Thursday, December 4, 2014

How is your Advent going so far?

I know it's still just the first week of Advent, but it's a pivotal week, no? We're gearing up, trying to stick to our Advent plans of prayer and almsgiving. It's Thursday, so the second weekend of Advent will fast be upon us, right beside the feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th (and a retained holy day of obligation in the United States even though it falls on a Monday, so make sure not to miss Mass!) All within the coming week and a half we also have the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th, Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12th and St. Lucy on December 13th. This has become one of my favorite run of feast days in the entire Church year. We should be strong in our Advent goals at this point with all of this great fodder coming up to keep us focused on the upcoming birthday of our King. So, how am I doing?


Pretty good. :) I'm enjoying the season, for sure. How is that Divine Office app for Morning and Evening Prayer working out, you ask? Well. :) I still adore the app, but I haven't been availing myself of it on a daily basis, that's for sure. I need to start afresh on this one. And if I have learned anything in my faith life as an adult, it is that if one falls off the bandwagon with a spiritual resolution, it does no good to bemoan how much of a failure we are and feel guilty. Just try again! Even if it's a special liturgical season like Advent ot Lent, and the dates for your perfectly devised resolution are now all jacked up, it matters not one whit. Just start again. So that's what I'll do.

In other avenues, I have been studiously reading my Magnificat Advent Companion reflections each day and loving them. #goldstar! I've also been making an effort to pray more during the day, squeezing in a decade of the rosary where possible and sticking to my Immaculate Conception novena prayers. I'll be planning a Christmas novena too, stay tuned to join me. :)

I have my Advent music playing daily and my Advent calendar hung up prominently. I already forgot to open the window on December 3rd, oops! So I caught up today. The issue is that I'm having a hard time reading the small text inside each window *actual pause in typing to call to schedule my yearly visit to the ophthalmologist, don't laugh!* and I need to take it off the wall to hold it closer to my face or get my glasses, and so...sometimes I forget. :) But no matter, it's lovely, and I'm all caught up.

The children are loving Advent. Both chocolate Advent calendars are being consumed eagerly and appropriately each evening because we keep them tucked out of their reach until the designated time. As for the other calendars, we have Henry earning a gold star and a glowing halo for his superlative effort and restraint. Here is his Lego Advent calendar so far:


And his paper calendar atop his dresser:

He earns an A for Advent so far. :)

And then we have Anne's Advent calendar:

That would be the floor that it's positioned on, and that would be every window forced open by tiny little fingers. :0 But it isn't fair to give her a grade because she's only three. ;-) We'll try again next year with the Anne calendar!

How has your first week of Advent been, dear reader? Do detail in the comments. :)

1 comment:

  1. Hahaha yes, I have to keep the Advent calendars out of Annamarie's reach or else they'd all be done too!

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