As we are going through Advent and preparing for the birth of Christ, I began reflecting on parental responsibility. The Catholic Church often repeats that parents are the primary educators of their children. We are! It is a great responsibility given to each parent -- homeschooled or otherwise. Even if you send your kids to school, you are still the primary educator of your child(ren).
Recently, there was a small incident that made me really reflect upon my duties and responsibilities as a parent. What came from my prayerful consideration of the entire situation was: it is my God given right as a parent to speak with anyone regarding my child. At any moment or time...... especially if the person to whom I speak is directly involved in an incident where my child was present. Regardless of what others think or feel. As a parent, it is not only my right, but it is a duty! We cannot allow fear of what others might think, say or do, keep us from fulfilling our parental duties. God has given us these gifts (our children) and He expects much.
On Christmas day, Jesus was born. His birth, more than any other in history, came with great responsibility. Mary and Joseph had to protect our innocent Lord from all harm, they escaped Herod's murderous plot.... they protected Jesus as he grew in wisdom. When I think about my responsibility as a parent and then reflect on the Holy family, I am humbled! Can you even begin to imagine the weight of responsibility that Mary and Joseph felt?
God has given us marvelous gifts and He gives us all the graces we need to succeed in parenting! May you have a blessed Advent! As I await the birth of Christ this year, I thank God for my children and for His many gifts. I pray that I will not fall short and that with His help, I will be the best parent I can be! God, grant me the grace to persist in faith and to educate my children in your ways. With your grace, Mary and Joseph were able to help Jesus grow in Your wisdom, grant that I may be like Mary and Joseph and that my children may grow in faith and in Your wisdom. Amen!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
How to Make a Card Folder
Now that you've made hand-stamped cards, you need a folder to put them in! This folder is easy to make and turns your had-stamped cards into an instant gift. I made this video a year ago and enjoy sharing it with others (I retain all rights to my videos). Feel free to share this with friends and I hope you enjoy making a card folder for yourself!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Video clip of Sean practicing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing in preparation for playing it at Christmas Eve Mass.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving surrounded by friends and family. Let us remember the founding of this great nation as we pause to give thanks to God for all of our blessings this Thanksgiving Day. Among all of our blessings, I am thankful that our founders had the faith and courage to pledge to one another their lives, fortunes and sacred honor so that we could enjoy the freedom we have today.
http://www.allabouthistory.org/thanksgiving-history.htm
At the link above you can read the text of George Washington’s Oct 3, 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation and then read below it Abraham Lincoln’s Oct 3, 1863 Proclamation establishing the Last Thursday of Nov as “Thanksgiving Day”
For a great history of Thanksgiving Proclamations, see this link— http://www.hslda.org/docs/hshb/93/hshb9326.asp
It includes the history behind 5 of the first Thanksgiving Proclamations of our new nation-- the first one issued by Congress in 1777 and several others issued by Congress in the 1780s. Many people credit Lincoln with establishing this day, when, in fact, our founding fathers had been proclaiming days of Thanksgiving from the very beginning. They set aside a day of the year for all Americans to Give thanks to God. Lincoln set the current date… but our founding fathers had already been proclaiming Thanksgiving and establishing National Days of Prayer and Thanksgiving from the very beginnings of our Nation. Enjoy reading a bit of the history about Thanksgiving!
I thought it was really kind of neat that in his 1789 Proclamation George Washington set the day of thanks as Thursday, the 26th of November! Do something different at your Thanksgiving table… for the blessing, read the words of George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation as part (or all of) your blessing … I plan on making reading his proclamation a tradition at our house in some way, shape or form.
http://www.allabouthistory.org/thanksgiving-history.htm
At the link above you can read the text of George Washington’s Oct 3, 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation and then read below it Abraham Lincoln’s Oct 3, 1863 Proclamation establishing the Last Thursday of Nov as “Thanksgiving Day”
For a great history of Thanksgiving Proclamations, see this link— http://www.hslda.org/docs/hshb/93/hshb9326.asp
It includes the history behind 5 of the first Thanksgiving Proclamations of our new nation-- the first one issued by Congress in 1777 and several others issued by Congress in the 1780s. Many people credit Lincoln with establishing this day, when, in fact, our founding fathers had been proclaiming days of Thanksgiving from the very beginning. They set aside a day of the year for all Americans to Give thanks to God. Lincoln set the current date… but our founding fathers had already been proclaiming Thanksgiving and establishing National Days of Prayer and Thanksgiving from the very beginnings of our Nation. Enjoy reading a bit of the history about Thanksgiving!
I thought it was really kind of neat that in his 1789 Proclamation George Washington set the day of thanks as Thursday, the 26th of November! Do something different at your Thanksgiving table… for the blessing, read the words of George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation as part (or all of) your blessing … I plan on making reading his proclamation a tradition at our house in some way, shape or form.