kindness they performed earlier in the week, or for their patience during a certain event. Regardless, use this as an opportunity to explain some of the virtues/fruits of the Holy Spirit.

***Note: With all of these ideas I present for activities to commemorate feasts and fasts throughout the church year, the idea is for these activities to be used to teach your children about the feasts, the fasts, etc...about God!!! The activities are a tool to engage your child so that they might learn about the Truth in a fun and creative way.

Holy Ascension

2007-05-08T13:06:00.000-07:00

The 40 day Paschal celebration will come to a close this next Thursday, May 17th, with the feast of the Holy Ascension. This feast marks Christ's ascent into heaven after the 40 days he spent with the disciples demonstrating his Resurrection.

Readings: Luke 24:36-53 and Acts of the Apostles 1:1-12

For the Little Ones: There are two fun Western customs associated with Ascension Thursday. The first is that it is common to eat some sort of bird on this day since Christ "flew" into heaven. I think I'll stick with chicken or a Cornish hen...but you may be more bold if you wish. Maybe some Peking Duck? Anyhow, I digress. It is also a popular custom to take a hike up hills or Mountains on Ascension Day to commemorate Christ and the Disciples climbing up Mt. Olives. The Swedes have a tradition of getting up very early in the morning and going to a forest glen to hear birds singing at sunrise. Dependent on when the sun rises in your city, you might want to try some variation of this. Maybe start a morning hike at sunrise and end on top of a hill with a picnic breakfast.

In the Catholic Church, there is recorded an English custom of a processional involving a banner bearing a lion at the head and a dragon at the rear to symbolize Christ's triumph in his ascension over the evil one. So, the project for Ascension Day is to make a Banner of Triumph. Here are two links for paper plate lion and dragon crafts. You can draw the faces and let your toddlers color them in before attaching them to a banner. Then, at the end of the day before extinguishing the Paschal candle, make a processional around the house during prayer time singing the hymn "Christ is Risen from the dead" one last time. Then, hang the banner on the wall until Pentecost (remove the Christ is Risen banner) and extinguish the Paschal candle together before bedtime.

Revisiting the Lenten Resolution

2007-04-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

My attempt to simplify my life this Lent was to start using the slowcooker. I am still in search of finding slow cooker recipes that please my palate, but the expirement was a success. The girls appreciated being able to have my attention during the witching hour of need and I appreciated the fact that slow cooker meals are so huge that they generally could be spread over 2-3 nights. So, by using the slow cooker twice a week, I generally took care of 4-6 meals that I could change up nightly by various easy to prepare side dishes. It was great! I'm continuing this quest for simplification by adding to the week Cook & Freeze meals (you know, like bake two meatloafs at one time, eating one and freezing the other for later in the month). So, my goal is to only cook 3 nights a week using Slow Cooker and Cook & Freeze meals, building the other weekly dinners off leftovers.

Now, note that we generally only ate vegetarian meals and not vegan because of my pregnancy, so these may not work as Lenten meals for all of you, but the top family favorites during lent were:

1. Jen's chickpea curry
2. Betty Crocker's slowcooker lasagna (meat ommitted)
3. any chili recipe!
4. This egg casserole recipe my MIL sent me (broccoli can be subsituted and I used sauteed onion instead of green onions and cheddar cheese instead of American):

prysnac serbia (broccoli casserole)
1-10 ounce package frozen chopped broccoli
6 eggs, beaten
1 24-ounce carton cottage cheese (creamed, small curd)
6 tablespoons flour
8 ounces american cheese, diced
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 green onions, chopped
salt to taste

quickly thaw frozen broccoli by placing in a colander and holding under hot running water. separate the pieces with a fork, drain well. combine broccoli with all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and beat until well blended. pour into greased crockpot. cover and cook in high 1 hour, then on low 2 to 4 hours. stir after the first hour. serves 4 to 6

Bright Week

2007-04-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

Well, now that Lent is over and Pascha has come, this blog will be taking a much slower pace, as the focus is only on the Great Feasts and Fasts of the Orthodox Church year. Besides, as a 6 month pregnant mother of two toddlers, I'm worn out! But I digress...

Pascha is not just a one day celebration! In the Antiochian tradition (at least the American) which we are a part of, we have a 40 day fast free period from Pascha to Ascension day. Some traditions only have a fast free period the week following Pascha until Thomas Sunday, at which time the regular Wed/Fri fast begins again. Regardless of the fasting tradition you celebrate under, the 40 days until Ascension are a time of celebrating the Resurrection of Christ with Bright Week jump starting it all.

