We want to wish a Happy New Year to all our Spiritual Sundays friends. May the Lord bless each and every one of you abundantly in the new year. We do need to remember that sometimes blessings come in unexpected ways, and at the time do not even seem like blessings. Let's all be alert to what God is doing in our lives, and make a resolution to live closer to Him this year than ever before.
If
Friday, December 31, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Bethlehem -the House of Bread-
Midnight Mass offered for our families, friendsand those who oppose us.
In a letter that I have often needed to quote
Blessed Charles de Foucauld excused himself to his niece by saying:
"The silence of the cloister
is not the silence of forgetfulness".
This year has not been a year for Christmas cards
please excuse us.
Our silence
has not been a silence of forgetfulness.
Last night's Midnight Mass was especially offered
for our families, friends and all
who have been in contact with us over the last year.
In the joy of this Holy Night and Holy Day
of
Christmas
we have offered the Midnight Mass for you
asking the Holy Virgin's Infant to bless you from our altar
where He was born for us all.
What can Christmas be without Christ in our hearts?
Where else does He come in His own Flesh and Blood except in the Mass?
O wonderful feast of Christ's-Mass!
In the darkness of this Christmas night His light dawned for us;
A Light the darkness cannot overpower;
He shines in the stable of Bethlehem.
Every Catholic church is Bethlehem,
(for Bethlehem means the House of Bread)
where, under the form of Bread,
in ever Mass,
Jesus Christ is born on our altars
and day and night dwells amongst us in the tabernacle.
Christ, by highest Heaven adored,
Christ the everlasting Lord.
Late in time behold Him come,
Offspring of a Virgin's womb!
Veiled as Bread the Godhead see,
Hail the Incarnate Deity!
Pleased as Bread with man to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark ! the herald Angels sing
Glory to the the new born King.
We wish you a Blessed and Merry feast of Christmas!
25th December 2010 - Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone!
Sorry... there isn't a sketch this week, the Design Team are having a well earned rest to spend time with their friends & loved ones and enjoy the festivities, and we hope that you will be doing the same too!
We would like to express our gratitude to all of our sponsors and guest designers throughout 2010, as well as thanking each and everyone of you, our fantastic challengers for your support of our challenge blog, thank you so much for taking part each week.
We will be back next week, on January 1st 2011 with a brand new sketch for you!
We kick off the year with our DT week, and a new guest designer too! :)
please stop by next week to take part in our challenge :)
Have fun & take care.
See you all in 2011 ;)
Happy New Year!
Love, Sketch Saturday DT xx
Sorry... there isn't a sketch this week, the Design Team are having a well earned rest to spend time with their friends & loved ones and enjoy the festivities, and we hope that you will be doing the same too!
We would like to express our gratitude to all of our sponsors and guest designers throughout 2010, as well as thanking each and everyone of you, our fantastic challengers for your support of our challenge blog, thank you so much for taking part each week.
We will be back next week, on January 1st 2011 with a brand new sketch for you!
We kick off the year with our DT week, and a new guest designer too! :)
please stop by next week to take part in our challenge :)
Have fun & take care.
See you all in 2011 ;)
Happy New Year!
Love, Sketch Saturday DT xx
Friday, December 24, 2010
Winner of challenge #134
The winner of our final challenge of 2010, who wins 3 rubber Tickled Pink Stamps of their own choice is...
Mia Scott (A little bit of sparkle!)
and here is the gorgeous winning card...
Congratulations Mia! love your card, and what a lovely additional christmas present for you eh? :)
Please EMAIL ME so that I can pass on your email address, then Kellie from Tickle Pink Stamps will let you know how you can claim your prize. Thank you.
Jo xx
...And a huge thank you to Kellie too for her generous sponsorship :)
Mia Scott (A little bit of sparkle!)
and here is the gorgeous winning card...
Congratulations Mia! love your card, and what a lovely additional christmas present for you eh? :)
Please EMAIL ME so that I can pass on your email address, then Kellie from Tickle Pink Stamps will let you know how you can claim your prize. Thank you.
Jo xx
...And a huge thank you to Kellie too for her generous sponsorship :)
#247 - Manifesto
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Merry Christmas
It's Christmas time~~~I'm not sure how many will have time to join in this weekend but were happy that you stopped by to visit. This is such an emotional Holiday, I hope that your happy and enjoying your loved ones during this Christmas season. Merry Christmas,Ginger
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Some Calendars Still Available
It is still not too late to order one
of the remaining copies of the
Papa Stronsay Calendar for 2011,
or to purchase extras.
