“Your choice, babe.”
“I really like the one that might be the most unloved. He’s kinda bare and old school. And can we hang the C7 lights (like your mom and dad’s) but not be serious about it?”
“Sure.”
This is Rob and I in the rainy lot as we chose our tree.
“It’s absolutely perfect for you guys!” Says Josh, as if we just picked out a brand new car. If you don’t know Josh yet….read some more posts. 
How’s your tree? Happy Christmas….
Bowling Green has officially kicked off the holiday season with it’s first public school 2 hour delay! Though Robby is not in school – we played like he had the extra 2 hours to be in the snow. After visiting some friends down the lane, he wanted to linger in the new white stuff. Mostly just staring at it and looking back and forth from me to the snow.
Get used to it, buddy.
We have wanted to put some liturgy back into our lives this Christmas season to usher in the celebration of Immanuel (”God with us”).
Here’s our simple plan this season…
A sweet friend gave us a wreath-y greenish flower thing and I added 4 candles to it. Then I pieced together some passages of the Bible that I found from other Advent books and sites. We lit our candles tonight after dinner (it’s the second week now) and we read the 4 passages. Robby stayed on Rob’s lap for about 20 seconds and then ran around, tried to get into something he shouldn’t and Rob ended up holding Robby by his feet upside down like a bat during the last 2 readings.
Yep, Advent is an Everyday Spirituality sort of thing….with crying, stinky diapers and train noises out of the mouth of babes as we attempt to read the Bible as a family. It was festive, to say the least.
Here’s our Scripture recipe for Advent:
First Sunday and Week of AdventDirections Prayer: Alternate/Complementary Prayer: Scriptures: |
Directions
Light the 1st purple candle (repeat first week’s prayer)
Light the 2nd purple candle
Prayer:
Stir up our hearts, O Lord,
to prepare the paths of thine Only-begotten Son:
that we may worthily serve thee
with hearts purified by His coming:
Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Alternate/Complementary Prayer:
O King of all nations, Jesus Christ,
only joy of every heart,
come and save your people.
(From Christmas Prayers, Victor Hoagland, C.P.)
Scriptures:
Micah 5:2
Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11
Isaiah 2:1-5
Matthew 3:1-6
Directions
Light the 1st purple candle (repeat 1st week’s prayer)
Light the 2nd purple candle (repeat 2nd week’s prayer)
Light the rose candle
Prayer:
We beseech thee to listen to our prayers, O Lord,
and by the grace of thy coming enlighten our darkened minds:
Thou who livest and reignest with God the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Alternate/Complementary Prayer:
O Key of David, Jesus Christ,
the gates of heaven open at your command,
come and show us the way to salvation.
(From Christmas Prayers, Victor Hoagland, C.P.)
Scriptures:
Isaiah 9:6-7
John 1:19-34
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
Philippians 2:1-11
Directions
Light the 1st purple candle (repeat 1st week’s prayer)
Light the 2nd purple candle (repeat 2nd week’s prayer)
Light the rose candle (repeat 3rd week’s prayer)
Light the 4th purple candle
Prayer:
Pour forth thy power, O Lord, and come:
Assist us by that mighty power,
so that by thy grace and merciful kindness
we may swiftly receive the salvation that our sins impede:
Who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Alternate/Complementary Prayer:
O Wisdom, holy Word of God, Jesus Christ,
all things are in your hands,
come and show us the way to salvation.
(From Christmas Prayers, Victor Hoagland, C.P.)
Scriptures:
Malachi 3:1-5
Romans 8:18-25
Isaiah 52:7-10
Revelation 21:1-4
Directions for 5-Candle Wreaths
Light 4 preceding candles (repeat each week’s prayer while lighting them)
Light the center white candle
Directions for 4-Candle Wreaths
Replace all Advent Candles with White Candles and Light
Prayer:
God of love, Father of all,
the darkness that covered the earth
has given way to the bright dawn of your Word made flesh.
Make us a people of this light.
Make us faithful to your Word
that we may bring your life to the waiting world.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
(From The Roman Missal, Catholic Book Publishing Co.)
Alternate/Complementary Prayer:
Let the just rejoice,
for their justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.
St. Augustine of Hippo
Scriptures:
Isaiah 9:1-6
Luke 2:1-20
John 1:1-18
Titus 2:11-14
What a beautiful night of laughter, joy and goat cheese. Rob put together these baked panchetta ditties topped with goat cheese and slice of Asian pears (compliments to my sister’s friend). Yummy! Almond stuffed figs wrapped in proschutto, lettuce wraps with curry chicken salad with toasted pecans (Josh Coy’s amazingness) and my famous truffles all on one festive table.
Of course the popcorn was strung and the eggnog martinis came and went. I think this was our earliest Tree Trimming party of the season and maybe the loudest….and we are all better for it. December is the celebration season – enjoy!
“Any one thinking of the Holy Child as born in December would mean by it exactly what we mean by it; that Christ is not merely a summer sun of the prosperous but a winter fire for the unfortunate.” - G.K. Chesterton, The New Jerusalem, Ch. 5
Josh finds himself nicely trimmed and decorated…only to be devoured.
The stringing in action…
Dear friends Steve and Sandy…..
Some say this is how we get Robby to sleep at night….
Sara and myself caught in the action….
If you are reading this blog….then stop on by. Our annual Tree Trimming party is this Friday night. We will be stringing popcorn and cranberries, noshing and kicking off the celebration of the birth of one amazing man who changed the course of the entire world…..
Can you just hear the off-pitch children singing in the Charlie Brown Christmas: “Christmas Tiiiiime is here….”
