Holy Saturday: Paschal Candle prayers at home

You know how you see one thing that looks like a nice, small, good idea and it snowballs into a much bigger production than you initially foresaw?  Read on.  A couple weeks ago I stumbled upon several posts about making your own Easter Paschal Candle at home and in a burst of productive insanity decided to give it a try.  It actually wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it might be, and it was FREE (or more accurately, I already had all the items it took).

• a 3x6" white pillar (of the Wal-mart variety, I am told to be 'legit' it should be at least 51% beeswax, but oh well)
• acrylic paints (yes, they really do work on wax, and let me tell you I was dubious)
• red gems (in place of incense grains, I just wasn't seeing it...)
• dull pencil to etch your pattern on before painting.

I started by drawing a simple cross on a piece of paper and then traced around it on the center of the candle with the dull pencil, letting it make a nice indentation.  I probably went over these indentions 5-7 times to get a nice clean line.  I added the numbers for the year, an Alpha at the top and an Omega at the bottom (free-hand) and then painted inside the lines as shown.  I let everything dry and added the gold paint on the inside of the cross.  We'll add the gems (I am praying my glue-dots will do the trick) when we bless the candle tonight...

Because after I made it I realized it would be nice to have some sort of prayer and blessing for it, rather than just sticking it on the middle of the table.  And since the Easter Vigil is just not an option for our family at this point in our lives, I thought it would be nice to incorporate some of the prayers and rituals done there.  I drew from several sources for this, namely The Year and Our Children and my Magnificat (for the prayers).  Here is what we will do.  

Begin with the Sign of the Cross and pray the below, tracing the parts on the candle as noted.

"Christ yesterday and today (vertical bar of the cross)

the beginning and the end (horizontal bar of the cross)

Alpha (A, above the cross)

and Omega; (Ω, below the cross)

all time belongs to him (2, upper left quadrant)

and all the ages: (0, upper right quadrant)

to him be glory and power (1, lower left quadrant)

through every age for ever. Amen." (3, lower right quadrant)

(while adding the gems to the four ends and center of the cross: ) 

"By his holy and glorious wounds may Christ our Lord guard us and keep us."

Light candle.

"May the light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds." 

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your Spirit.

V. Let us pray:

O God, who through your Son bestowed upon the faithful the fire of your glory, sanctify (at this point sprinkle candle with water) this new fire, we pray, and grant that we may be so inflamed with heavenly desires, that with minds made pure we may attain festivities of unending splendor.  Through Christ our Lord, 

R. Amen.

V. A reading from the Holy Gospel According to John.

R. Glory to You oh Lord. 

 (Read from the Bible John 20:11-18 -- the story of Mary Magdalen at the tomb).

Litany of the Saints as prayed at Mass, adding our family member patron saints to the end. (found in Magnificat)

Renewal of Baptismal vows (bless family members with Holy Water). (found in Magnificat)

V. Now that the days of the Lord's Passion have drawn to a close, may we who celebrate the gladness of the Paschal Feast come with Christ's help, and exulting in spirit to those feasts that are celebrated in eternal joy.

R. Amen 

Sign of the Cross to close.

Our candle will be our centerpiece for the 50 days of Easter, and we will use it throughout the year on special feast days and such.

Wishing everyone a blessed joy-filled Easter.  REJOICE, for He is risen indeed!

