The challenge today was a picture of someone sharing their faith. The obvious choice: my extroverted husband the pastor. This picture is Jon at the local library helping with the town’s community service day with a couple of his Confirmation kids.
Category Archives: Occupying Advent
December 4: My Favorite Cross
My task today was to show my favorite Cross. The obvious answer is “the one Jesus died on” but I don’t happen to have any relics of the True Cross on hand, so we’ll go with this one. 🙂
The Irish-American in me is partial to Celtic crosses and this is one that I picked up at the Tapestry and Talent street fair in 1996. My mom gave me the chain and I think it’s been one of the few of mine that hasn’t broken. (I’m vicious on chains.) I love it because of the intricate knotwork on it that includes flowers.
December 3: Advent Wreath
The task for today is the Advent wreath. As we don’t have one at home (3 year old + fire is not a good thing), I bugged Jon to get a picture of the one at Metanoia (his parish) for me. It’s a pretty one.
For those who don’t know, the wreath is part of Christian tradition. There are 4 candles (3 blue/purple and 1 rose) and the center white candle is the Christ candle. You light a blue/purple candle on the first two Sundays, the rose one on the 3rd Sunday, the last blue/purple candle on the last Sunday (closest to Christmas Eve) and the white candle in the middle on Christmas.
December 2: Something I Made
Beth Anne’s task for today is something I made. In the spirit of winter and Advent, I decided to use a picture of my latest crocheting project for this. We have an ornament exchange at my church’s Ladies’ Night Out this month and rather than support the economy of a repressive regime with forced abortions and human rights abuses China, I decided to make a couple crocheted snowflakes and get some pretty ribbon to use to hang them. I’m heading to JoAnn Fabrics tomorrow to get the ribbon and some spray starch to see if I can get them to flatten out.
I’m also a bit worried that one of my “special” people at the church is going to criticize my snowflakes if she gets them because she’s a bit of a drama queen that way. Still… it’s the thought that counts and I also wanted something that’s different from something everyone else is going to have.
OK… this isn’t faith-related but it has to do with ethics?
December 1: Light
I took this in June of 2010 when we were at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Jon had supply-preached at the church his great-grandfather founded in San Diego and as a Father’s Day treat, we stopped at the Mission on the way back to Pomona. The middle two candles are the ones I lit. One was for my father-in-law who had been diagnosed with cancer 4 months earlier and the other was for a job because we were living off of supply-preaching jobs and funeral honorariums. I didn’t get the job but God sustained us during that time and Jon eventually got a call to the church where we are now.
Occupying Advent
Advent starts in a few days and I’ve decided to do some faith blogging as an Advent discipline. It’s a penitential season of sorts but it’s all about waiting and anticipating as well. Since our commercial celebration of Christmas in this country turns me into the Grinch, I’m hoping that doing this will temper that a bit.
My friend Beth Anne has a photo contest going and I think I’ll probably do that and blog about the pictures I post. It should at least focus me on something other than grumping every time a secular Christmas song comes on when I’m at the store.
The Simple Woman’s Daybook: December 12, 2011
FOR TODAY December 12, 2011
Outside my window… dark. I need to do this before 11 p.m. 😉
I am thinking… that Castleville is an an addicting Facebook game.
I am thankful… for two episodes of Hart of Dixie tonight even if they weren’t the two best ones.
In the kitchen… anything I can microwave.
I am wearing… blue maternity shirt and black sweats.
I am creating… Christmas card labels.
I am going… to have a park date with Daniel and S (his physical therapist) tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.
I am wondering… why I have a headache.
I am reading… The Magicians by Lev Grossman. It’s magic/fantasy and it’s keeping my attention though I could probably take/leave it. I have the new Margaret Maron from the library as well.
I am hoping… the cough reflex will please die down so I can stop feeling like I’m about to have an asthma attack.
I am looking forward to… the Golden Bough concert this weekend with my Dad.
I am hearing… the 11:00 news and the furnace.
Around the house… *whistles innocently*
I am pondering… many things in my heart.
One of my favorite things… the Jacquie Lawson Advent calendar given to me by my mother-in-law.
A few plans for the rest of the week… physical therapy tomorrow, peds appointment on Wednesday, therapies on Thursday, San Jose on Friday, and Golden Bough on Saturday.
Hosted by The Simple Woman’s Daybook