For the little ones: Dress in bright colors all week long to celebrate Christ's Resurrection. Let them help you make some goodies to share with visitors and neighbors in celebration of the Resurrection. There are plenty of kid friendly recipes out there. Easy candies, cookies, etc. Have fun making a big mess and let them taste their creation (as much as they want to!!!!). Although the focus of this period is not on food, food is such a great way to experience joy with other people. Feasting is something everyone can participate in, young and old alike, and the joy is contagious. A favorite Bright Week tradition we have picked up from a parish we used to attend in S. CA is a Bright Friday Steak Run. Yep, folks, pull out that grill and some red meat and, well, feast when you normally would fast.

Reminders for the next 40 days:

1. Don't forget your white Paschal candle. Light it every night at the dinner table and sing the Resurrection hymn (see post below for details).
2. Keep your 'Christ is Risen' banner hung for the 40 days.
3. Read the story of the Resurrection from a children's bible before bedtime or tell it to them yourself.
4. Show and tell: Use icons of Christ on the cross and the Resurrection and talk to your children about Jesus' 'owies' and how he heals us. A fun little project to do with this is to get each of your toddlers/preschoolers and box of band aids and help them to re-decorate the box. They can be their 'Jesus' band aids; special band aids to help heal their owies like Jesus heals the owies of our bodies and souls.
5. Bring in flowers! Lots of flowers! Overflow your house with flowers! Little, beautiful signs of life and celebration. It's springtime everyone!

If you have any ideas you would like to add, please feel free to comment.

Lazarus Saturday to Pascha: A compilation of activities to guide your little ones through Holy Week

2007-03-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

This upcoming Saturday marks the official end of Lent and on the next day Palm Sunday ushers in Holy Week. So, we will be very busy very soon! I am posting all my ideas to carry you through Holy Week at once so that you can spend this week getting prepared.

Lazarus Saturday

This Saturday we will commemorate the miracle of Christ raising Lazarus from the dead. We witness His power over death and see it as a foreshadowing of his death and resurrection. We celebrate this day and the following before entering into the most solemn week of the year.

Readings: Hebrews 12:28-13:8; John 11:1-45

For the little ones: Most churches have a clean-up day following the morning liturgy on Holy Saturday. Be sure to participate! Help other parents participate by volunteering to watch their children. Have the children assist in folding the Palm crosses for the Palm Sunday service.

Palm Sunday

This is a joyous feast! On this day we celebrate Christ as our King and our Lord! Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Readings: Philippians 4:4-9; John 12:1-18

For the little Ones: Everyone will receive palm crosses at church today. Bring those crosses home, place them on your family altar and say a prayer together as a family. Today is a feast day...celebrate as such! As part of the celebration, play pin the tail on the donkey with the little ones. For food, you may follow a few different cultural traditions: Greeks usually feast on fish on Palm Sunday; the English on figs (they also refer to it as Fig Sunday); and in Wales they call it Flowering Sunday in reference to the fig tree and serve Split Pea soup or 'Pease Porridge' to symbolize the humility of humanity.

The Bridegroom Services

These services held on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evening are actually the matins services for the following day. They are referred to as the Bridegroom services in reference to the parable of the 10 Virgins. We pray in expectation of He who is coming. We wait in watchfulness and readiness.

Readings: Holy Monday – Matthew 21:18-43; Holy Tuesday – Matthew 22:15-46, 23:1-39; and Holy Wednesday – John 12:17-50).

For the Little Ones: What better way to show the children that we're being 'watchful' than by making a special Holy Week clock? Instead of having the usual hours of the day, mark the clock with the different days of Holy Week. At the beginning of each day, have the children change the hand on the clock.

Holy Unction (Wednesday)

At this service, you are anointed with oil and the grace of God is called upon to heal the soul and the body.

