Pondered In My Heart

"Hush," said Susan, "Aslan's doing something."

Wordless Wednesday: Birder in the Snow

{pretty, happy, funny, real} - the handmade Christmas gifts

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~

Every Thursday, at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

As any long time readers here well know, it is a deeply entrenched part of our family culture for the kids to exchange fabulous handmade gifts. Every year we are quite amazed with the unique, thoughtful, clever things they make each other, and how perfectly suited for the recipient each gift is. Siblings know each other so well, thus knowing so well how to please and delight each other, and likewise how to thoroughly amuse each other. Here are some of this year's creations.

{pretty}

Josiah made these two Pretty 'side altars' to go with the peg dolls and altar he made for his littlest sisters last year.

Father is well served by his faithful acolytes (nicknamed Pious and Bored, but don't ask me who's who).

Lydia made these pretty little wool bonnets for the little girls' babies.

Eliza was so happy to receive her own 'Poochie Bag' from Mary Rose.

Mary Rose has made a bunch of these in the past, and for Christmas gifted Anna, Eliza and me with our very own. I'm so happy to finally have one of Mary's bags, and Anna uses hers almost every day. (The pattern doesn't seem to be online for free anymore, but here is a link to the tutorial for a miniature Poochie bag. The full size bag uses three fat quarters.)

I was delighted with these sweet needle felted hummingbirds from Lydia, a Rufous and a Ruby throated. She carved their delicate beaks from bits of twigs.

{happy}

Josiah made Mary Rose very Happy by making her a wool jeep cap.

I didn't even know what a jeep cap was, but my kids all did, and Josiah knew how much his sister would love one. Here she is on KP, all in OD.

Keeping with the hat theme, Josiah also made Lydia this handsome wool Tam o'Shanter

and a wonderful carrying bag for slinging that miniature harp on her back.

And Anna is Very Happy with her Donald Duck hat!

Her favorite WWII veteran served in the Navy, and I got the dearest picture of the two of them, with Anna in her new hat. (She frequently makes him cookies, so the fondness is kind of mutal.) She makes a spiffing picture herself all decked out in navy wool.

Josiah also made Mary Rose a handy haversack,

and I was happy to get a brush holder from him. Jonathan also made me happy with this mini clipboard - an inexpensive craft store find but made so lovely with woodburned vines. He knows me well.

Kateri and Eliza were thrilled with their Medic Bags from Josiah!

So many clever goodies to discover tucked inside. Now Eliza likes to lie on the couch with the bandage 'round her head playing 'poor, sick GI' while Kateri stands above her with the bottle of 'blood plasma.'

And on to some{funny}

Josiah made gaiters for his three sisters! (That's him with the tea-dyed pair he made himself a while back.)

He fashioned this cool wood tank and jeep for the little girls peg dolls,

and Mary Rose made them a coffee and donut stand, complete with Red Cross lady and brave fighter pilot. See his little white silk scarf?

Mary Rose also gifted Lydia with this graphite drawing of characters from her WWII NaNoWriMo novel, along with a fictitious but highly entertaining 'letter home' to go with it.

Mary Rose made Josiah this passel of German soldier paper dolls (love all their names)

while her dad got Winston Churchill himself. Very fitting as he's reading Churchill now.

And Josiah made these perfect little leather saddle bags for Anna's dear little army donkey. His name is Aluminum Overcast, and he is actually named after a B-17, but I digress.

The prize for the funniest Funny just might go to the gift Mary Rose made Jonathan. We had found some Bill Mauldin, famous WWII cartoonist extraordinaire, at a book sale a while back and the kids got a big kick out of them. Apparently there's a story in Up Front where Mauldin is asked to draw his signature GI characters 'Willie and Joe' on plywood circles to black out the port holes in the officers' club. Clearly Jonathan got the joke as he (and everyone else) cracked up opening these painted wooden rounds of Willie and Joe!

Mary Rose did a great job - they look just like them!

{real}

Mary Rose does serious work of Real people too. She did this little Papa John Paul II for her Dad, and this picture of Saint Barbara and two soldiers for Lydia. Apparently Saint Barbara is the patroness of artillerymen; the Civil War artilleryman on the left is Alonzo H. Cushing who was recently(!) awarded the Medal of Honor. The WWII artilleryman on the right is my uncle.

And this last one was a gift for Mary Rose on the one year anniversary of her Confirmation. Lydia, her godmother, painted this beautiful St. Edmund Campion, whom you may remember Mary Rose was quite excited to choose as her patron.

The pretty little flowers are White Campion, also known in England as Grave Flower. The rope and knife are of course the implements of St. Edmund's hideous martyrdom.

Do visit Rosie and the other ladies at Like Mother, Like Daughter for more {pretty, happy, funny, real}!

Scenes from a Merry Christmas 2014 (finally!)