Please click the relevant link:
UK
USA
of the remaining copies of the
Papa Stronsay Calendar for 2011,
or to purchase extras.
Please click the relevant link:
UK
USA
Or, alternatively, if you are not yeta Catholic subscriber
why not become one
and receive your calendar
with the latest issue.
Please use the button at the top left of this bar
(marked "Subscribe to the Catholic Newspaper")
to do so.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Markets - December 20th to 29th
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MARKETS
20th December
- Monty
- 4pm to 8.30pm
21st December
- Hurtstbridge
- 4pm to 8pm
- Churchill Island
- 8am to 1pm
- Tyabb
- 8am to 1pm
- Newtown
- 8am to 1pm
- Caulfield
- 4pm to 8.30pm
22nd December
- Gasworks
- 4pm to 8pm
- Kingston
- 4pm to 7.30pm
- Veg Out St Kilda
- 4pm to 8pm
- Hume Murray
- 5pm to 8pm
- Bundoora Park
- 8am to 1pm
23rd December
- Casey-Berwick
- 4pm to 8pm
- Slow Food
- 3pm to 8pm
- Croydon
- 8am to 1pm
- North Essendon Village
- 8am to 1pm
- Williamstown Twilight Market
- 4pm to 8.30pm
25th December
- Mornington
- Tralagon
26th December
- Venus Bay Farmers Market
- 8am to 1pm
- Every Wednesday until January 26th
Saturday, December 18, 2010
#246 - December
If you take away all of the hype and the hoopla of this time of year, underneath there is a month. It is quite like some of the other months: 31 days, a nice soft-sounding name, a beginning, middle and end. But that is where the similarities stop. There is a lot of pressure on December to be a lot of things for a lot of people. No matter what you believe in, I expect you will have a lot to say about December.
Warning: next week the prompt will be a big one! I'm going to try to post it really early next week to give you a chance to think about it before Sunday. Intrigued?
Warning: next week the prompt will be a big one! I'm going to try to post it really early next week to give you a chance to think about it before Sunday. Intrigued?
Keeping the silence
From 10th - 21st DecemberFour Brothers are making their annual Retreat.
Since they are on silence during this time
and each takes his meals in the solitude of his cell
we hear and see little of them until after Mass on St. Thomas.
Retreatant clearing the snow before his cell.
Week #134 - 18th December - sponsored by Tickled Pink Stamps
Before announcing this weeks challenge, we have an announcement...
Sadly, today we bid a fond farewell to Catherine, who has decided to step down from the Design Team :(
I know that it wasn't an easy decision for Catherine to make and she will be greatly missed from our team.
This weeks card is her last one for Sketch Saturday, and is as fabulous as all her cards are.
Catherine, THANK YOU SO MUCH and we all wish you much love and happiness & best wishes for the future xx
On to this weeks challenge, which is our last challenge for 2010 because next Saturday is Christmas Day!! :)
We are very honoured to welcome a new sponsor this week, Tickled Pink Stamps
Here's a bit of info from our sponsor...
Tickled Pink Stamps is home of the fabulous Lil Lolita and Lil Lad Ranges
You can see all the newest products available by clicking HERE
Tickled Pink Stamps is currently having a CHRISTMAS STAMP SALE! With 30% - 50% OFF ALL CHRISTMAS STAMPS. Better get in quick because once they are GONE they are GONE!
Kellie is so generous, she is offering this weeks challenge winner their own choice of 3 rubber Tickled Pink Stamps.
Absolutely fabulous eh?! Thank you Kellie! xx
So here it is, the final sketch of 2010...
And here is Bev's last GDT card for the month of December ladies, Bev thank you so much for your precious time to make YET again such a beautiful card. And I wanted to thank you for being my GDT. "mwah", Terry.
This is Bev's amazing creation...
Leonie
Happy crafting!
Here is Mr Linky...
Sadly, today we bid a fond farewell to Catherine, who has decided to step down from the Design Team :(
I know that it wasn't an easy decision for Catherine to make and she will be greatly missed from our team.
This weeks card is her last one for Sketch Saturday, and is as fabulous as all her cards are.