Readings: There are seven sets of readings for this day.
James 5:10-16; Luke: 10:25-37
Romans 15:1-7; Luke 19:1-10
I Corinthians 12:27-31;13:1-8; Matthew 10:1,5-8
II Corinthians 6:16-18, 7:1; Matthew 8:14-23
II Corinthians 1:8-11; Matthew 25:1-13
Galatians 5:22-6:2; Matthew 15:21-28
I Thessalonians 5:14-23; Matthew 9:9-13

For the little ones: In honor of my husband's part Swedish heritage, let us follow an old Swedish custom! It is not necessarily religious but we can twist it up a bit. (: It is traditional on Maundy/holy Thursday for kids to dress up like hags and pay visits to the neighbors leaving specially decorated Easter letters/cards, hoping for a coin or a sweet in return. I am not asking you to dress up your children as hags! However, why not write some kind notes to your neighbors (or, if your children are old enough, have them write some letters) and have the little ones decorate the cards. Then, tomorrow on Holy Thursday, the children can take the Easter letters to the neighbors (if you are feeling generous, you can always send a bottle of wine and/or a loaf of bread with the cards in remembrance of the Last Supper).

Holy Thursday

Tonight we remember the washing of the disciples feet, the Last Supper, Garden of Gethsemane and Judas' betrayal.

Readings: Exodus 19:10-18; Job 38:1-21, 42:1-5; Isaiah 50:4-11; I Corinthians 11:23-32; and Matthew 26:2-20; John 13:3-17; Matthew 26:21-39; Luke 22:43-45; Matthew 26:40-27:2.

For the little ones: Remember to drop off your Easter cards! Then have your own 'last supper'. Have dad wash the feet of the family members before a supper of bread and wine/grape juice. During the supper, read the story of the Last Supper from a children's bible or tell it in your own special way.

Good Friday

Today we commemorate the death of Christ on the cross.

Readings: John 13:31–18:1, John 18:1-29, Matthew 26:57-75, John 18:28 - 19:16, Matthew 27:3-32, Mark 15:16-32, Matthew 27:33-54, Luke 23:32-49, John 19:38-42, Mark 15:43-47, John 19:38-42, Matthew 27:62-66

For the little ones: Moms: make Hot Cross buns for breakfast. You can make a dairy free dough and mix powdered sugar with lemon juice if you are following the vegan fast. Dress in black today. Prepare your Easter eggs as well. Have the children help you dye hard-boiled or hollowed eggs red. The egg symbolizes life and the red symbolizes the blood of Christ. Make plenty!!! Bring some to church for Holy Pascha and set aside the rest for an Easter egg hunt and to give to neighbors.

Holy Saturday

Today we remember the burial of Christ and his descent into hell. We celebrate the liturgy of St. Basil in the morning, focusing on Christ's grave.

"He (Christ) gave Himself as a ransom to death in which we were held captive, sold under sin. Descending into Hades through the Cross ... He loosed the bonds of death" (Liturgy of St. Basil).

Readings: I Corinthians 5:6-8 and Matthew 27:62-66.

For the little ones: On a side note, make sure everyone gets good naps today because tonight is going to be a long night. This will be a busy day for mom. It is time to prepare all the foods you will be taking in your Easter basket to church tonight. Fill the basket with favorite foods your family has been fasting from. Let the children each pick one of their favorite foods they have been missing. Let them help you make these foods or (if you prefer to have them out of the way!) have dad help the kids make a banner to hang for Pascha. Have the banner say "Christ is risen!"

PASCHA

And now we come to what we have all been waiting for: we come to celebrate that CHRIST IS RISEN!!! For those of you unfamiliar with the Easter Rite Orthodox Pascha celebration, check this out. It is going be a long day, starting at 10 p.m. or so the night before!!! We celebrate into the wee hours of the morning and then return to church again around noon for Agape Vespers. At the Agape service, we read the gospel in as many languages as can be represented by parishioners.

Readings: Acts 1:1-8 and John 1:1-17

For the little ones: It is traditional to wear new clothing to the Holy Feast of Pascha. The new clothing represents the new life brought by the resurrection of Christ. After the service, break the fast and celebrate the resurrection of Christ with your brothers and sisters in Christ for as long as you can handle (and still drive home safely (:)!

On Easter Sunday, everyone has various family traditions. We will be having an Easter egg hunt for our girls and will be giving them Easter baskets with their first bibles, some candy and a small cross. We will also all play the silly egg roll game (think, the stone being rolled from the tomb!). We will then feast with some friends on grilled lamb, Easter bread and other various side-dishes and desserts. Before the meal, we will greet one another with our red eggs, cracking them while exchanging the Paschal greeting ("Christ is Risen!" "Truly he is risen!") and then enjoy them with our meal.

For the next 40 days, light a white candle at the dinner table and sing the Easter hymn: "Christ is risen from the dead and by his death has trampled death and to those in the tombs he has granted life."