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.
Introibo ad altare Dei. Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam...

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I will go in to the altar of God. To God who giveth joy to my youth...

And so began the First Mass at Midnight of The Nativity of Our Lord. The joy, if possible, seemed even more magnified by the fact it was the very first Christmas Mass ever celebrated by our new priest. The wonder of it all, God made Man, is so Much to contemplate, to try to behold. We mere mortals do our best, and rejoice.

Kisses for the newborn Babe, freshly placed in the stable by that new priest.

And the joy, it overflows. Back to church again in the morning for Christmas Mass During the Daytime.

After morning Mass we have tea and enjoy Christmas cookies (having sampled our first ones after the Midnight Mass). Our new tradition is to take this time to try and guess and finally reveal who our Christkindls are -we exchange anecdotes about our stealthy endeavors and laugh at each other's tricks and the near escapes at getting found out. We drink more tea and eat more cookies.

We play and sing Christmas carols.

And we add the final trimmings to the tree. Lights go up on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, but we save the tinsel and ornaments for Christmas day.

And we have some more music...

and more tinsel. We go all George Bailey and put tinsel on each other's heads.

We don't listen to Christmas music until, well, Christmas. So naturally folks keep stopping whatever they're doing to play a little more...

Then it's time for the obligatory family photos. Somehow Timothy Stedding, Esq (the pigeon) got let in this year.

After resting and more feasting and more music we finally proceed to opening our stockings late in the evening before bed. It rather takes us days before we get around to exchanging all of our gifts, but this is fine with us. We like to take our time and spread out our celebrating. Everyone gives each other such thoughtful gifts; we go slowly and savor it all.

Jonathan found this perfect calendar for his patriotic sister. It was just a freebie given out by a local business, but when he saw it he knew he had to get one for Eliza. And then he proceeded to write in all the liturgical feast days for the entire year for her! She is always faithful in adding the Saint of the day and 'pray for us' after every mealtime prayer, so she likes to have a feast day calendar handy for reference. The perfect gift!

Jonathan also got Mary Rose a most perfect gift- you can tell by her face she knew just what it was when he handed her the brown papered package tied up in string....

Isn't he an awesome brother? :-)

And awesome how everyone shares in everyone else's excitement over their gifts.

Eliza got new puzzles, this one of cats.

Kateri got a lovely shawl,

while her sisters got new babushka scarves.

The recent publishing of Roses in the Snow made this the perfect year to gift the girls with beautiful embroidered Hungarian blouses. We had a small child-sized one that Lydia used for reference in her illustrations - she had called it 'too valuable to wear' so I knew she would be delighted with one of her own, and how could I leave out her sisters? They were so surprised!

We got a little carried away with the cookies this year. It's our family tradition to bake cookies all together for two whole days, and we somehow made even more than we usually do.

Are we really going to share this thing?

The girls were thrilled to get one of their favorite movies. And of course we watched that other favorite Jimmy Stewart one evening as we do every year.

And once again we celebrated with friends at our Epiphany party, and our priest blessed our house for us at the end of the evening:
 

It is traditional to bless the house on Epiphany and blessed Epiphany holy water is used for the sprinkling. Blessed chalk is used to write the year and the initials CMB over the doorway; these handily stand for the names of the three kings, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar and also Christus Mansionem Benedicat, Latin for Christ bless this home.

And during this rich, joyous season of Christmastide we feel very blessed indeed. Deo Gratias!

Christmastide Sunday Night Daybook

Outside my window - The dreaded, dangerous Wintry Mix is starting to fall outside - sleet and ice and freezing rain. It's always hard to plan the morning ~ when you don't know if the roads will be safe for travel and how do we figure it out before dawn when we need to leave if we're going and what if it gets worse before it gets better and will they salt in time and should we just stay home...that sort of thing.

I am hearing -The Minstrel Boy. We got the boys a bagpipe practice chanter for Christmas! I had the idea to get one for some time now, and after doing some investigating and listening to youtube videos of them being played we decided to go for it. After reading this article Michael did more research and picked one out but then we couldn't decide which guy to give it to so we gave it to them both. :-) They have to take turns and share nice, and we may or may not be getting another one in the near future. We ended up getting this chanter, videos of it being played are here and here, and we also purchased the book and other items as seen in this kit, which are quite helpful. Whether or not we ever get real pipes someday, we are all big bagpipe fans here and it is so fun to hear this instrument in our house!

In our quieter moments we are listening to some of our favorite Christmas music: the simple and charming An English Folk Christmas and the Benedictine's Christmas at Ephesus. We also have a new favorite this year, gifted to us by a dear friend: Prima Luce's A Collection of Christmas Hymns and Chants. This group of young Catholic singers in Australia makes some truly beautiful music together - another lovely clip here. (looks like you can also buy their music at this site).

I'm wearing- Lots of wool. It's cold outside!

