| Author | |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 1:21pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Elizabeth has a beautiful post on her BLOG regarding Simplicity. I think there was also an earlier thread, which I haven't found time to read, about choosing words for this new year.
On a similar note, our family has been embracing and contemplating the grace of being able to "Treasure Each Moment". We are waiting, waiting, waiting, along with our daughter and her family, for the birth of their precious twins. All throughout these expectant times our entire family has been learning the virtue of savouring the precious moments God so graciously blesses us with! My daughter and I have shared with one another how important it is to treasure each and every moment as they prepare for the babymoon days with their twins. Such times will never, ever happen again!
2008 was filled with similar lessons as we lost several family members, welcomed new ones through birth and marriage, and realized anew the incredible importance of the relationships God has given to us. As we await new life in the persons of new grandchildren, we are also seeking a deeper ability to practice the virtue of truly treasuring and savouring each moment we are allowed to share with one another on this blessed journey to Heaven!
Elizabeth's lovely idea of displaying the words we hope to focus on in our lives reminds me of a similar practice we've used in our home. We use sets of letters from old games we have gathered through the years to spell out special phrases or virtues we hope to embrace. One is an antique set, similar to older black and white dominoes. We also use several sets of letters from Upwords games. We rest the letters on old wooden Scrabble holders or the plastic versions from the Upwords sets and place them strategically throughout our home. It's amazing how much those visual reminders help bring the message home from day to day! With a home full of visual males, who like the message short and sweet, I hope and pray these little strewn phrases find their way into their hearts, minds and souls.
Thank you Elizabeth for the inspiration toward Simplicity and for the reminder to use silent, gentle preaching tools to help our families grow in virtue and grace.
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 2:13pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
What kind words! I can't take credit for the idea of "virtue in letters." Originally, it was Cheryl, who painted "PREPARE" purple for advent. I just got a little carried away with the idea.  Cheryl's letters were beautiful.
I like the Scrabble letter idea. I'm wondering what other "silent, gentle" tools there are? I do think that our environments can nurture holiness. Candles are another thing that comes to mind...
I'm looking forward to hearing about those twins!
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 2:38pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I love having my "saint people" - my holy cards - in my kitchen. I have a few on the fridge, including a pretty 8x8" tapestry of Our Lady of Lourdes, and four or five holy cards stuck onto a cabinet (neatly) - I rotate these every once in a while. I spend a great deal of time in my kitchen each day and having my saintly friends there to talk with helps me focus on the important things and cope with the frustrating things.
Candles, definitely. Children instinctively know candles are special. (My mom taught us good table manners by rewarding us with dinner by candlelight when we behaved well at dinner time.)
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 3:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I stopped back for a moment, only to find your thoughtful post Elizabeth! I need to hurry, so I can watch a computer video our boys are creating using still pictures, Christian music and printed scripture verses!
Some quick thoughts on silent, gentle tools for nurturing holiness...We keep a prayer jar (actually a tall, empty votive candle holder with a cross embossed on each side (a found treasure from Goodwill), with a smaller etched, pegged votive candle holder resting atop the taller one. Prayer intentions are placed within the taller votive jar, written on slips of paper (cut with fancy scrapbooking scissors), which we keep alongside in a glass dish with a pen, making it possible to jot down a petition as soon as a need is shared. We light the candle during family prayertimes and beseech the Lord to bless each petition within. Our children, and even friends, have been found writing their own petitions and tucking them inside! Somewhere along the way, we realized we needed another candle/jar in which to place thanksgivings for answered prayers, as well as messages of gratitude for blessings received. These two simple tools have added a rich, tangible dimension to our prayer life that was never expected when we first began the practice. After only a few short months the prayer jar is almost full and the blessing jar is growing fuller day by day!
Elizabeth, the petition jar was resting in the midst of our family, and our daughter's family, during their last visit in our home, as we prayed together the evening Sarah Anne was born! We were all so surprised and overjoyed to learn of her birth. Our lives are tied together in ways few of us can even imagine! Thank you for bringing so many souls together through 4RealLearning! May your babymoon days continue to be kissed with grace, peace, joy and simplicity that transcends all earthly life! Treasure each and every moment of these precious days!
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bookswithtea
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 3:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I want to put up a word for Lent (my "gentle" letters are on the wall next to my bed and really are working to remind me!)...but I don't want to use the word REPENT. I want a word that is easier to understand for young children, that still communicates the vision for Lent. Any ideas?
Also, I am trying to envision what else I will put on the mantle. I do have some picture books planned for Holy Week that I can display, but I need some ideas for early Lent.
I am very interested in this topic. The only other thing I do often is to tape pictures and quotes to the corners of my bathroom mirror. I switch them out a few times each year, and usually one corner has an index card with the virtues or goals I have for myself, spiritually, that year.
I wonder if there are little things we can do for the children that would help them, as well, perhaps in their bedrooms or on their bathroom mirrors???
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 3:28pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
How about "Sacrifice"?
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Bookswithtea
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 4:15pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
That might work...but I am really looking for something that means "sorrow for sin" in one word...Or maybe I should just buy enough letters to write "sorrow for sin"!
__________________
Blessings,
~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 4:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Bookswithtea wrote:
That might work...but I am really looking for something that means "sorrow for sin" in one word...Or maybe I should just buy enough letters to write "sorrow for sin"!
|
|
|
How about contrition or penitence?
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Servant2theKing
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 13 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1505
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 4:45pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Perhaps, Mea Culpa (through my fault), or for an even deeper understanding, Mea Maxima Culpa (through my most grievous fault). I've noticed our children responding even more profoundly when we use Latin phrases. Just a thought.
For a mantle, items that can be meaningful to display for Lent are a crown of thorns and very large nails (we use a very old rusty railroad spike). Thorny branches in a plain vase could serve as a reminder that the thorns represent the suffering Chrfist endured for our sins.
We have an image of Jesus Crucified, with a crown of thorns encircling the image...next to each thorn I wrote the names of various sins, in golden ink on the glass...in the bottom corner I added "My God, my God, why have I forsaken Thee? Forgive me."
BTW, the video our boys were working on today uses a song entitled, "Blessed Be Your Name", by Tree63. We placed the phrase Blessed be the Name of the Lord on a shelf as a reminder to bless His Holy Name! An interesting element of this self-directed project is that three boys were looking up Scripture verses, using a concordance, and all were quite focused on weaving together the various names of the Lord with appropriate scripture references and images that give glory to their Creator! As a spin-off we could focus on a different name of the Lord every month of the year. I love how God makes Real Learning so natural when we step out of His way!
__________________
All for Christ, our Saviour and King, servant
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 5:28pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Servant2theKing wrote:
| Perhaps, Mea Culpa (through my fault), or for an even deeper understanding, Mea Maxima Culpa (through my most grievous fault). |
|
|
Ohhh...I like this!!!
You could even add in the "physical action" of beating your chest as you walk by it. My boys seem to do best when you can add in all the senses!
Betsy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lisbet
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2706
|
| Posted: Feb 07 2009 at 5:37pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Betsy wrote:
Servant2theKing wrote:
| Perhaps, Mea Culpa (through my fault), or for an even deeper understanding, Mea Maxima Culpa (through my most grievous fault). |
|
|
Ohhh...I like this!!!
You could even add in the "physical action" of beating your chest as you walk by it. My boys seem to do best when you can add in all the senses!
Betsy |
|
|
LOVE THIS! I am so totally stealing this!
__________________
Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: "Treasure Each Moment"
