An Original Prayer....

A long time ago, my kids authored a new year offering. I want to put it here for posterity's sake. It is sweet, coming from the hearts of children.


My sweet, Jesus! We thank Thee for all the blessings in our lives up to this moment, especially for those of the past year. We offer the new year, for love of Thee. Please guide our steps in a greater love and understanding for Thee. We ask many blessings upon our home and family. We pray for peace and love and perseverance in grace. We beg Thee for justice in this new year. we long to be with Thee, Dear Jesus. Amen.

Hmmmm.........wonder how much I helped them. :)

~C~

Litany of the Infant Jesus

The kids and I found this beautiful litany from one of our favorite books:
A Prayerbook of Favorite Litanies compiled by Father Albert J. Herbert, SM

Litany of the Infant Jesus

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
Have mercy on us.

Infant, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.
Infant, true God, have mercy on us.
Infant, Son of the living God, have mercy on us.
Infant, Son of the Virgin Mary, have mercy on us.
Infant, strong in weakness, have mercy on us.
Infant, powerful in tenderness, have mercy on us.
Infant, Treasure of grace, have mercy on us.
Infant, Fountain of love, have mercy on us.
Infant, Renewer of the heavens, have mercy on us.
Infant, Repairer of the evils of the earth, have mercy on us.
Infant, Head of the angels, have mercy on us.
Infant, Root of the patriarchs, have mercy on us.
Infant, Speech of the prophets, have mercy on us.
Infant, Desire of the Gentiles, have mercy on us.
Infant, Joy of shepherds, have mercy on us.
Infant, Light of the Magi, have mercy on us.
Infant, Salvation of infants, have mercy on us.
Infant, Expectation of the just, have mercy on us.
Infant, Instructor of the wise, have mercy on us.
Infant, First-fruit of all saints, have mercy on us.

Be merciful,
spare us, O Infant Jesus.
Be merciful,
graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.

From the slavery of the children of Adam, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the slavery of the devil, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the evil desires of the flesh, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the malice of the world, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the pride of life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From the inordinate desire of knowing, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From blindness of spirit, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From an evil will, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
From our sins, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most pure Conception, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most humble Nativity, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy tears, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most painful Circumcision, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most glorious Epiphany, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most pious Presentation, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy most divine life, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy poverty, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy many sufferings, Infant Jesus, deliver us.
Through Thy labors and travels, Infant Jesus, deliver us.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us, O Infant Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Infant Jesus.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Jesus, Infant, hear us.
Jesus, Infant, graciously hear us.

Let Us Pray

O Lord Christ, Thou were pleased so to humble Thyself in Thine incarnate divinity and most sacred humanity as to be born in time and become a little child. Grant that we may acknowledge infinite wisdom in the silence of a child, power in weakness, and majesty in humiliation. Adoring Thy humiliations on earth, may we contemplate Thy glories in Heaven, Who with the Father and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns forever. R. Amen.


Lovely, no?

~C~

Ten Beautiful Things.....

............. I noticed today.

1. The sun rising over the snowy world........we have had the snowiest January in 40 years. The snow after the first weekend in February, in my front yard, is as tall as my shoulder, and even taller than me on one edge. I am 5'5".

2. The geese flying in a V over my head, listening to their honking.

3. The sun lighting up Black Butte, covered in snow. Black Butte is small extinct volcano. We have wonderful views of it from our property.

4. The appearance of Mt Shasta after its disappearance a week ago.......completely covered in pure, white snow.

5. The sun setting over the Eddies, lighting up the clouds, with various shades of pink and yellow. The Eddies (mountains) are the view from our backyard. We have some of the most glorious sunsets, year round.

6. The sparkle in the snow.......like jewels glistening.

7. The snow in trees.......I just love the snowy decorations on the evergreen trees.

8. A meadow completely covered in snow, except for a pond, shaped like a stream, where ducks were floating....I love this meadow, year round, passing it sometimes daily. I just love the seasonal changes, and I frequently stop, just to savor the view.