The Annunciation of the Theotokos

2007-03-22T13:56:00.000-07:00

Too busy following the normal progression of Lent, I nearly missed the fact that this Sunday, the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt is trumped by the Annunciation of the Theotokos! Whoops!

Apolytikion (Fourth Tone):
Today marks the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery before all ages. For the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin, and Gabriel proclaims the grace. Wherefore, we also cry out with him, "Hail, O full of grace, the Lord is with you."

Readings: Hebrews 2:11-18; Luke 1:24-38

For the little ones: The dove serves as a symbol of the Holy Spirit and is used often in paintings of the Annunciation to represent Mary conceiving a child by the Holy Spirit. Combine this with some Russian tradition and we have a fun project!

In Russian tradition, believers would release birds from cages to signify freeing oneself from the power of sin in order to pave a way to heaven. So, here is our project for the Annunciation: pick up white, helium filled balloons for each member of the family. Help your kids to color bird faces on them and tape wings to the sides of the balloon. Then, take your family outside and release the 'doves' into the air while reading the gospel passage of the day. With your older children, follow up with a discussion on the significance of the Annunciation.

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt

2007-03-20T19:28:00.000-07:00

It goes without saying that one of the main themes of Lent is repentance. We return to that theme again this upcoming Sunday with remembering St. Mary of Egypt. She serves as a model of repentance: there is no burden of sin too great for God to forgive.

Readings: Hebrews 9:11-14; Mark 10:32-45

For the Little Ones: This is a little activity I remember doing back in grade school. The beauty of it is that it is an activity that toddlers and older children can equally enjoy (and it is really easy)! For toddlers, draw a heart and color the heart with crayons (use a variety of colors). Then color over the entire heart with a black crayon (color heavily). Give the blackened heart to your toddler and a coin or paperclip (straightened so they can use the point) and show them how they can scratch off the black crayon to reveal the beautiful colors beneath. Older children can do the entire activity by themselves. Talk to your children about how there is no sin too great for God to forgive. God can enlighten the most darkened heart.

Sunday of Saint John Climacus

2007-03-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

I must confess that when I looked at what this Sunday was, my first thought was, "Who is that?" Well, St. John Climacus is a 6th century saint and is best known for his work, the The Ladder of Divine Ascent (he is also called Saint John of the Ladder). He also is known as the originator of the hesychasm movement (you know, the "Jesus Prayer"). You can google his name and find a plethora of information on his life, and his life itself is the reason why we remember him during Lent. As Fr. Thomas Hopko puts it in :

"The spiritual struggle of the Christian life is a real one, "not against flesh and blood, but against...the rulers of the present darkness...the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places..." (Eph. 6:12) Saint John encourages the faithful in their efforts for, according to the Lord, only "he who endures to the end will be saved." (Matt. 24:13)." [The Orthodox Faith: Volume ii, Worship. pg 82-83)

Readings: Hebrews 6:13-20; Mark 9:17-31

For the Little Ones: Pretzels were invented by a Christian monk as a Lenten bread. The shape of the pretzel mimics the crossing of arms in prayer. The bread was then given to children as rewards for memorizing their prayers. So, this week, work on teaching your children the Jesus Prayer. Then, on Saturday or Sunday make some pretzels(or buy if you must!). Have the family gather together and spend some time in prayer together, focusing on saying the Jesus Prayer. The amount of time will of course depend on the children. I suggest keeping it limited to a few minutes if you have toddlers! Then, enjoy some pretzels together as reward to the children for remembering the prayers.

Sunday of the Holy Cross

2007-03-04T21:36:00.000-08:00

This upcoming Sunday we remember our Lord's crucifixion in order that we might strengthen our resolve to fast, pray and repent this Lenten season. It is nearly halfway through lent, the struggle is hard and this Sunday's commemoration serves as an exhortation to all of us in our Lenten struggles. And what does the cross teach us? Christians look upon the cross always with the resurrection in mind. It is that victory that brings joy and hope to our sufferings. We rejoice in the victorious cross!

Readings: Hebrews 4:14-5:6; Mark 8:34-9:1

For the Little Ones: The Holy Cross is often referred to as the tree of life, bringing eternal life. In remembrance of this, go out and buy a small tree to plant in your yard (or, for you apartment dwellers...to replant in pots!). Try to pick a tree that blooms in the spring or bears fruit. If you plan on replanting the tree into a larger pot, have your children help you decorate the pot for the special occasion.

