Monday ~ Feast Day Blessings and thanksgiving

Thanksgiving list! 

1. We were able to go to liturgy today! My Oma passed away 6 years ago and it is so meaningful to be in church on this day 

2. My Husband is my valiant Best Friend. 

3. So I have had reports that the cardamon cake I baked (The one with more sugar) was quite good. I am hoping next week to try a yellow coffee cake with cinnamon and cardamon.

4. Seeing kids at church being happy at church and playing church (today again a little young boy was play priest, holding up his book, etc, it was so so dear). 

5. Husband and I stocked up on a few things we needed at the grocery store and that's always a blessing. 

6. Laughter and good humour.

 7. St. Nicholas day (new calendar) is soon!!! (I do it twice here, one can never have enough of St Nicholas day in my book!).

8. A dear friend sent me a card with a beautiful magazine with an article by

beloved Mat. Rebekah!

Edging towards Christmas, one day at a time...

I still have to put out today our
two Nativity Icons,
to do what is planned for today.
*
I am also planning ahead for Christmas.
I almost have all of our gifts ordered...
I also found that I can get in CD form
the record that I listened to as a young girl
at Christmas Time.
*
It's a simple record that
shows a time when classical music was still
more normal.
*

*
It should be here in CD form before Christmas!
I was inspired again to look for it when I read
Juliana's post on some of her Christmas music!
*
Now I just have to order some gifts for
the littlest of the short people in my life!
It's such a beautiful time of year.

I got this box at the rummage sale in October.
It's perfect for all my tall needles.
I am making scarves for all the nephews and nieces.
That would be 15 my friends.
I have a lot of knitting to do!

I made over ten balls of
white cotton yarn yesterday.
Hoping for lots of knit wash clothes for gifts this year.

I am loving our Christmas books
that I ordered while on Thanksgiving holidays.
 

I had a wonderful phone conversation this morning
with a dear friend in Ottawa.
She told me that she and her Mother are
praying for Alana and Wes.
I know I have dear and good friends when they
are concerned about those I am also concerned for.
Talking to her reminded me of all the good
and beautiful things that God gives us
each day.

These pictures are from a simple meal that
I made on Dec 3, the eve
of the Feast of the Mother of God at three years old,
and it was wonderful after this meal
to read prayers about the lighted candles
that many were holding as the Mother of God
went up to the temple.
I never did expressly write about ideas of how
to celebrate this feast.
They are simple of course...and I welcome
any additional ideas!
*
~pray prayers of the Feast for vespers and/or matins
~go to vespers, vigil and/or liturgy for the feast
~make a festive meal on the feast day
~light candles
~if you have an icon of this Feast, put it on display
~remember the young children in your life and remember
that they can make much progress towards God
~make one's house a temple worthy of being always with God

 

It is such a wonderful feast and it already has in it
hymns of Christmas!

Feast of the Enterance of the Mother of God into the Temple

Mr. Husband and I were at liturgy
this morning for the
Feast of the Mother of God into the Temple.

It was beautiful.
There were a few young girls there,
which was so appropriate for this feast,
as it is remembering when the Mother of God
at three years old was given like
Hannah gave Samuel in the Old Testament,
to the temple,
dedicated to God. 

 

We heard a beautiful sermon about
how the Theotokos was always in communion with God
and how we are to make our homes also
temples for God and to honour our home like we would
entering a church
and to order our homes to bring in the light that
comes from the church, with icons, lit lamps or candles,
incense and prayer.
*
To cultivate our lives and homes to help quicken us
and encourage continual communion with God
is such a wonderful task!
*
Blessed Feast!