Catholic Company Review: My First Book of Saints

I recently joined The Catholic Company's blogger review program.  My first request was My First Book of Saints, as I had seen it on a friend's blog and was very intrigued.  I have looked for years for a saint book suitable for toddlers and preschoolers.  My Golden Book of Saints was the closest thing I could find, but it isn't very comprehensive, and while we have a whole stack of various children's saint books that I do like a lot, most of them are geared more towards the K-2 crowd.  This book is just what I was looking for.  It contains stories of about 60 various saints that span from the time of Christ to the 20th Century and everything in between (it's a very nice variety and balance of new and old, really).  The book is hardcover, about 5x7 inches and each saint has his or her own two-page spread, with a full-color illustration on one side, and a short (5-7 sentence) story of their life and prayer or "tip" on the other.  There is also a colored box containing the saint's biographical information (years lived, country born and feast day) on each page.  These stories are written very simply with short, to the point sentences and easy to understand words.  I have already used it with the kids (5 and 3) on the Feast of St. Joseph and definitely got a positive response from them.  The only thing I wasn't overly fond of was this book's organization.  The saints are in a random order, as is the index (it is just a list of the saints in the same order they appear in the book), so it makes it really hard to find the story of a particular saint.  I think I will type all the saints/page numbers into an Excel spreadsheet and alphabetize them though, so it's a simple fix to the problem.  All in all I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking to share the stories of the saints with your very young children.  It would make a neat gift for a Feast day or Baptismal anniversary.  

This review was written as part of the Catholic book reviewer program from The Catholic Company. Visit The Catholic Company to find more information on My First Book of Saints. The Catholic Company is a great resource for all your seasonal needs such as First Communion gifts as well as ideas and gifts for the special Papal Year of Faith.

Journal: Pope Francis

TODAY

Out my window: Cloudy and gray.  Some beautiful glimpses of Spring this past week.  Oh we're so close I can almost taste it.  That said, it's pretty chilly today so I think we are actually going to have our last fire of the season this afternoon.  Crazy.

Clothing myself in:  Sweats, but Church clothes earlier.  Oh dear goodness, we went to an early Mass today at a different parish as my future sister-in-law was being received into the Church and making her First Communion and it almost killed us.  Really...getting everyone up, around and out of the house before 8...it was ugly.  Very, very ugly.  And we get to do this five days a week next year? Le sigh.  

Around the house: Quiet as I type this around lunchtime, my "big kids" got to stay and play at Grandma's for a bit after brunch.  We're in full spring-cleaning/chores mode now.  We have a bunch of stuff we do once or twice a year that is on our lists to tackle in the upcoming weeks.  I washed and lemon-oiled the kitchen cabinetry on Friday, and today I cleaned and treated our leather couches.  Aaron turned the humidifier off and reversed our ceiling fans yesterday (now you know just to what degree of nerdy we really are, yes, we reverse our ceiling fans during the Winter), and has been working on cleaning up the yard for Spring.  Still wanting to wash some windows, clean out the cars and oh am I anxious to plant some annuals here in about a month. 

 

The baby:  Has four teeth now...two on top and two bottom.  Those top ones give him the cutest little buck-teeth grin.  He would make a good rabbit.  We packed away his bath chair this week now that he is sitting so well.  He thinks sitting in the tub is pretty cool stuff, and has already figured out how to splash.  We had homemade (baked) potato fries last night and it was as excited as I've ever seen him about food.  He tried cantaloupe for the first time this morning and thought that was pretty tasty too. 

 

The kiddos:  Gemma may very well be the most curious child in the world.  OK, probably not really but wow.  So. Many. Questions.  What does this word mean?  What does that vehicle do?  Why do we...?  How do they...?  When do you...?  I love her.  I love that she loves to learn.  Some days it exhausts me though.  

Kolbe has been acting very "three" lately.  Like I told Aaron, "he's not naughty, he's just three."  Even so...  Did I mention the exhaustion?

Yesterday the kids and I went to the Zoo to watch the annual sheep shearing, I had just randomly read about it in their quarterly newsletter and thought it looked like something cool to do.  It was a lot of fun.

In the kitchen: Chicken Enchiladas (I'll use some of the homemade Cream of Mushroom in the freezer, and am hoooooping to have time to make tortillas again) with mexi toppings; Homemade Pizza (last time I made pizza I put extra meat and sauce in the freezer, so this will be EASY!) and green salad; family birthday dinner; Chile Rellenos and fresh fruit salad on Friday

Crafting: Nope.  Thanks for asking.

