Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Keep the LOVE in Lent

"I’m participating in the Keeping LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013, hosted by
Raising (& Teaching) Little Saints, Truly Rich Mom and Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families. We'll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE. Please scroll down to the end of the post to see the list of link-up entries.”
 
 
The kids weren't able to join their homeschool buddies for the Valentine's celebration because, falling on Ash Wednesday, we wanted to spend the day together as a family. Instead, we worked the Monday and Tuesday of that week, 
 
peeling doilies apart
 
gluing on scripture verses, cutting out and making these cool paper roses.
(there a lots of templates on the web - here is one Paper Rose Template )

 
The finished product! 

 
We were so pleased with the results, we got up early on Valentine's Day, went to 8 AM Mass as a family, and randomly handed out the finished valentines to the people who were in attendance.
 
Who knew how such a small gesture would effect so many people. There were many smiles and meaningful conversations (as meaningful as can be had with five kids under 8 years old). It was a fantastic exercise in putting others first (not worrying about "how many valentines I will receive") and showing the love of Christ to those around you.
 
In the car that afternoon, I asked my eldest what she thought of the exercise. "It was great mom...I think it's definitely another family tradition in the making!"

What are your family traditions with little people? What do you enjoy, as a family, that brings you closer to Christ during the Lenten season?
 
Wishing you a blessed, peaceful, love-filled Lent.

Check out the Lent reflections participating in the Keep LOVE in LENT Blog Link-Up 2013! We'll be sharing different ways, tips, stories and real-life experiences that will help us focus on Lenten sacrifices, prayer and good deeds, and how to carry them out with LOVE instead of a GRUMBLE.
Discover new Catholic Blogs to follow!

Building Rocks(pending)

23 comments:

  1. How sweet... those turned out great! We made some of our own valentines on Thursday-- the kids got a real kick out of pulling apart the doilies :)

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  2. That is SO CUTE. I absolutely love the idea of handing out Valentine's at mass. I am definitely putting that one in the books. I'm sure all the people there appreciated the gesture and were uplifted. Thank you!

    http://loveletters710.com

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  3. I LOVE the idea of handing out valentines to people at Mass!!!! How marvelous.

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  4. What a lovely idea! We felt fortunate to be part of a homeschool group with a similar worldview, so we exchanged Valentines and candy on the Friday before Ash Wednesday. But we'll have to do this after Mass next St. Valentine's Day.

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  5. Hi Mamaroc, I've come over from the Keep Love in Lent linkup to say hi! Your St. Valentine craft is incredibly thoughtful. Could even bring a bunch to a nursing home or veteran's hospital. Adding the scripture is the ideal way to show God's love for his children! I had my first graders make a St. Valentine Love Banner and we placed a picture of St. valentine in a red heart shape doilie, then used pink and purple covered hearts, with scripture verses on love, on both sides of it. I instructed them to read one verse per day and think about God's love for them and His call for them to love others.

    I'm looking forward to see more of your posts! Especially if they're liturgical crafts. God bless you during your Lenten Journey!

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  6. This is a good idea. A great way to randomly make people smile. A small gesture with great impact. Thanks for sharing. :)

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  7. What a beautiful tradition to start, and one that truly embraces the REAL meaning of Valentine's Day. Your children and their kind gesture must have been such a wonderful unexpected blessing that morning.

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  8. Love when kids have those reactions! This is our first Lent where we have kids and can make traditions with them. So, it is a work in progress. Being so young, I am teaching her how to say "Lent" right now ;)

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  9. This Keep LOVE in LENT linkup is great! Your story about giving to others on St. Valentine's Day brings to mind a story about our firstborn, a son who was born on Feb. 14. During his toddler years, before he was old enough to go to kindergarten, we celebrated his birthday with valentines, a heart-shaped cake and decorations. When we would go to the store in early Feb. and see all the valentine decorations, he would say, "Look, Mommy, they are getting ready for my birthday!"
    When he came home from kindergarten after his first Valentine's Day party, he said, "Mommy, everyone got a birthday card today for my birthday!"
    It wasn't long before someone told him that he wasn't the reason for all the celebration, but we assured him that in our family he was!

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  10. What a sweet and wonderful idea. I'm sure you touched many people's lives that day. What a great way to keep love in Lent.

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  11. Right now, I am expecting our first baby this March and I can't wait to create our own family traditions. Going around and reading blogs have given me more than enough ideas that I could definitely follow :) ~ Ginger

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  12. Wow! Those doilies are beautiful! Going to Mass on Ash Wednesday and Visiting at elast seven churches where we do our Stations of the Cross are two of our family Lenten traditions. I plan to add more as the kids grow older.

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  13. What a delightful idea! How generous and kind and what an amazing witness for your kids! Thank you for sharing this lovely activity. Your blog is so very inviting! I'm following you so as not to miss any posts!
    Found you through the Keep Love in Lent blog hop and while I replied to your com on my post, I am not sure if you check back--(who has the time? ) I have to say I am grateful for you stopping at my blog to read and comment.
    BTW, I wanted to come over and say hi b.c I, too, am the 5th of 5! ( I "only" have two kids of my own though...5 was not in God's plan, apparently!)
    Looking fwd to staying in touch through the blogosphere.
    Thanks and have a lovely day.
    God bless xox

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  14. I LOVE that craft idea! And I love the idea of giving them out after mass randomly! I think my family may just have to do that next year.

    I am so glad I found your blog through the link up!

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  15. Those valentines were precious. We did something like this right before Christmas and it is amazing how it melts peoples' hearts!

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  16. Hi there--
    I wanted to let you know that I nominated you for a blogging award!
    Congrats.
    Here is the link for you to come check it out:

    http://campfiresandcleats.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-blog-award-my-nominees-and-some-fun.html

    Take care and I'll see you around the blogosphere:)

    x
    Chris

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  17. What a WONDERFUL idea!! I love all aspects of this activity...thank you for sharing the photos, too!

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  18. That's a great idea. Our oldest just turned two (his little brother just turned one!), so we don't have many family traditions yet, but it's never too soon to start! I'm collecting lots of family tradition ideas from different posts in this Link Up, to start using some of them next year when our son will be old enough to start understanding, in a simple way, the meaning of Lent, and different important celebrations...

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  19. What a great idea! Mixing Valentine's with Lent! They are somehow alike - Love and lent! Actually, love is found in lent.

    Wow! Great post.

    Thanks for sharing, and blessings to you and to your family.

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  20. What a lovely idea. The Valentines look gorgeous. I am sure you and your family made a lot of people happy. Also, you must be a really organized supermom to get your five kids to 8am Mass! Blessings to you and your family.

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  21. I love those doily hearts...and the thought of giving them out at Mass. Wonderful way to launch Lent!

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  22. Love their hearts! :) they are so pretty I am bookmarking this so I can do this with my girls also!

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  23. I love the idea of Valentines with scriptures! Thank you for sharing.

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