So thankful for- Our Latin Mass community and our wonderful, generous, holy priests. I found this on a vintage Ordination holy card tucked into an old prayer book I bought, and I think it sums up well our indebtedness to our priests:

"To live in the midst of the world without wishing its pleasures; to be a member of each family, yet belonging to none; to share all sufferings; to penetrate all secrets; to heal all wounds; to go from men to God and offer Him their prayers; to return from God to men to bring pardon and hope; to have a heart of fire for charity and a heart of bronze for chastity; to teach and to pardon, console and bless always, My God, what a life! And it is yours, O Priest of Jesus Christ!"

Deo Gratias! for every one of them who has answered God's call.

I am reading - I have just started reading The Chestry Oak aloud. Kate Seredy is a masterful storyteller and this beautiful story of life in Hungary during the Second World War is simply stunning. We are only a few chapters in but Seredy grabs you right in the first pages of this one, and from what I hear the rest of it will surely not disappoint. My 100% Hungarian heritage makes us particularly fond of Kate Seredy and this book set during the war was quite irresistible. A reprint of The Chestry Oak is coming out in February, but I knew I wanted to read it to my family during this Christmastide and so I searched online until I found a not-inexpensive but not-outrageously priced original hardcover copy. I am so glad I did.

From the kitchen- We're still enjoying the fruits of our Christmas cookie baking labors. Supper tonight was guylas (Hungarian vegetable soup) and salad, bread and butter. We rather eat like peasants around here. :-)

In the learning house - We started back up with schoolwork after Epiphany and should be rolling along up to speed this week. Lots of new books to read and share.

I am working on- Being more organized (ha! me?!?). I am trying a new planner this year, having finally purchased one of those Mama's Notebooks that seem so popular. I like how it has lots of space for writing daily things, including menus for all meals and snacks, but especially how there is a whole page for lists and things to accomplish for the week. I never like how other planners only have small spaces for daily tasks, and I never know what to do with the items that don't get done on the day where I wrote them. I much prefer weekly lists and goals, so this planner is great for me (and no, I'm not a sales affiliate for them).

I am hoping - To post some catch-up from over the holidays and all. So many pictures to sort through. :-)

I am creating - I am not quite taking pictures every day - the lack of sun seriously hampers my camera-grabbing instincts - but I am trying to do just a wee bit of artwork in the form of an artist trading card a day. 365 ATCs seems like a fun challenge - we'll see how far I get. ;-)

Around the house- Still very much Christmastide in here. The Nativity sets and cheery lights, the beautiful tree and presents and all the festive bits of the season will remain a while longer. We are never in a hurry to leave this time and tend to keep the trimmings in place until Candlemas.

A few plans for the rest of the week- Regular school schedules and music lessons should resume in proper form. Maybe a couple of tea-parties. A quiet week.

A picture thought-

A Calendar for You

 

I would like to share this calendar that you can use to keep track of your personal devotions, specifically the Nine First Fridays devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Five First Saturdays to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The First Friday devotion arises from Our Lord's words to St. Margaret Mary requesting devotion to His Sacred Heart in reparation for sins. You can read more about this devotion here and the twelve promises here.  The Five First Saturdays devotion was requested by Our Lady in her apparitions at Fatima in 1917 . You can read more about this devotion here.

This calendar is unique in that the first Fridays of each month are marked in red for the Sacred Heart, while the first Saturdays of each month are marked in blue for Our Lady. To use the calendar, you can simply put a check mark on the days you complete the devotion. On the back of the calendar there is a simple reminder of how to complete the devotions along with spaces to list the months in which you do so.

It would also be handy to use the calendar to keep track of one's Confessions, simply putting a circle around the date every time. Sometimes I lose track of the days and keeping a specific calendar is sure to help me. ;-)

The calendar is formatted to be small enough to easily tuck into a missal, prayer book or planner so it is always close at hand.

You can download the pdf for the calendar here: Download 2015-01-04 First Fridays and Saturdays Calendar 3x printout

It is sized to fit three on a page so you can make numerous copies for your family members. Use double sided printing to print the document - use the option to flip the paper on the short edge.

Many thanks to Jonathan who did the lovely typesetting of the calendar in TeX for me. As is often the case, I had the Good Idea to make the calendar but needed the talents of my family members to actually bring it to fruition. My husband also provided technical assistance. Thanks also to Mary Rose for drawing the Two Hearts graphics.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us!

In Nómine Jesu Omne Genu Flectátur

(Repost from 2010) Today is the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus on the traditional calendar.