Learning:  Nothing out of the ordinary planned this week.  I think we'll craft some Daffodils on the first day of Spring, and I have some math flashcards I'm going to pull out to show Gemma.  I ordered this book of tracing for Kolbe, and he's also been working on cutting from this book.  So crazy, I pulled it out about a month ago and he was nowhere near ready, and now he is going to town. 

Reading:  I reworked the MY BOOKSHELF tab on the blog.  I've wanted for years to find a better way to keep track of what I read and it just this week dawned on me to do it here.  Duh.  I know there's GoodReads and other things like that, but honestly I just don't want "one more online presence" to maintain.  I'm also going to keep track of our family read-alouds in the same spot.  I finished The Lions of Little Rock this week and am going to begin browsing Rome and the Eastern Churches next, plus probably some more fiction, either The Giver or The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had.  Who knows, one of these days I may even decide to read The Hunger Games...  We are on chapter 2 of Heidi (I found a nicely illustrated, unabridged version at the library) with the kids.

Bringing me joy:  Pope Francis.  The new Papacy and the hope that it brings to our Church.  Watching the White Smoke live with both kids was really exciting (for the most part ;-D).  I'd had an inkling all morning (the Holy Spirit?) to turn on the TV, and am so glad I did around noon and got to watch it all as it happened.  I even convinced the kids to keep watching until the new Pope was introduced, and while there were a few more, um, intense moments, it was pretty cool.  It was so exciting watching it all happen live, and it's still remarkable to me the huge and good part social media plays in our lives and our Church today.  As I was listening to the Cardinal make the announcement it was like "Habemus Papam, a bunch of Italian, Francisco," and I thought, did he just say Francis would be his name?  But then Fox News (whom I thought did a really nice job covering the event, but maybe I'm just biased because I am obsessed with Megyn Kelly) was talking about Leo and Gregory and this and that and I figured I must have misheard.  So I was really excited to realize that his name was indeed Francis, and named for Francis of Assisi specifically.  The first thing that immediately came to mind (even before I was sure that was really his name) was, "Francis, rebuild my Church."  It was one of those goose-bumps, eyes well-up with tears moments for sure.  And from the little bit I've read (oh there are so many articles, I just don't where to start) it sounds as if he intends to do just that.  "Peter you are rock... ... ...and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."  God is good.  I guess there is a joke that he should have been Clement XV, to get back at Clement XIV who supressed the Jesuit order.  That would have been kind of cool, for obvious reasons.  Did you know the last pope not to have a Roman Numeral behind his name was in 914 (Pope Lando I believe? Who knew!)  Apparently John Paul I doesn't count as he deliberately took the names of his two predecessors (John XXIII and Paul VI).

Thinking about: See "bringing me joy". 

Pictures to share:  

Gemma and Kolbe with Pope Francis

 Wearing their butterfly costumes Gemma made.

Handsome.  See his toothers?

Habemus Papam!

VIVA IL PAPA!!!!!

Thanks Lacy for the idea!!!

Journal: Halfway through Lent

TODAY

Out my window:  Winter is getting its last digs in.  The forecast this week gives me hope though...we should hear mowers firing up by next weekend!!

Clothing myself in:  New jeans (oh these are so comfy), fuzzy warm pink sweater, grey socks with colorful stripes on them.  

Around the house: There are so many fingerprints on my windows and mirrors.  Sometimes when I see them I smile at the thought of the crazy happy little children who left them.  Other times I'm just like, "wow, I have really dirty windows".  AH, well.  Kids do wonders for OCD, let me tell you what.  Aaron is champing at the bit to get out and start working in the yard.  He's already in the process of cutting things back and thinning out grasses, etc.  I seriously think even snow wouldn't stop him at this point. 

