Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Holy Week 2011
In addition to this past week being vacation time for both hubby and the girls, it was also Holy Week. This is both a busy and wonderful time of the year (and the church year) for us. Since my hubby is the deacon at church, this means we are always a little extra involved by arriving early, helping to set up, etc. Here are some of the highlights.
Maundy Thursday - We try to attend all the services as a family during Holy Week, but different ages are very challenging for successful church attendance at night-time services. So, my hubby and #1 went to the service (the highlight of which is the footwashing) and the rest of us stayed home. It is difficult to manage a tired and grumpy baby, 2-year-old, 4-year-old, and sometimes even 6-year-old at bedtime when they are required to sit still, be quiet, and participate in the liturgy at that time of night. Soon enough, though, they'll all be a bit older (sigh!) and this won't present as much of a challenge.
Good Friday - Leisurely morning, taking care of plants and gardens. Leaving home by 10:30-10:45ish for the noon service. Solemn, but lovely service where all has been stripped bare inside the building to remind us of all Christ has sacrificed in His death. Girls all cooperate and sit through the whole service including the veneration of the cross. We jet down to IKEA (make that poke along in a mid-day traffic jam) and look at cabinets. Back home later for a nice evening in.
Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) - We know we have to be to church early and that the service starts at 6:00 p.m., but decided to go back to IKEA to actually purchase cabinetry. All proceeds as planned until the order is paid for and we are informed that it will not be ready for 1 1/2 hours. Then, we are unsure of how to proceed and go back to the van in the process, where low-and-behold, I have accidentally left open a van door the entire 3 hours in one of the busiest shopping areas in San Diego. Hubby is horrified, I about have a heart attack, and it turns out nothing is missing (including the vehicle itself), not even the Netbook. I think an angel was guarding it the entire time. So, I book it for home with the kids, we change in 30 minutes and drive back to church (probably 1 1/2 hours driving just for those 2 legs of the trip). My hubby waits for the IKEA stuff, picks it up, and goes straight to church. Once again, the Lord is watching over us and all the cabinets in the truck stay put. The Easter Vigil service is wonderful - my favorite of the year; I feel like I am getting a head start on Easter morning by celebrating the Resurrection at the beginning of the Jewish day (after the sun has gone down). It is glorious to return to saying "Hallelujah" after the absence of them during Lent.
Easter Sunday - Wonderful church service, fun in Children's Church with the kids (doing the craft prepared by moi at 12:30 a.m.). Food, fun, and fellowship afterwards while watching the kids hunt for Easter eggs. Lunch at home later in the afternoon with family; such a blessing to have them close and be able to spend time together. I prepared potatoes au gratin with heavy whole cream and gruyere cheese, my first time and they turned out delicious (if I do say so myself), a real winner with the ham.
Easter, what a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our salvation, forgiveness, new life, and new beginnings (every day) in Jesus! Happy Easter!
Maundy Thursday - We try to attend all the services as a family during Holy Week, but different ages are very challenging for successful church attendance at night-time services. So, my hubby and #1 went to the service (the highlight of which is the footwashing) and the rest of us stayed home. It is difficult to manage a tired and grumpy baby, 2-year-old, 4-year-old, and sometimes even 6-year-old at bedtime when they are required to sit still, be quiet, and participate in the liturgy at that time of night. Soon enough, though, they'll all be a bit older (sigh!) and this won't present as much of a challenge.
Good Friday - Leisurely morning, taking care of plants and gardens. Leaving home by 10:30-10:45ish for the noon service. Solemn, but lovely service where all has been stripped bare inside the building to remind us of all Christ has sacrificed in His death. Girls all cooperate and sit through the whole service including the veneration of the cross. We jet down to IKEA (make that poke along in a mid-day traffic jam) and look at cabinets. Back home later for a nice evening in.
Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil) - We know we have to be to church early and that the service starts at 6:00 p.m., but decided to go back to IKEA to actually purchase cabinetry. All proceeds as planned until the order is paid for and we are informed that it will not be ready for 1 1/2 hours. Then, we are unsure of how to proceed and go back to the van in the process, where low-and-behold, I have accidentally left open a van door the entire 3 hours in one of the busiest shopping areas in San Diego. Hubby is horrified, I about have a heart attack, and it turns out nothing is missing (including the vehicle itself), not even the Netbook. I think an angel was guarding it the entire time. So, I book it for home with the kids, we change in 30 minutes and drive back to church (probably 1 1/2 hours driving just for those 2 legs of the trip). My hubby waits for the IKEA stuff, picks it up, and goes straight to church. Once again, the Lord is watching over us and all the cabinets in the truck stay put. The Easter Vigil service is wonderful - my favorite of the year; I feel like I am getting a head start on Easter morning by celebrating the Resurrection at the beginning of the Jewish day (after the sun has gone down). It is glorious to return to saying "Hallelujah" after the absence of them during Lent.
Easter Sunday - Wonderful church service, fun in Children's Church with the kids (doing the craft prepared by moi at 12:30 a.m.). Food, fun, and fellowship afterwards while watching the kids hunt for Easter eggs. Lunch at home later in the afternoon with family; such a blessing to have them close and be able to spend time together. I prepared potatoes au gratin with heavy whole cream and gruyere cheese, my first time and they turned out delicious (if I do say so myself), a real winner with the ham.
Easter, what a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our salvation, forgiveness, new life, and new beginnings (every day) in Jesus! Happy Easter!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Almost Lent . . .
. . . and this year, I feel it is coming not a moment too soon! The liturgical calendar of the year is so good as it divides up our year, not just by months, but in relation to the life of Christ and the life of the Church. Easter is so joyful, Advent is a time of much anticipation, Christmas is a time of much excitement, ordinary times remind us that much of life is ordinary and that is good, too. Lent, on the other hand is a time for reflection on repentance (although we should be repenting all year long) and the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross.
The last few weeks have been a bit frustrating for me as a mom. I've always noticed with my kids that attitudes, emotions, and growth seem to go in cycles, and at the moment we seem to be in a cycle of struggles. Of course, struggle brings growth and increased maturity which is positive in the end, but this doesn't take away from the fact that I've been up to my ears in arguing, complaining, back-talking, fighting between siblings, ungrateful attitudes, and a general expectation that one is entitled to all sorts of things in life.
So, it is with a grateful heart that I anticipate Ash Wednesday this week and the beginning of Lent. I am talking to the girls about it and am taking it as an opportunity for us all to hit the "restart" button on ourselves. I pray we can have repentance, increased humility, love for one another, and a general attitude of gratefulness (and not just the girls, but me included right at the top of the list).
In the Orthodox tradition, the Jesus prayer is said by many as a means to concentrate on one's inner life and this seems especially relevant for Lent. "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
The last few weeks have been a bit frustrating for me as a mom. I've always noticed with my kids that attitudes, emotions, and growth seem to go in cycles, and at the moment we seem to be in a cycle of struggles. Of course, struggle brings growth and increased maturity which is positive in the end, but this doesn't take away from the fact that I've been up to my ears in arguing, complaining, back-talking, fighting between siblings, ungrateful attitudes, and a general expectation that one is entitled to all sorts of things in life.
So, it is with a grateful heart that I anticipate Ash Wednesday this week and the beginning of Lent. I am talking to the girls about it and am taking it as an opportunity for us all to hit the "restart" button on ourselves. I pray we can have repentance, increased humility, love for one another, and a general attitude of gratefulness (and not just the girls, but me included right at the top of the list).
In the Orthodox tradition, the Jesus prayer is said by many as a means to concentrate on one's inner life and this seems especially relevant for Lent. "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
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