In the Name of Jesus let every knee bow, of those that are in Heaven, on Earth, and under the Earth: and let every tongue confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. O Lord our Lord: how admirable is Thy Name in the whole earth! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.  - Introit, Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10-11, Psalm 8:2)

O God, who didst constitute Thine only-begotten Son the Saviour of mankind, and didst bid Him to be called Jesus: mercifully grant, that we who venerate His holy Name on earth, may fully enjoy also the vision of Him in heaven. - Collect,  Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

 The Holy Name is unlike any other name on earth. It is itself a prayer, ofttimes repeated continuously by those who seek to pray without ceasing. It is the first utterance that comes to the heart and mind and lips when we are in grave distress - our soul instinctively cries out to the Name that is above all others. It is the Name by which we are saved. It is the Name by which we live and breathe and have our being. This feast day, and this month of January dedicated to the Holy Name, is a perfect time to increase our love and practice devotion to the Holy Name. We can make a prayer card with Philippians 2:9-11 on it, and give it a prominent position in our homes. We can take the time to memorize these verses this month if they are not already known. We can teach our children the custom of bowing our heads whenever we hear His Holy Name. We can encourage older children to pray the litany of the Holy Name as part of their daily prayers. And we can instruct our children to make reparation for sins against the Holy Name. Whenever we hear the Lord's Name taken in vain we silently pray the first few lines of the Divine Praises (or as much of the Praises as can be recited given the circumstances).

Blessed be God.

Blessed be His Holy Name.

Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.

Blessed be the name of Jesus.

Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.

Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.

Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.

Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.

Blessed be her glorious Assumption.

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.

Blessed be Saint Joseph, her most chaste spouse.

Blessed be God in His angels and in His Saints.

(Optional) May the heart of Jesus, in the Most Blessed Sacrament, be praised, adored, and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen.

 At Mass today Father began his sermon with the words of St. Bernard of Clairvaux:

"The Name of Jesus is Light, and Food, and Medicine. It is Light, when it is preached to us; it is Food, when we think upon it; it is the Medicine that soothes our pains when we invoke it. Let us say a word on each of these. Tell me, whence came there, into the whole world, so bright and sudden a light, if not from the preaching of the Name of Jesus? Was it not by the light of this Name that God called us unto His admirable Light? Wherewith being enlightened, and in this light, seeing the Light, we take these words of Paul as truly addressed to ourselves; Heretofore, you were darkness; but now, light in the Lord." (do read the rest of St. Bernard's words here)

 Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. 
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us .
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Splendor of the Father, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Brightness of eternal Light, have mercy on us.
Jesus, King of Glory, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Sun of Justice, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most lovable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most admirable, have mercy on us.
Jesus, mighty God, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Father of the world to come, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Angel of great counsel, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most powerful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most patient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, most obedient, have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Lover of chastity, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Lover of us, have mercy on us .
Jesus, God of peace, have mercy on us .
Jesus, Author of life, have mercy on us .
Jesus, example of virtues, have mercy on us .
Jesus, zealous lover of souls, have mercy on us .
Jesus, our God, have mercy on us .
Jesus, our Refuge, have mercy on us .
Jesus, Father of the poor, have mercy on us .
Jesus, Treasure of the faithful, have mercy on us .
Jesus, Good Shepherd, have mercy on us .
Jesus, true light, have mercy on us .
Jesus, eternal wisdom, have mercy on us .
Jesus, infinite goodness, have mercy on us .
Jesus, our Way and our Life, have mercy on us .
Jesus, joy of Angels, have mercy on us .
Jesus, king of Patriarchs, have mercy on us .
Jesus, master of Apostles, have mercy on us .
Jesus, teacher of Evangelists, have mercy on us .
Jesus, strength of Martyrs, have mercy on us .
Jesus, light of Confessors, have mercy on us .
Jesus, purity of Virgins, have mercy on us .
Jesus, crown of all Saints, have mercy on us .

Be merciful unto us, spare us, O Jesus!
Be merciful unto us, graciously hear us, O Jesus!

From all evil, Jesus deliver us.
From all sin, Jesus deliver us.
From Thy wrath, Jesus deliver us. 
From the snares of the devil, Jesus deliver us.
From the spirit of uncleanness Jesus deliver us.
From everlasting death, Jesus deliver us.
From the neglect of Thy inspirations, Jesus deliver us.
Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy Nativity, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thine Infancy, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy most divine Life, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy labors, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thine agony and passion, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy Cross and dereliction, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy faintness and weariness, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy death and burial, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy Resurrection, Jesus deliver us. 
Through Thine Ascension, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thine Institution of the Most Holy Eucharist, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy Joys, Jesus deliver us.
Through Thy Glory, Jesus deliver us.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord Jesus!
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord Jesus!
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord Jesus!

Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.

Let us pray. -

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast said, "Ask and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"; grant, we beseech Thee, to us who ask, the gift of Thy most divine love, that with all our heart, words, and works, we may love Thee, and never cease to praise Thee.

Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy Holy Name; for Thou never failest to govern those whom Thou dost solidly establish in Thy love. Who livest and reignest for ever. Amen.