 

The baby: Has discovered his voice and oh does he have lots to say.  He seems to be sleeping a bit better now that those two teeth have broken through.  I can feel me jinxing myself as I type. 

 

The kiddos:  We've been going to Stations of the Cross one afternoon a week at our Church, and it's been going relatively well.  This week, however, as Kolbe was jumping up and down on the kneeler and singing Jingle Bells at the top of his lungs I had to question whether it was really worth it.  Gemma seems to get a lot out of it, and I really do enjoy praying the Stations, so on we shall trudge I suppose.  I giggled when an older lady came over and told me what a beautiful family I had afterwards.  Maybe she really likes Jingle Bells...

In the kitchen: I had to laugh after I posted my menu last week because I ended up changing almost everything.  Instead of the Beef Stew I did French Dips and steamed veggies.  Then instead of Loaded Chicken Breasts I decided to make Chicken Fajitas, and since I had the time I made my own tortillas (recipe here) and oh my wow, they were amazing.  Easy but a little time consuming.  I will definitely be making them again, and hopefully exclusively at some point.  This week the "plan" is homemade bierocks and applesauce; Chicken Picadillo served with salad lettuce and corn tortilla chips (think Taco Salad);  Baked Salmon, steam veggies and mixed grains; for Friday probably a salmon, vegetable and pasta casserole (based on a recipe in my Betty Crocker). 

Crafting: thinking, thinking, thinking... nope.

Learning:  Handwriting lesson and extension activities with both kids; hopefully a reading lesson or two with Gemma; trying to make more focused time each week to sit down specifically with a pile of library books; St. Patrick's Day craft...hoping maybe just maybe this book gets returned to the library in time for us to check it out; we've been working more on cutting lately (Kolbe did great with these, Gemma is working through this book); Gemma can count to 100 unassisted now, it took working a lot on counting by 10s and suddenly it clicked.  She has started to grasp the concept of addition lately as well.

Reading: Still working though Fill These Hearts and Catechism readings.  Looking forward to browsing (maybe reading?) Rome and the Eastern Churches and hopefully better understanding what unites and divides East and West; I have several fictions on hold at the library.  Finished Happy Little Family with the kids and we're ready to start either All of a Kind Family or Heidi.  We started the Great Illustrated Classics version of Heidi and I had to put it down until we could get an unabridged version from the library.  It was sorely lacking in my opinion.  I picked up a copy of Hey! Listen to This from the library upon the recommendation of a friend and it is just a delightful little collection of short (or parts of) stories.  I liked it so much I went ahead and purchased our own (used) copy to have sitting around. 

Bringing me joy: Our Lenten Prayer Garden.  The visual it provides of our prayer intentions is great.  The kids love it too.  We'll be doing this again next year. Gemma's love for her Catechesis classes.  Almost spring.  Reading with the kids.  Clem's babbles.  A big fluffly pile of clean diapers.  Turning the radio on right in the middle of the 4th movement of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.

Thinking about: Sacrifices.  And Kindergarten.  I am starting to lose that warm fuzzy feeling I had about it going into this year leading up to Kindergarten.  When I'm completely honest with myself I know  a big part of this is that I simply don't deal well with change (and neither does my daughter).  But that aside, there are just a few things that are making me nervous/unsettled about it.  Ultimately I just want to do what is best for our children and family. 

Pictures to share:  

The big kids hard at work

My squishy little guy!

Journal: Come on, Spring!

TODAY

Out my window:  Gray, chilly, just enough snow that combined with the brown yuckiness of the bare ground it looks pretty gross outside.  Come on, Spring!

Clothing myself in:  I actually just changed into my sweats, before that jeans a tan tank and purple henley, before that brown dress slacks, same tank and a yellow-green sweater (for Mass).  I have been trying to dress nicer lately and it has actually been very, I don't know, therapeutic?  Is that vain??  I've done some shopping and gotten some new things and it makes me smile.  

