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Advent: Practicing Presence VS Presents
Dear Holly,
Thank you again for this wonderful website! I frequent it almost daily and my heart and soul are always fed with a word or a call to choose "the better part of our vocation as wives and mothers."
As Advent comes soon I have decided as I have learned in a Mother's Rule of Life to plan for the priorities of this season and have a conscious Christmas with Christ as the center. To think before the holidays capture me and I get lost in a commercial wonderland of stuff! My family and I are beginning the season by each day naming "what gift today will you give to baby Jesus?" Beginning our day with an intention of giving a grace or mercy or a help to another all in the name of our precious Lord! I believe by this one small shift in our hearts and our minds the season will be full of Presence vs. Presents. Oh and on that not I believe that in order to give more of my self to others I must immerse myself in our Lord and I am going to begin this season with the sacrament of Reconcilliation so our Lord can use me Fully to further his kingdom during this time.
Thank you again for making it plain to see in order to be intentional with all our gifts we must plan these priorities our hearts long for and use a rule to guide our lives, it makes all the difference.
Labels: Miscellaneous
posted by Holly at 7:23 PM
3 Comments:
First off, let me say 'thank you' to all the women who write to me offering thanks and prayers and who don't get 'posted' to this site. Your letters are very encouraging to me and your prayers are necessary.
This email I found truly inspiring - especially about 'presence vs presents' and the remembrance of making 'intentional' all that we wish to see happen in our relationship with God and our family.
As Advent draws near this weekend, perhaps we can set aside a little time to ponder how we are going to make smooth the mountains so that the Lord can reach our hearts this Christmas in a special way. Or better, ask Jesus to show us what HE would like us to do.
And if any other Moms have any particular ways they 'celebrate' Advent or 'prepare' for the Lord, please share it with us here. Your input is very welcome.
Blessings
Holly
Dear Holly, I am a mother of 6 children ages 13-3. Our children are immersed in a culture of "I wants,must haves and intant gratification" We also have very generous relatives. It is important for my husband to be generous with our children. It gives him much joy having a tree full with gifts Christmas morning. I did not grow up with the indulgence aspect of Christmas. I find this disturbing but realize the importance of my husband's feelings. Financially, this is not much of a burden for us. As the "heart" of my family and working on obedience towards my dear spouse, I have decided to focus on the spirituality of preparing our "hearts as a crib for the infant Jesus" Christmas morning. During Advent, our morning prayers will be with this focus. Our Rosary will be offered for the preparation of our hearts. I will ask each child something they can practice that day for Jesus. At dinner, we will have a crib in the center of our advent wreath. If the children feel they worked on the virtue mentioned, they will place a piece of "straw" in the crib. I hope with this practice will help keep their eyes fixed on Jesus vs santa and the "gimmies". Blessings. Alli in Pennsylvnia
Thank you Alli - this sounds good.
I am also trying to figure out a 'service' idea for Advent - we have discussed as a family reducing presents and sharing remaining money then with some of Africa's AIDs orphans... Still pondering.
But yes, I too am looking at refocusing 'gimmies' which, even without Santa, can take over a bit. I too am experiencing an uncomfortableness this year with too much stuff (even tho we do not consider ourselves rich, it seems by the time we buy presents, and grandparents do and cousins and friends of the family send some - well, it can be a pile.) Not trying to be ungrateful, but stuff can take over...
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