Living Without School: Our dinner table.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Our dinner table.

Last night, we all sat down to dinner together. At home. To a home cooked meal. Early, to fit in attendance at our parish's Advent programme.

We lit the candles on our Advent wreath.

We read the next slip of paper on our Advent calendar - St Lucy; sing carols.

Thomas and Anthony chose a carol each for us to sing.

Then followed discussion.

How was everyone doing with their Advent reading? We shared the highlights to date of our reading - two of us are reading some of C. S. Lewis . We discussed some of his books, his life, his friendship with Tolkien, his marriage. His description of Christianity in the book Mere Christianity.

Our discussion moved onto Advent and penance. How were we doing with our Advent work, working on our behaviour?

A couple of us have blown it and took heart in the fact that Advent is not yet over and we still have time to work on our areas of concern.

I was one of these. I am resolving not to raise my voice wth my children during Advent. As my boys pointed out last night, my version of raising my voice is probably the normal way that many mothers speak all the tme - the boys hardly consider it a raised voice at all.

But I do. When I am stressed or busy I do speak sterner and in a harsher voice. It is this I want to stop.

Rejoice! Advent is not over and neither are our good works!

Our final discussion was on boy/girl relationships. This was meant specifically for the teens, due to recent issues. However, it was important for the younger ones to also be included in the discussion - they will have to face similar issues one day. How do we approach our relationships as Catholics? What about physical issues and avoiding temptation? Why? What are the principles involved?

Wow, all this while eating.

Multi tasking indeed.

4 comments:

Ladybug Mommy Maria said...: These conversations are so important and I love that it happened during a dinner together!

That's the best!; 3:47 pm
Leonie said...: Yeah, the discussions were good - and always flow better over food - even my cooking! lol!; 8:12 pm
Anonymous said...: Leonie, this is fabulous!; 1:14 am
Leonie said...: Thanx Jennifer - so important to talk about these thigns as they grow. :-); 2:44 pm

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.