9. Christmas lights in the snow......the snow came fast and furious before most folks got their Christmas lights down. It is so fun, to drive home in the dark, with Christmas lights lighting up the snow falling, and giving colored reflections off of the fallen snow. It is especially lovely when the lights give color to an evergreen covered in snow.

10. The glow in the fire as the flames leap. We heat our house only by woodstove. A few times a week find me sitting and staring into the flames enjoying their dance....perfect for meditation, or just basic "spacing out." :)

I originally wrote this list approximately February 2nd. It takes awhile for me to actually get to the blog. Have you noticed? :)

So, I challenge YOU to look for TEN beautiful things around you, too. If you do, please post on your blog, and leave a note in my comments section so I can come see your list. If you do not have a blog, please leave a list in my comments section.

If I remember, I will try to do this at least once a season.

Enjoy the beauty......it is everywhere around us! Blessed be God!

~C~

Let it Snow 2008!

They say it was the snowiest January in 40 years. And, I guess "they" ought to know. I have put away the newspaper account with the exact amount, but I will update this when I find out. All I know is....it snowed before Christmas, about December 18th, 2007......and we have not seen the ground yet. Then it snowed good, a few feet, the week after Christmas. We left for Northern Nevada to visit on New Year's Eve. I understand it then snowed here the day after we left.......the week after we left........and the days we were supposed to be going back home, delaying our arrival by about two days. Upon our arrival home, about January 14th or so, it began to snow again.........and it snowed a lot......and then the first weekend of February came, and it snowed even more, actually cancelling the play Anne and Matthew were in at the college. Our very own Mount Shasta Ski Park had the most amount of snow at a ski resort in the nation, according to Ski Report dotcom . Our rivers and lakes will be so full this summer! Here are a few photo highlights from around Our Hearts' Haven........

The view off our front porch.....Black Butte in the background.

Another view of Black Butte, off our front deck. It is a volcano in its own right, I understand. Matthew and John G. have climbed to the top and seen our house from there.

The path behind our garage, before MORE snow came. Kids have to keep it clear. With Matthew sick, Garrett did more than he ever has in any year. Thanks, buddy!

The daytime view. Note the snow hanging overhead.

The next evening, the path is obliterated, yet again. See the overhang now!

Another angle of path and hanging snow....it is hard to tell in the photo, but
it is hanging off about six feet...and the snow on the end of the garage is about 4 feet thick, and very heavy, as Matthew is about to find out!

A close-up of the over-hang! Matthew had his first in a lifetime opportunity to shovel snow off of the garage roof. Marty was at work and stayed on the phone with us outside, making sure Matthew was safe before he went to bed for the night.

Poor Marty was unable to come home some of these nights......since so much snow was falling. He needed to be at the hotel early to plow the parking lot, so he just stayed there. Oh, and not to mention that our drive-way had a few 5 foot-tall drifts in the way. The plow did arrive the next morning....and the kids enjoyed the aftermath:

Malachy, King of the Mountain, after the first day the drive-way got plowed.

Close-up of King Malachy. After one more night of much snow and another plow job of the drive, there was an even higher hill to play on:

We wondered if this would be the last official time all six of the kids would be playing in the snow together, now aged 6yrs to 19yrs.

A close-up of the gang....from left to right, over the top:

Sarah, 14 (15 two weeks later), Matthew 17, Maddelyn 12.5, Garrett 10.8, Anne 19

and the wee fella in front, Malachy 6.

There is so much snow on the north side of the garage, the kids could climb onto the roof.........which they did and had a great time throwing snowballs from up there.

Sadie and Strider loved playing in the snow with us. They especially love chasing snowballs. Sadie had just been scolded for chasing a car.....she promptly came to the top of the hill to pout. How cute is that. She stayed like that for over five minutes.

Even I could not resist this once in forty years amount of snow! I actually climbed over the garden fence and I am sitting in the chicken run. As if the chickens will even dare to come out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&&&&&&&~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey, did I mention that it is snowing as I write this..........and that we already have about five inches? :)

Blessings,

~C~