On Sunday, after the liturgy, gather your family together to plant the tree in your garden. After planting the tree, have the head of the household (or possibly an eldest child) read the following:

No longer does the flaming sword guard the gate of Eden, for a marvelous quenching is come upon it, even the Tree of the Cross. The sting has been taken from death, and the victory from Hades. And, You, my Savior, has appeared unto those in Hades saying: Enter again into Paradise.

During the rest of Lent, have your little ones water their 'special' tree and on Good Friday, cut off a branch or two to make a cross to adorn you prayer corner or to hang in your child's room.

A Lenten Resolution

2007-03-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

During my catechism, Father Ian made a point to really ingrain in me that the point of fasting isn't simply to abstain for the purpose of abstaining, but to simplify life. We need to simplify life in order to save money and another precious commodity: time. Time to be used in prayer, fellowship and doing good deeds.

As parents, and I think moms especially struggle with this, there seems to be a constant urge to be 'doing' things. Exercise more, read to our kids more, organize more, work more, etc. The problem is, when we are trying to do so many different things, we can't do anything well! Hence why trying to 'perfect' oneself other than through prayer and fasting is such a futile endeavor.

So, every Lent, I make a Lenten resolution. Last year, I admit it was to start jogging to lose all my pregnancy fat...but the other motivating factor was to provide sanity time for myself and my girls. Time outside where the girls could enjoy nature and I could enjoy a quiet time to pray and think about nothing. Seriously, our jogs are one of my favorite activities now simply because my girls like to just sit and stare at everything and I can have guaranteed quiet time (usually, I have anything but that!).

This year, my resolution is to start using my slowcooker. My family tends to eat mostly vegetarian as it is and so I hardly ever use the crockpot because most recipes I find are either meat heavy (and expensive) or are vegetarian stews. (And one can have stew only so many times!) But, cooking every night is very stressful since it is during the hour where my toddlers are tired and cranky and in need of lots of attention. So, my goal is to start using the crockpot in order to give them the love and care they need during the witching hour of weakness for them, and to keep me from getting stressed and angry right before my husband comes home every evening (I'm sure he'll appreciate that!).

I encourage you to also make a Lenten resolution. Simplify your lives!

The Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas

2007-02-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

It is the second Sunday of Great Lent and we are commemerating a saint whose feast day is actually on November 14th. Can you say what?!?

St. Gregory serves as a witness that man can participate in the uncreated light of God's glory while here on earth through prayer and fasting. He is an example that our struggle with fasting and prayer is not futile. This is an especially pertinent lesson at this time as we currently struggle with maintaining the great fast. And the great fast does not, should not, consist merely of abstaining from foods, but we should be fasting unto prayer. For a more detailed explanation of reasons why St. Gregory is commemorated on this day, check out this.

Readings: Hebrews 1:10-2:3; Mark 2:1-12

For the little ones: Get a large jar or box (can be a shoebox, an old mayonaisse jar, etc.) Have the kids decorate the jar or box. This is your special Lent jar. In this jar, you will put money you are saving through fasting. To make sure you remember this aspect of fasting, pick an evening each week during Lent and have rice for dinner. Add some nutrition for the sake of the little ones and pregnant mommas (like lentils or tofu), but keep the meal cheap and simple. At the end of each meal, give each member of the family a dollar or so and have each person stick their dollar into your Lent jar. Decide as a family how you would like to use the money at the end of Lent.

Sunday of Orthodoxy

2007-02-20T08:38:00.000-08:00

Well, this was a profound post. That is, until my cute little 19 month old decided to pull out the power plug and destroy my post along with it. So rather than try to rehash what I said in the first post, I will operate under the assumption that the majority of my readers understand the role of icons in the Orthodox Church and the rest can google it.

The Sunday of Orthodoxy commemorates the triumph of icons over the iconoclasts, affirming the necessity of icons in the worship of the Orthodox Church. Why are they necessary? In brief, Christ is the greatest icon of all. When Christ became man and dwelt among us, he united heaven and earth. The icons we use today serve as windows into heaven and are, in a sense, shadows of the greatest icon of all. They bear witness of the kingdom of God to us and vice versa. At the end of Divine Liturgy this day, parishioners carry icons in a procession around the church while the clergy makes petitions. The icon procession is also done at the Pan-Orthodox evening vespers service.

Readings: Hebrews 11:24-26,32-40; John 1:43-51.

