Lent ~ Day 2

Stained glass image courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com

Fast

 Let it go to voicemail! Let your caller leave a message and only return essential phone calls today.

Pray

 “Blessed are the ears which hear God’s whisper and listen not unto the whispers of the world”—Thomas a Kempis 

Give

 “Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.” —Mother Teresa

Ash Wednesday

 Stained glass image courtesy of www.StainedGlassInc.com

Fast

‎"Outward sacrifice, to be genuine, must be the expression of spiritual sacrifice: "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit..." The prophets of the Old Covenant often denounced sacrifices that were not from the heart or not coupled with love of neighbor. Jesus recalls the words of the prophet Hosea: "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice." The only perfect sacrifice is the one
that Christ offered on the cross as a total offering to the Father's love and for our salvation. By uniting ourselves with his sacrifice we can make our lives a sacrifice to God." (CCC #2100)

~

Pray

Listen. God is speaking to you right now. Stop interrupting. 

~

Give

The new evangelization is accomplished with a smile, not a frown ... it is all about a 'yes' to everything decent, good, true, beautiful and noble in the human person. The Church is about a 'yes!', not a 'no!'

—His Eminence Timothy Michael Dolan, Cardinal-Archbishop of New York

Read or watch the entire reflection here. Truly a gift for this time. 

For the Lenten Book Basket

Here are some favorites of ours. Be sure to share your suggestions in the comments.

.

The Little Rose of Sharon by Nan Gurley This is the story of a rose whose outward appearance is so beautiful that it pleases the Creator Himself. The little rose learns that her life isn't all about what she holds here on earth and she sacrifices her lovely rose petals (her most prized possesion) to save a baby dove.

Petook by Caryll Houselander This story begins with Petook the Rooster and his wife Martha hatching 12 fluffy new chicks. They live a happy life in the garden until they a frightened when a young boy walks toward Petook and his family. No need to worry; it is a kind boy who years later hangs on a cross Petook can see in the distance.This is a classic Houselander story of Easter and new life. 

The Jesus Garden: An Easter Legend The passion of Christ can be a very frightening subject for young children. The grim reality of death is a difficult one for tender hearts.  This story takes on the task and follows Christ's passion from the perspective of the plants and flowers in the garden. Parent and child can follow the Passion from the agony in the garden all the way to the resurrection in a much more soothing way. 

.

The Easter Swallows Also in the garden a pair of swallows are building a nest. Lovely text and illustrations. (Worth hunting down.)

.

Twice Yours by Nan Gurley This one is new to us this year. It's breathtakingly beautiful. A little boy invests his whole heart in buliding a small sailboat. He loses it and someone else finds it and then he sacrifices to regain it.    
.
The Story of the Cross by Mary Joslin  This lovely volume can be read again and again throughout Lent to bring the Stations of the Cross alive to children in an appropriate and reverent manner.

.

The Easter Story I'm so sad this one is unavailable. 

.
Benjamin's Box: The Story of the Resurrection Eggs by Melody Carlson Benjamin is a little boy who travels along with jesus and discovers who he really is. Fun story and can be even more fun when used with Resurrection Eggs.

.

Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Hunt  This story follows three trees who dream of being big, marvelous things when they grow old enough. Their dreams appear to be crushed, but then they recognize that they were made for bigger things than they could imagine.
.

The Proud Tree by Luane Roche This storyline is similar to the one of the three trees. Rex thinks he's a tree worthy for a king. But is humbled when he gets cut down to become a cross for a crucifixion and learns who Jesus, the real king, is.

. 

A Tale for Easter Tasha Tudor is always so wonderful. *Not overtly religious.

The Thornbush An ugly thornbush growing in Jerusalem becomes a crown for the King of Kings.
.

The Very First Easter by Paul Maier  this is a lengthy book with lots of biblical quotes and beautiful illustrations. Lots of details in this one. 

.

