Christmas Around The World

This past month it has been Christmas crazy at work. It is the most fun month for us teachers to plan. This year I decided to put some geography into my Christmas lesson plans. We talked about how Catholics/Christians celebrate Christmas around the world. We also talked about how the guy we call Santa Clause here is known by different names in other countries. It was so much fun! I would pull the world globe out and show the kids which country we would talk about that day. Throughout this month I have been really happy to hear them still saying the names of different countries... Venezuela, Ghana, Japan, France, Mexico, England, Russia, so forth and so on. They will still come up to me to hear why St. Nick is called St. Nick. Why Grandfather Frost got his name. The parents would come up to me and tell me how their child talked about Christmas in the different countries sound like fun. I felt like taking a risk with these two themes because they are a little bit more advanced than for 2 and 3 year old kids, but they rose to the challenge! The parents would come up to me and tell me how their child talked about Christmas in the different countries sound like fun.

Since I decided to teach these types of things I had to do my own research because I was curious myself. I found that the most interesting country to learn about was Japan. Apparently in Japan they do not exchange lots of gifts. They may give a few, but not a whole lot. Instead they focus on Jesus and helping out those in need. They spend their Christmas day helping at homeless shelters and food kitchens, things like that. I wonder how America would change if we focused on others instead of "what I want." It was refreshing to learn about that.

In France the Catholics fast all day long on Christmas Eve. Everyone attends Midnight Mass, and after that they go home and have a big dinner and party with close friends and family. It is interesting to me to know how different they welcome Christmas. It almost makes me want to try fasting on Christmas Eve... Keyword there is almost. I have never been that great with fasting....

Mexico sounds like a fun party. After Midnight Mass certain families choose to be "host" homes while others go around a visit each house...Kind of like how we go trick-or-treating here for halloween. As the guests go door to door there are special songs that are sung between those inside the house and those waiting to enter. They do this till early in the morning. It sounds like a huge party to me.

Since it is Summer at this time of year for Ghana they tend to do most of their festivities outside. They focus more on nativity scenes and before Midnight Mass begins there are Christmas pageants. On Christmas day there usually are barbecues and pitch-in meals, like 4th of July for us. During the night they celebrate with fireworks.

In Venezuela it is also Summer on Christmas. There they have lots of church services they attend throughout Christmas Eve. Their day tends to start of with bells ringing and firecrackers being set off. They go to nine different prayer services and they end with Midnight Mass. After Mass they all share a huge dinner feast together as a parish.

These are just a few of the countries I learned about. They all sound like a lot of fun to me!

Chrismas Movies Are The Best :)

Now that it is the week before Christmas it is time to pull out my favorite Christmas movies..."It's A Wonderful Life," "White Christmas," Home Alone movies, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "The Santa Clause," "The Muppet Christmas Carol," "The Preacher's Wife," "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," "Miracle on 34th Street, and "Little Women" are all on the "to watch" list.

There are such great messages in the classic Christmas movies... I wish the majority of the mainstream movies are still like that today, but sadly they are not.

Here are a few of the more memorable quotes from these movies....

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings, Love Clarence."
~It's A Wonderful Life~

"I know I don't deserve a Christmas, even if I did do a good deed. I don't want any presents. Instead, I want to take back every mean thing I ever said to my family. Even if they don't take back the things they said to me. I don't care. I love all of them... Including Buzz. I know it isn't possible to see them all. Could I just see my mother? I'll never want another thing as long as I live if I can just see my mother. I know I won't see her tonight, but promise me I can see her again. Sometime. Any time. Even if it's just once and only for a couple minutes. I just need to tell her I'm sorry."
~Home Alone 2~

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for behold, I bring unto you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.'"
[Linus picks up his blanket and walks back towards Charlie Brown]
That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
~A Charlie Brown Christmas~

"Seeing isn't believing. Believing is seeing."
~The Santa Clause~

"It's all right, children. Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it. "
~A Muppet Christmas Carol~

"Just because you can't see the air doesn't keep you from breathing. And just because you can't see God doesn't keep you from believing."
~The Preacher's Wife~

"I'm glad he took our presents. You can't hurt Christmas, Mr. Mayor, beacuse it isn't about the... the gifts or the contest or the fancy lights. That's what Cindy's been trying to tell everyone... and me. I don't need anything more for Christmas than this right here: my family."
~How The Grinch Stole Christmas~

"Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see? It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles."
~Miracle on 34th Street~

"If God wants me with Him, there is none who will stop Him. I don't mind."
~Little Women~

The Christmas Story Told Through Facebook

It's the Christmas story "Facebook" style. It is actually interesting. Check it out.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=58212845#!/video/video.php?v=1573735336164&oid=160636703764&comments

Living In Denial... Finals Week? What Is This Finals Week You Speak Of????

