{this moment} - A Friday ritual. Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
Kate Wicker, Lisa Hendey and I are talking about Valentine's Day, love and marriage over at Faith and Family Live! today. Come join us for the podcast!
As I was reading online the other day, a quote by Sally Clarkson, author of numerous excellent books for mothers, caught my eye. She wrote, “Loving one another, as adults find out in marriage quickly enough, is a choice, not a feeling.” There was really nothing earth-shattering there. I think we can all agree that over the life of a marriage, spouses are presented, time and time again, with opportunities to choose to act with love, even when they don’t especially feel a surge of romantic emotion. Sally goes on to write, “Honor given to another is an attitude of humility and respect that is trained into a young child and practiced over many years. So, those who cultivate love and respect find it blooming more than those who leave it unattended.” Her point is that children need to be taught intentionally to behave charitably and to respond to their fellow man with the virtue of love. When they are deliberately taught to love, they do love.
When the outside is undoubtedly gray, day after day after day,
it's time to make color come alive inside.
I like to wait until midwinter for
an infusion of new color
with which to doodle,
jot,
and journal...
We can get them all broken in just before it's time to capture the glorious colors of spring.
See Ginny for a grand collection of color.
{This winter's art supplies come from Stubby Pencil Studio. I was not compensated in any way for this post. We're just getting to know them, but so far, we're pleased:-)}
We have a brand new girls' club in our mission church. The girls meet once a month to talk about virtues and craft a little, and, hopefully, grow in Godly friendships. This month, the older girls discussed the different kinds of love.
Then, they sat down to a plethora of cardstock and stamping materials and made spiritual bouquets with a Valentine theme. The bouquets were intended for the pastoral staff of the mission and for shut-ins. These girls outdid themselves.
The little girls listened to the story of St. Valentine and then talked a bit about acts of charity. Together, we memorized a Bible verse.
Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
On watercolor paper, they drew acts of charity inside hearts, using good quality colored pencils (that resist water) and crayon. Then, they colored their pictures with a watercolor wash.
They also made huge stacks of heartfelt spiritual bouquets. We had several pre-printed verses on hand for them to attach to their handmade cards. The verse reads:
I said a prayer for you today
and I know God must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart
although He spoke no words.
I prayed that He'd be near you at the start of each day,
to grant you health and blessings
and friends to share your way.
I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small,
but it was for His loving care I prayed for most of all.
On your behalf, I will offer
___a rosary
___Holy Hour
___fasting
___acts of charity
And when they were all finished, they sat and sang and enjoyed Valentine Dots.
Sweet, lovely girls.
I'm Elizabeth. I'm a happy wife and the mother of nine children. I grab grace with both hands and write to encourage myself and others to seize and nurture the joy of every day. I blog here with my daughter, Mary Beth, a wholehearted young lady on the brink of adulthood.
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