The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith    This story of Easter is told through the eyes of the little donkey who carried Jesus through the streets on Palm Sunday. Beautifully illustrated and sure to please all ages.
.
Through the Eyes of John This is Mary Beth's favorite.
.
The Story of Easter by Mary Joslin this story follows the whole timeline of Jesus from the Annunciation to the Resurrection and helps your child to understand Jesus' whole life.
.

Little Colt's Palm Sunday  Palm Sunday is recounted through the eyes of the colt who carried the King of Kings--Jesus himself--through the streets of Jerusalem.  

.

Legend of the Easter Egg by Lori Walburg  Learn what Easter is really about as you follow the beloved characters you may already know from The Legend of the Candy Cane from the same author. When Thomas' sister, Lucy, falls sick, he goes to stay at the Sonneman's candy store and there he learns the story of Easter. 

 .

Legend of the Sand Dollar When Kerry's family takes a trip to the beach she learns all about the story of Easter through a small beach treasure, the sand dollar.   

.
The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by DuBose Heyward this story is about a momma bunny who wants to be one of the official Easter Bunnies but first must prove herself to the wise Grandfather bunny. Mike's sister gifted this to us years ago and it is a perennial favorite.

.

The Easter Egg. Another that isn't religious, but sure is a sweet read. I do love Jan Brett.

.

My Path to Heaven this "retreat-in-a-book" is geared toward kids 9-12. As they learn the truths of their faith and are called to live lives of holiness with these newfound truths. 

.

Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco My children love to listen along in this delightful tale as Babushka she prepares her eggs for the Easter Festival. During this story, Babushka takes in an injured goose who teaches her that miracles can happen. 

.
The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous Katy and Carl go on an egghunt while visiting their Grandmother's house and Katy has no luck finding any eggs. She ends up searching the attic where she finds very special eggs her Grandmother  painted when she was a little girl. 
.

Easter Eggs for Anya Decorating beautiful Easter eggs was something Anya loved to do and was very sepcial to her family. But with Papa away at war, Anya's family is very poor and will not be able to purchase eggs to decorate this year! When Anya stumbles upon a nest of goose eggs she thinks she will be able to decorate eggs after all, but God always has a bigger and better plan. 

Preparing for Lent

Here's the quick tutorial to answer some questions and then some links to help you plan and give you some time to actually do this before next week. 

 Remember those wooden mantel letters?  During Lent, they say "Repent" (take the "Prepare" purple letters from Advent, and make an "N" and a "T"--you're all set to spell REPENT). For the Easter season, they spell "Alleluia." They are painted gold and covered with "diamond dust" glitter. On Fat Tuesday, I take out the ALLELUIA letters and make a big deal of spelling out "Alleluia." I let the children chant, sing, and even yell "Alleluia" in order to "get the Alleluias out." Then, I solemnly put the golden letters in a purple bag and explain that the Church doesn't say "Alleluia" during Lent and that we will "hide our Alleluias" until it's Easter.I hide the purple bag with the Alleluias in it (and tell someone where I put them;-). Then, it's Lent.
And it's quiet.

 

 

 

 

Talking with Your Kids about Lent

Lent is a Good Thing

Prayer Rule for all of Lent

What to Give Up?

Remain in Him

Thoughts on Fasting

Family Lent Project: Counting Blessings

For the last few years, there has been a daily Lenten Fast::Pray::Give prompt here for you. Shall we do that again this year? I'd mostly republish the old, familiar ones from Lents past. Would that be helpful?

The Last Supper and the Eucharist

I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me. Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I would lay down my life for my sheep.

The Good Shepherd is present to us in a different sheepfold. Just as this statue show us He is present as a Shepherd, the cup and the plate remind us that he is truly present in the bread and the wine.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd. I wonder who the sheep are...

~~

Since we are the sheep, I am going to  replace the sheep with US.

We are all gathered before the table and the Good Shepherd is there. Where do we do this?

In this setting there is a way that we receive the Good Shepherd into our own body. This is called holy communion.The priest brings us Jesus. Jesus is the Eucharist.

Eucharist means Thanksgiving.

We are grateful for this great gift.

{painted wooden dolls available at St. Luke's Brush and  Catholic Folk Toys}