Family Night – Page 2

Ringing in 2012

January 4, 2012 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Family Night, New Year

this was the first year that the little’s were able to stay up until midnight. I don’t know how super baby managed but he did.

Dad and I continued our New Year’s tradition. Dad holds a family session. He leads spiritual reflections. It includes a spiritual progress report and a spiritual goal setting session. Dad leads and each family member takes a turn sharing. Everyone has a chance to voice their own report, offer their gift to Jesus, and to "evaluate" one another. All ages participate. I record the responses. In the past, I have video recorded the sessions. We all love to hear and see our growth over the year.

Dad is responsible for checking in with our goals. He usually does this sporadically (throughout the year) on family nights.

This year, our tradition almost got put off. Dad and I were invited to a New Year’s Eve party. It was tempting for us since the tickets were free and we desired some adult time. After some discernment, we opted to keep our tradition of bringing in the New Year with family. We give thanks and praise to the Good Lord for leading us home. We trust that He is calling us, now more than ever, to resign more fully to our home and family. We pray that we will be given the graces, this year, to see what other activities are hindering us in fully preparing our family for His call, and that we move promptly to become right ordered.

"How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me?" (Ps. 116:12)

~~~

In addition to New Year’s Family session, Dad has started a new tradition—tamale making. He grew up making tamales in his home every Christmas. He’s only made them once on his own. He and my dad rallied together. It was a day full of family fun in the kitchen. Grandma, Nana & Papa, aunts and uncles, and cousins all pitched a hand. We made over 30 dozen pork, chicken, and green chili and cheese tamales. Craziness is what it was.

2012 Family Saints

December 30, 2011 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: Family Night, Patron Saint

We spent the day preparing for 2012. Dad selected our family’s patron saint for 2012. We each desired to have an additional patron saint for 2012. We used the Saint’s Name Generator.
Here are our patron saints for 2012:

Family – St. Valentine of Rome
Dad – St. Joan of Arc
Mom – St. Mary Magdelen de Pazzi
Rose – St. Pascal Baylon
Sparkles – St. Margaret Clitherow
Sweetie – St. Gemma Galgani

Only those who receive or will receive Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist, selected a patron saint for the year. The boys will focus on growing in devotion to their namesakes.

Family Patron Saints from 2010 and 2011.

The Rosary ~ A Family Devotion

October 5, 2010 by Lena {JOYfilledfamily} Filed Under: 40 Days for Life, Family Night, Rosary

“Cling to the Rosary as the creeper clings to the tree – for without Our Lady we cannot stand.” ~ Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

I’m joining the Rosary Link Up hosted by Lacy from Catholic Icing. Here are a few examples of the ways that we pray and share the Rosary.
Praying the Rosary for the Unborn

During the month of October we join the 40 Days for Life campaign and pray the Rosary at the local abortion mill. This devotion is addition to our daily family Rosary.

Rosary Matching Game

Here is the link to download/print.

I created a Rosary matching game to help Sparkles prepare for her First Holy Communion. The idea came from Jessica at Shower of Roses, of course. The children love the game and continue to use it.
The cards also help them to meditate on the mysteries while praying the Rosary. They’re especially helpful for Papi. We have sets everywhere; baby bag, church bag, family altar, rosary rack….
I laminate the cards, hole punch them and hold them together with key rings. I have also used ribbon to keep the cards together.

Video & Audio
Here is a list of a few of our go-to sources.
We occasionally use video of the Rosary to help the children us better meditate on the mysteries of the rosary.
The Traditional Latin Rosary video by Pro-Multis is our favorite. We actually own all their children’s videos. They’re traditional, beautiful and informative! Here is a clip of the rosary video.
My husband (when not playing Gregorian Chant), will often play this video during our school day. The children are always drawn to it. They will sneak away during the school day to pray along. Usually we find them prostrating and praying. Other times, it’s just an ejaculation as they walk by. Sometimes, it’s even praying along in the school room as they work – Ora et Labora!

The children also like to pray along with Mother Angelica and Sisters on EWTN. We join in for the 6:30pm PST broadcast. We do not have TV or cable connection so we watch it via internet from here.

We sometimes catch the Rosary for Kids on EWTN during their kids hour from (12:45) 1-2 (2:15)pm PST. The show/video is just the right length for Papi (3 year old boy). The Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be are recited after each mystery is explained.

There is also the downloadable audio rosary from Rosary Army. You can listen to the links directly from the computer or download the mp-3 files to take on the go.

Additional Audio Rosary Links:

Rosary with Mother Angelica and the Nuns at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery – Audio
Online Interactive Rosary – Click, view, pray, and listen. English and Latin offered.
Scriptural Rosary With Mother Teresa – Beautiful Images
- Joyful Mysteries Sorrowful Glorious

Rosary Storage

We store our family rosaries on a Rosary Rack. The Rosary Rack is actually a picture/key holder wall shelf. I found it on clearance and repurposed it.
The Rosary Rack is located in the school room/former dining room. This is a central room in our home. The rosaries are visible from the front door to all who enter.

My husband and I try to carry a rosary with us at all times. We encourage the children to do the same. We attempt to pray the rosary when out and about so that we never remain idle.
It also helps us not to get taken in by the temptations around us. For example, in the dentist’s waiting room there are numerous magazines with inappropriate covers and now they’ve even added a television. Praying the rosary helps us keep custody of our senses when we can not physically remove ourselves from the presence of temptations.
Our children have also become accustomed to using what they have on hand to pray the rosary. The girls and I often use our Marian/Saint bracelets. They even know how to use their God-given rosary, their fingers.

Sharing the Devotion
In addition to praying the rosary in public, we give rosaries away. We generally use and purchase inexpensive plastic rosaries. We keep extras in the car. A rosary and prayer card is almost always given to someone on the street in need. Sometimes this is in addition to a meal or small offering.
We have also taken the children to pray the rosary with the elderly and sick in nursing homes. The residents are always filled with gratitude and joy.