This week my town has been a winter wonder land. It started on Monday and then really hit last night. It was a nice surprise to wake-up and find out I had a snow day. The weather has kind of helped when it has come to our finals week, but my friends and I have still found random ways to post-pone our studying even with all the snow on the ground. Saturday ice skating... Monday evening we had pancakes where we ended up making snow people out of butter because we did not want to study... Tuesday, hanging-out with my sister for her 21st birthday...Wednesday some of us played out in the snow after our adoration time and made snow angels... and today we made a ginger bread house. Still finding time for studying, but putting it off as much as possible. It is strange to me how all college students seem to find the most creative things to do while procrastinating on studying. Strange, but fun too.

Procrastinating... I know there is a quote that says, "Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." Well if that's the case than I must be an expert at it! Why is it that procrastination comes so easily. Because it is a part of laziness... I don't really think about that so much as something that is a sin, but if I think of it in that way it is sort of. I mean Laziness is part of sloth which is one of the seven deadly sins. Now I am not saying that procrastination in itself is a deadly sin... just when we put things off that we need to do spiritually... Here is a little something that I read which made me think about how even though we all can lead busy lives, we can all still be lazy when it comes to our spiritual growth...

Most people think of sloth as laziness, not doing much of anything, but just sitting around doing nothing. Many people stay busy most of the time but don't do the things they should, putting them off for later. They may be staying busy so they have an excuse.
Sloth (or acedia) is a kind of spiritual laziness (as opposed to mere physical fatigue or depression). It means not making it a priority to do what we should, or change what we should in ourselves. Some people might call it apathy, which means a lack of feeling.

Some Of My Favorite 2010 Memories Caught On Film

These are a few photos from this past year off of facebook... This brought back some great memories...

From top to bottom and left to right....

1.) My K20 small group in our meeting room. I grew very fond of that room. My small group was the BEST!!!
2.) My nephew's baptism... when I became a "godmommy." :)
3.) Two of my kid's from my daycare over the Summer. Love them!
4.) Part of my K20 small group... at pancakes night for spring finals week. Miss them!
5.) Me and some of my favorite girls!
6.)Rascal Flatts concert!!! :)
7.) 4th of July with my family... waiting for the parade.
8.) Me and my sister. :)
9.) Me and two of my favorite guys at my birthday dinner! Good times!!!
10.) St. Paul's camp-out in the Spring semester.
11.) 4th of July with the little guy... waiting for the fireworks to begin.
12.) Me and Chuck Wicks.. Enough said. (those of you who have never heard of him should check out his song 'Stealing Cinderella')
13.) Confirmation I retreat just a few months ago. Good times.
14.) Thanksgiving with the family
15.) The group of people at my birthday dinner. I have some of the BEST friends in the world. :) I am a lucky girl.
16.) Two more of my favorite guy friends that I hang-out with all the time at St. Paul's.

"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" :)

Tonight I must say I finally feel as though Christmas is right around the corner... This week-end my dad, sister, nephew, and I went to pick-out our live Christmas tree. It is a family tradition we have had... to always have a live one. We usually go to the same place every year to get it too. Normally we drive out and walk around till we find the perfect one and then flag down someone to come and cut it down. This year was a little different because it was raining when we went to pick it out, so instead we chose one of the pre-cut ones in the barn. The tree farm always hands out free hot cider and hot chocolate for everyone as a thanks for buying from them.
Every year when it comes to decorating the tree I somehow end up being the one who helps my dad put the christmas lights on it. He gets very picky about his lights and I suppose that is why no one else likes to help him. He is a perfectionist and it is funny for me to watch him get all flustered... "Teresa, don't step on those lights!" "Teresa, what happened to the string of lights I just had. Why are they now all red and white!!!" "Teresa, are the lights synchronized. They have to be synchronized or it just is not going to work." The usual saying every year. It would not be the same without them though.
We then all have fun with the whole family decorating the tree. Every year my dad makes us all handmade wooden ornaments as part of our christmas stocking stuffers. I have one from every year since '89. They are precious to me. That is what the top picture is of... one of the ones my daddy made me.
After all is said and done we then have a toast with egg nog. Now I am not a huge fan of egg nog, but I will always partake in our family tradition. :)
Now that the Nativity scene is out in our front yard, and the house smells of pine because our Christmas tree is all nice and pretty I can honestly say "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." For me anyway. :)

Life Does Not Revolve Around Me

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day ("who really ought to get a job") is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day That of all the gifts you give us Lord, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity.

Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Working for God on earth doesn't pay much......but His retirement plan is out of this world.

I received this prayer from a friend of mine on facebook. It really does put things into perspective. It is interesting to me how quick we can be with people while waiting in traffic and such. We live in such a fast-paced world and I know I need to remind myself that life should not revolve around me and should not be paced to just my own needs. Everyone has their own problems and issues... just because I want things to go faster or slower does not mean that everyone else cares. In the grand scheme of things I really should take the time to say a quick prayer for the person who is annoying me by moving like a turtle or speeding like a demon. I know that might help me keep my own cool too.