For families: Remember to bring your favorite icons to church for the procession. Bring one for each family member.

For the little ones: This is a real fun activity! My husband and I did this for one of our Sunday School classes and it was a big hit. Have the children make their own icons to be blessed at church. Buy an unfinished wood piece at an arts and crafts store (like this) and some gold and red paint. Help the kids paint the wood gold with red trim like you see on icons. While this dries, print out a black and white picture of your child's patron saint (or Christ) and have them color the picture (even toddlers can do this!). Cut out the figure and help your kids glue it onto the painted wood surface. If you can finish it beforehand, get it blessed on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

Wall Prayer Chain

2007-02-15T10:48:00.000-08:00

As requested, here is a picture of our wall prayer chain. We're still working on pictures, but you get the idea. I actually found this rope with clips and wall attachments at a toy store for only $6.

Forgiveness Sunday and Clean Monday

2007-02-13T20:56:00.000-08:00

Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sunday

Readings: Romans 13:11-14:4 and Matthew 6:14-21

The last day before Great Lent, Forgiveness Sunday reiterates our need for forgiveness through focusing on Adam and Eve's expulsion from Paradise. The emphasis on forgiveness again reminds us that without repentance and reconciliation with God and each other, we cannot truly participate in the Great Fast. The words of our Lord's prayer are brought sharply into focus this day: "...forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...". By asking for forgiveness, we can than repent, renew our minds, hearts and actions to be like Chirst. With forgiveness, we can joyfully enter into a season of purification as we prepare for the Great Feast and celebration of our Lord's resurrection.

For the family: A traditional cheesefare meal is pancakes! So, moms, dump the healthy food for a day and use up all those milk and eggs for a scrumptious, sugary feast. Following the pancake feast, return to church for evening Vespers, where the parishioners will have an opportunity to ask one another for forgiveness and share the holy kiss. If you have not yet said confession prior to Lent, now is the time to do so.

For the little ones: For a craft this week, make a Lenten paper chain to help count down the days to the feast of the Resurrection. Use purple construction paper for the first 46 days (yes, Lent is 40 days plus Holy Week!), then a black ring for Good Friday, followed by another purple for Holy Saturday and finally a white ring for Pascha with the words written on it: "Christ is risen from the dead! Alleluia!". Purple is traditionally used at sombre times symbolizing our sorrow for our sin. White is symbolic of the purity and joy of Christ and black is symbolic of death and mourning.

Clean Monday

Lent actually means Holy Spring. It is a time when we should be 'fasting' from the flesh in order to delight in the spirit. So, start of this season with a day of spring cleaning. Literally. Pull out that vacuum and duster. Wash the windows. Air out the house. Sort out any junk that is lying around and make a pile of items to give away to those in need. Clean your house! And, then, when it is all said and done, pack up a Lenten picnic (falafels, anyone?), head out to a park and fly some kites! Glory in the springtime today.

For the little ones: Kids (at least toddlers do!) actually love to help mom clean. So, give them a rag or duster and let them lend a hand. Put on some fun music and whistle while you work!

Family Prayer Time

2007-02-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

In my very first post (not so very long ago!), I posted what we do during family prayers. To expand on that a bit, our prayer time occurs in the same place each evening. We have a little 'icon corner' (it's really located on the middle of a wall next to our dining table). We have a shelf with our various prayer books, bibles and children's bibles, candles, incense and icons. On the wall above the shelf, are our family icons (icons of our patron saints) surroudning a large cross with 6 little icons on it depicting the life of Christ, the person around whom our lives should center. Every family, should have one of these! A place to gather together and prayer. A sacred place in every home.

This next week, we are making a new addition to our's. In an attempt to help teach our children to pray at an early age, we are making a special prayer line for our icon wall. We're going to hang vertically on the wall next to the icons a long piece of thick ribbon. Then, we are going to clip pictures of people and things we want to pray for. These can be regular photos or magazine and newspaper cutouts (say of hungry people, our President or the soldiers in Iraq, etc.). This visual reminder will be especially valuable to the children. My little girls are just 1 and 2, but they can identify people and pictures and we can teach them a very simple prayer to say for them at prayer time. Jesse and I can more specifically pray for individuals, and it will just be a good reminder to pray as we walk by the icon corner everyday and see familiar faces looking out on us.

I encourage you to do this and make it a special project with your children. Let your children choose the pictures of people they want to prayer for. You can even let them hold the pictures of the people they will get to pray for during prayer time.