Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

 

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Memory Eternal Fr. Gordon Thomas Walker

4H Wildlife Competition

The past year the kids have delved into the 4H Wildlife/Forestry/Fishery Project.  It was the first year for our county to have a senior Wildlife team, and the crocodile hunter was in his element.  I am amazed by what they had to learn - the ability to identify 45 species of animals from their skulls/pelts/calls, answer questions concerning the habitat and life of these animals, determine wildlife management practices to manage a piece of land for certain species, and finally - with a team of 4 create a plan to manage a specific piece of property (several acres which they must explore on their own) for 5 to 6 species - writing a two page management plan detailing their recommendations.  They must then each defend that plan orally before wildlife resource management agents.

Dr. Harper teaching the kids about sericea lespedeza

We have spent many hours over the past year studying pelts, learning the differences between a raccoon skull and a red fox skull, discerning the difference between the many sparrows by feather and call!  We trudged through forests and wetlands, we practiced scenarios for management.  The result was our team of high schoolers went to the regional competition and competed against teams who have years of experience - and we managed to squeak in to qualify for state!  

So, off to the state competition where I learned that my bladder can go 7 hours without a bathroom and I became very comfortable with the presence of timber rattlesnakes!

And while they didn't win state, our group of kids managed to place 6th among 11 teams who have all been doing this for 3-5 years!  We are incredibly proud of them, and look forward to seeing how they do next year.

headed out to evaluate the land a create a management plan

walking!!!!

our sweet little one - he has mild hypotonia/muscle weakness (which the little princess also suffered from) which results in delays in gross motor skills as well as contributed to his visit to the hospital last fall.  So it is with great joy that we get to see him taking his first steps as he nears his second birthday!

Formation

After a year in the discernment process, I received my letter of recognition as a formation leader for Level I of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd last December!  I have been anxiously awaiting my copy of the formation leaders handbook which was under revision.  It is finally in my hands  :)  I am excited to continue this journey of spiritual formation now with the new opportunity to help show other adults the joys of working with children in the Catechesis.

CGS Formation Leader Retreat

On retreat in Atlanta this week with fellow catechists and formation leaders

 exploring and contemplating the experience of the 6-9 year old child in the atrium,

 and experiencing the endless gifts of God...

Great Backyard Bird Count

Well, the promise of snow yielded to the always dreaded ice, and so all of our extra-curricular lessons for Monday (violin, piano, karate) were cancelled.  The kids made a valiant effort to sled in the ice, with rain coming down in spite of temperatures in the teens.  Gloves, hats and scarves are all now hanging in front of the fire place to dry while we watch all of our evergreens slowly stoop and bow to the earth under the weight of freezing rain turning to ice heavy on their branches.  We are thankful to have power, since thousands in our area do not.  On a positive note, the kids are all participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count this year, and their observations today have been quite varied and exciting.  So far, they have spotted more than a dozen species visiting our feeders, and the bird count is in the hundreds!

A special visitor

This Sunday we had a special visitor to our atrium.

 Jane G. Meyer was in town and visited our parish, and graciously offered to read to our children.

The children loved getting to interact with her, and were amazed to have the author of many well treasured books take the time to read and pray with them.

What a beautiful moment!  The Level 3 children had just received the presentation of the Story of a Bread, which traces the path of the wheat seed to its ultimate fulfillment as the Body of Christ.  The children set the prayer table with the wheat, and we brought in a loaf of prosphora.  One child brought the rising leaven work to the table, and then added the grains of wheat from the parable shelf as well, and excitedly pointed out that we had all the stages of the bread!  Then we settled in to enjoy a reading of The Woman and the Wheat by the author.

Preparing candles for the feast

 This year we gathered with friends and made candles and candle holders for the feast of the Meeting of our Lord in the temple.

We dipped balloons in beeswax (I finally bought a small inexpensive crock pot to dedicate to beeswax, well worth it!)

 The result was these beautiful beeswax lanterns!  I think this is one of my favorite pinterest successes ever!  They glow with such warmth and light when we burn a tea light in them.

The kids cut out tissue paper and mod-podged them onto glass votives.

We rolled sheets of beeswax for candles, and used these wax sheets to cut out designs and decorate small candles.

Finally we feasted on candle cookies, fresh bread and homemade butter (in honor of St. Brigid)

A Trio of Joyous Moments

For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people.

A light, to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people, Israel

I love that the darkest, coldest time of year for us is also the time we celebrate the first coming of the Light!  Bundled up against the cold, we packed up our basket of candles and gathered to celebrate the moment when old and new first met, when Simeon after so many years of waiting at last held the promised Messiah in his arms and prayed those beautiful words we sing at each Vespers service.

As we celebrated the Divine Liturgy, how exciting it was as well to see the Triodion laying at the foot of the icon of Christ, the gentle reminder that our journey has already begun once again, that we are in preparation for the marathon.  Even as we complete the celebration of His birth, the church already strains forward to the moment when the Light destroys all darkness.    

Our candles are home, ready to offer light in the dark days and evenings, to remind us of the one true Light.

And blessed moment to complete this day, Simeon held the Light in his arms today, and I held my new goddaughter in my arms.  What a beautiful day to enter into the world little one, I look forward to watching you grow!

Blessed Feast of St. Brigid

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Brigid of Ireland

 Which means time to clean out the pantry!

 Empty shelves, washed clean

Jars washed, staples re-stocked, everything organized and ready for Great Lent

Hope you had a blessed feast day!

Blessing of the Waters

Our family has still been battling illness, with at least one person sick since Christmas, so not all of us were able to attend Theophany Liturgy last evening, but we all managed to make it today for the outdoor blessing of the waters.  

Sunny and 38 degrees, not as bad as some years, but only four brave souls (and a priest!) decided to enter the waters.  

A pair of sisters and a pair of brothers, who also happen to be cousins!

This girl decided to stay out of the water!

Little brother looks on as two of his big sisters go in

the little princess was successful

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

From our family to yours, may you find joy in the season of the Nativity, and may your coming year be full of the grace and love of our Lord and Savior.

(photo courtesy Eilas Photography)