Around the house: Kids wardrobes.  Inventorying what we have and what we need.  One of these days soon (probably when we have our first 70 degree day) I'll drag the clothes out of tubs, wash them up and get them in closets.  I keep a laundry basket of the clothes the kids grow out of in the basement, I just toss them there when I pull them out of closets.  I went through that this week and "filed" everything away.  I need to clean the kitchen cabinets.  I have been lax about dusting lately.  Progress?  

I ran several errands with the kids this past week once the weather was conducive (oh were we desperate to get out) and it was actually really nice.  Everyone came home alive.  I still have my sanity.  I got some new things with some good coupons.  No one tried to drag the dog-on-leash-mannequin out the front door of Old Navy.  Heck, this may be worthy of its own Small Successes post.

 

The baby:  Sitting really well.  Has both of his two front (top) teeth.  Wants to nurse all night.  Has been "talking" a lot.  Is already getting upset if I take something away from him (like the Church bulletin he was trying to eat) and distract him with something else.  Really baby?  You're not even eight months old.  This scares me a bit, especially as I keep in mind the strong wills of my older two.  His cry is starting to sound less "baby" and more "big kid".  Was July really 8 months ago?

 

The kiddos:  Kolbe, oh my goodness he is such a funny kid. In the bathrooms at our Church there are those motion-sensor towel dispensers that you have to wave your hand in front of to get the paper towels to come out.  Well, somehow he has gotten the idea that you have to yell at them to get the towels out, so he stands there and waves his arms and yells "hallo, hallo" at the top of his lungs until paper comes out.  It is soooo funny.  OK, and then, the other night at bedtime I was laying with him and he was being all lovey and snuggly and he says, "I yove you, mommy, God bless you mommy."  Then he gets this impish grin on his face, holds out his had and says, "pull my finger, mommy," and proceeds to make a toot noise with his mouth upon my pulling said finger.  OH Kolbe.  He did NOT learn that joke from me.

Gemma lost her other loose tooth.  We decided she lost her teeth and Clem found them. This is a  cute book for the tooth-loosing crowd.  Did you know a lot of countries have a Tooth Mouse not a Tooth Fairy?

In the kitchen: Beef and Veggie Stew (Kolbe's personal fave); Loaded Chicken Breasts (topped with sauted peppers, onions, mushrooms and maybe a little bacon); Fish Crisp and Steamed Veggies (if you find plain cornbread stuffing in a bag it is MSG free; and last time I made this I experimented with my own vinaigrette too and it turned out pretty good.  I really should quit reading labels...) ; Taco Meatloaf with Mexi toppings (did you know you can take the Aldi ad into Walmart and get $.19 Avocados? [as long as they're on sale at Aldi]?  Theirs are about 3 times as big and haven't been refrigerated so they actually ripen as opposed to the Aldi ones.) 

Crafting: Should I just take this category off?  I did sew some darts in a pair of pants for Kolbe though.  Even when I am not doing much crafting stuff, I am very grateful to own a sewing machine. 

Learning:  The kids are watching Blue's Clues so I can blog.  That's educational, right?

Reading: Catechism.  Fill These Hearts.  (Re)started Introduction to the Devout Life with my Catholic Motherhood group.  Happy Little Family with the kids.  Thinking we need to make poetry a part of our day again.

Bringing me joy:  Funny Kolbe.  Eucharistic Adoration.  Good books.  Great neighbors.  Family time.  Getting out of the house.  Chatting.  The thought of upcoming Spring.  Dressing up (in something other than sweats).  Meeting a new baby.  All three kids in the tub at once.  Gemma's art.  Lent. 

Thinking about: Treating my kids with respect.  Taking a deep breath instead of yelling (why is it that I only think about that when I'm not feeling like a fire-breathing dragon?).  Just parenting in general.  Priorities.  The upcoming Papal Conclave.  Time.  Randomness. 

Pictures to share:  

playtime

bathtime