December 3: Advent Wreath

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The Advent wreath at Metanoia

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

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I'm a special little snowflake.

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

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Candles at Mission San Juan Capistrano

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

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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.

7 Quick Takes: Sad News, Grumpy Cats, and Spectacled Bears

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Some very sad news. Henry, a little Ukrainian boy adopted by the Dobrovits family in 2011, passed away yesterday after an infection developed in his back from recent surgery to put VEPTR rods in his back. He may have only lived two years but his adoption was the catalyst for a number of people to become involved with Reece’s Rainbow including the family adopting Brett. I’m so grateful for his parents taking the leap of faith to adopt him because many children have found families because of him. Leila of Orphan Report and Little Catholic Bubble wrote a beautiful piece about all of this. Please keep his family in your prayers and if you can, please go show them some love.

— 2 —

Reminder: iTunes giveaway. I wanted to remind people that the iTunes gift card giveaway is going on until Sunday at 11:59. Just donate and let me know how much — you get one entry per $5 donated. You also get one entry per mention on social media so leave me a comment and let me know that as well.

— 3 —

Rain, rain, rain, and thunder. We got slammed with one storm yesterday and we’ve got one coming in tonight and tomorrow morning that should be hit harder. We’ve got wind advisories and there are areas of northern California that could be getting 14 inches of rain… which is a huge percentage of our yearly rainfall. I usually love rain but this one has been triggering some nasty migraines.

— 4 —

A spectacled bear. Daniel’s glasses arrived last week and we finally got him to wear them full-time this week.

A spectacled bear

I didn’t know he could get any cuter… but he did.

— 5 —

Grumpy cat source. You know the meme with the cat with a sour look on its face? There is actually a site for her called The Original Grumpy Cat. She is a real cat and her human posts the Daily Grump. You can also get Christmas cards with her on them… when her human gets them reprinted for the third or fourth time. (Seriously… they’ve been swamped with orders.)

— 6 —

Daniel’s Advent calendar arrived. I’m trying to create meaningful Advent traditions with Daniel and one that I’ve had since I was old enough to remember was Advent calendars. My mom bought them for us growing up, sent them to me in college, and even sent them after I was married. I’m looking forward to opening the windows with him.

— 7 —

How did I not know about this site???? I just discovered ZooBorns.Com. This is not a good site for me to know about — I’m going to be looking at pictures of baby red pandas all night!

For more Quick Takes, visit Jen at ConversionDiary.Com.

Giving Tuesday

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In the spirit of shopping and buying and days dubbed with monikers, non-profits have dubbed today “Giving Tuesday” and invite others to make donations on behalf of others as an alternative Christmas present. I thought I’d help out with this by giving you a list of some charities I love and to whom I would give away 90% of my income if I could.

Heifer International: This is an organization that gives farm animals, trees, bees, and resources to people in impoverished places and teaches them how to make a living from them. When the animal reproduces (or the tree produces fruit), the offspring is given to another person in order to “pass on the blessing”. They enable people to be self-sufficient, pay school fees, and pay for medication.

Kiva.Org: This organization uses the principle of microlending and allows you to make loans in increments of $25 to people in 3rd world countries (and I think, parts of the US) in order to fund their businesses. When the loan is paid back, you have the option of taking the cash or re-loaning it. I’ve made 14 loans, 11 of which are paid in full. Only one person has defaulted and of the 14 loans, I’ve maybe invested $125 total which means most of it has been re-loaned a few times.

RAINN: This is an essential organization considering that 1 in 3 women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. They provide resources, phone numbers, and information for victims and most of all, they help them to know that they aren’t alone.

Reece’s Rainbow: They facilitate international adoptions for kids with Down’s Syndrome and other medical conditions. Adoption is incredibly expensive and they provide grants to help families manage it. I’m involved with them as a Guardian Angel and it has been BY FAR one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. My child Brett currently has his adoptive family in his country going through the legalities there to adopt him.

Project Linus: They provide blankets to kids in traumatic situations like children’s shelters and hospitals. I’ve made blankets for them and I was blessed enough to receive several for Daniel during his hospital stays.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: November 26, 2012

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY November 26, 2012

Outside my window… dark. It was in the 60’s today though.

I am thinking… one of my library books should be available soon.

I am thankful… for the weekend with my family and that it did not include a hospital stay for Daniel like it did last year.

In the kitchen… leftover fungus risotto.

I am wearing… faded charcoal shirt and fleece pajama bottoms.

I am creating… crocheted snowflakes and Christmas stockings.

I am going… to get my massage tomorrow.

I am wondering… when the Advent calendar I ordered for Daniel will arrive.

I am reading… nothing — just finished The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling over the long weekend.

I am hoping… Brett’s family is able to do well with all the adoption-related stuff this week and that they’re able to come home soon.

I am looking forward to… my massage.

Around the house… lots to do.

I am pondering… Christmas crocheting.

A favorite quote for today… ??To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.?? — C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

One of my favorite things… Coca-Cola even though I know it’s bad for me.

A few plans for the rest of the week: blood work and massage tomorrow, Morning Prayer on Wednesday, and Christmas crocheting throughout.

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