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Showing posts from December, 2008

Jingle Cats What Child is This

Just for fun

Why You Should Be Catholic

Why I became Catholic

This echoes some of my own thoughts

What Every Catholic Needs to Know About Hell

O Come O Come Emmanuel

Keep the Mass in Christmas

I picked up on this phrase from a fellow blogger: http://gkupsidedown.blogspot.com/ I think it is so much more apt than the one 'Keep Christ in Christmas' that is on some posters - and fridge magnets no doubt - at the Christian book shops. Perhaps as a Catholic convert from the evangelicals it says more about what catholicism means to me - the heart of my faith. Another blogger also has some good thoughts on 'what she loves about being a Catholic' - catch up on some of these here: http://catholicprodigaldaughter.blogspot.com/ which include all the sacraments and echo some of my own thoughts on the richness of the Catholic faith. At this time of year, that richness is self evident with the wealth of readings and reflections and traditions available for reflection on the Advent season and the coming of Christ. Even the O antiphons can be used for reflection on the nature of Christ. The O Antiphons are used at daily prayer in the evenings in the last week of Advent. Each

What I am reading.

Mother Teresa's Secret Fire by Jospeh Langford - The Encounter that Changed Her Life and How It Can Transform Your Own. Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, 200 Noll Plaza, Huntingdon, IN 46750. Book Review to follow - hoping for some time to read this over the Christmas period.

O Come O Come Emmanuel

Wednesday 17th December

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Had a surreal start to my working day in the parish as the bus was empty when it pulled up and the driver was dressed as Father Christmas. As I got on it felt like I was about to go on a "Scrooged" experience and return to Christmas past, present or future! Still it did brighten the start of the day up and apparently my daughter had the same driver on her way home. Managed to get a bit of Christmas shopping after work and so to brave the post office queues tomorrow and help my grandson choose a present for his mum and dad.

Happy Birthday Emma - 23!

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I can't believe I have a daughter who is 23! She has a good heart for people. Happy Birthday Emma! Hope you have a great 2009!

Third Sunday in Advent

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I can't believe it's nearly Christmas. I seem so unprepared. My grandson knew we were going to light the pink candle today. And now we are one week nearer. Christmas is a busy time in the Church and as I am helping out in the parish office there is plenty to do! I still haven't got a tree yet. I didn't put up the usual artificial one (which we started using after one year we had a disaster with the tree ending up bare and surrounded by needles) in favour of a more traditional christmas and the smell of pine through the house. We have a Christmas party invite for tomorrow night so that should get the Christmas mood going again. We also took my grandson to a Christingle service this afternoon which was a lovely time for him and a nice time for reflection for the children. There was a beautifully lit Christmas tree in the church and it was also the church I got married in nearly 26 years ago.

Second Week of Advent

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Well we are into the second week of advent - even less time this week for reflections so far. Have been to my sisters for the weekend and had a lovely Christmas party with family and friends and dancing the night away followed by a morning walk around the garden centre to inspect Christmas trees and decorations. I bought some baubles and a few nic-nacs but left them behind - so now my poor sister has to post them. Unfortunately she can't post the bottle of wine I also left behind which we won at the Christmas raffle - oh well there is always next year. I have some decorations up including the Holy Family in the fireplace and the advent wreath and candles but the other half are littering the house waiting for a sudden spurt of energy which hopefully I will have at the weekend when we go to get the Christmas tree. This year we are opting for a Nordman Fir so I hope it keeps its needles longer than one we had one year when the whole tree had to be stripped and replaced with a new tree

The First Week Of Advent

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The host webpage is http://uk.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTf2oLWjhJBNEAWRNWBQx./SIG=12cucdf3l/EXP=1228516235/**http%3A//www.mph.org/leader/Archives/Advent04/Advent04.htm for the picture below (in its original context) I love the purple vestments and the lighting of the first candle to signify the start of this special season. A time for reflection on our relationship with God and Jesus and where we are at this time in our spiritual lives. It's harder than I thought to set time aside for reflection on the scriptures and so many things push for our attention. There are lots of helpful booklets with reflections for us to meditate on at this time. Maybe it is a time for setting aside some of those things that crowd for our attention - the television, the computer, that unread book and spend some time in reflection. Our Church has been making the annual Advent wreath as a start to the Advent season. And there are a series of reflections and prayers for the season to help people take time ou