Catherine, THANK YOU SO MUCH and we all wish you much love and happiness & best wishes for the future xx
On to this weeks challenge, which is our last challenge for 2010 because next Saturday is Christmas Day!! :)
We are very honoured to welcome a new sponsor this week, Tickled Pink Stamps
Here's a bit of info from our sponsor...
"Tickled Pink Stamps first started out as Magnolia Down Under in 2009, but in April 2010 Magnolia Down Under was taken over to Tickled Pink Stamps and supplied a larger range of stamps. What was the reason for this? I am Kellie the owner and founder of Tickled Pink Stamps and when I first started stamping I fell for anything and everything Magnolia, I had to have them. While I still share the same love for them to this day, I started to see more amazing stamps by talented designers world wide and I just had to share them around Australia and this is how Tickled Pink Stamps was born, aiming to be Australia's No. 1 Stamp supplier of all things cute and Tickled Pink....
Tickled Pink Stamps now has their VERY own range of cute and They are a tad different from the normal cute but we all LOVE to be different and stand out, and these amazing designs will make any creation GORGEOUS!"
Tickled Pink Stamps now has their VERY own range of cute and They are a tad different from the normal cute but we all LOVE to be different and stand out, and these amazing designs will make any creation GORGEOUS!"
Tickled Pink Stamps is home of the fabulous Lil Lolita and Lil Lad Ranges
You can see all the newest products available by clicking HERE
Tickled Pink Stamps is currently having a CHRISTMAS STAMP SALE! With 30% - 50% OFF ALL CHRISTMAS STAMPS. Better get in quick because once they are GONE they are GONE!
Kellie is so generous, she is offering this weeks challenge winner their own choice of 3 rubber Tickled Pink Stamps.
Absolutely fabulous eh?! Thank you Kellie! xx
So here it is, the final sketch of 2010...
And here is Bev's last GDT card for the month of December ladies, Bev thank you so much for your precious time to make YET again such a beautiful card. And I wanted to thank you for being my GDT. "mwah", Terry.
This is Bev's amazing creation...
And these fabulous cards were made by the wonderfull SS DT....check this out ladies...
such a beautiful card Catherine, Thank you for being a brilliant team member, we'll miss you xx
Happy crafting!
Here is Mr Linky...
Friday, December 17, 2010
Winner of challenge #133
The winner of the $25.00 gift certificate, kindly donated by Simon Says Stamp! is....
Karen! (My Crafty Cupboard)
and here is her fabulous winning card...
what gorgeous papers, and a beautiful image too.
Congratulations Karen!
Please EMAIL ME so that I can pass on your email address, then Steph from SSS can let you know how you can claim your prize. Thank you.
Happy Shopping!
Jo xx
Karen! (My Crafty Cupboard)
and here is her fabulous winning card...
what gorgeous papers, and a beautiful image too.
Congratulations Karen!
Please EMAIL ME so that I can pass on your email address, then Steph from SSS can let you know how you can claim your prize. Thank you.
Happy Shopping!
Jo xx
The Way of Bethlehem
During the novena for Christmas we make the Way of Bethlehem. It's like the Way of the Cross only the subjects of the stations are taken from the mysteries of Christmas and Christ's infancy: The Son of God Becomes an Infant, Jesus is Born an Infant, Jesus is Nourished, Jesus is Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes, Jesus is Circumcised, Jesus is adored by the Magi, Jesus is Presented in the Temple, Jesus Flies into Egypt, Jesus is Freed from the Swaddling-bands, Jesus Begins to Walk, Jesus Sleeps, Jesus the Fisher of Men.
This year we set up a station in the Ave Marias (small anti-chamber of each cell) of the cells.
We processed from station to station, singing hymns between each.
Entering in to one of the Stations.
Each Ave Maria has a small altar which the occupant of the cell decorates. We use these for the stations.
V. Christ is at hand.
R. Come let us worship Him.
Having completed the 12 stations the processions moves to the Chapel for the concluding prayer.
Knock, and it shall be opened to you. (Matt, 7:7)
The concluding prayers.
This morning the snow and fallen heavily, and continued all day. We tried very hard to get the cat to come in out of the snow, but she was quite content and took absolutely no notice of our entreaties!
The Via Paparum in the snow.
Br. Alphonso putting the leftover crumbs of bread out for the birds.
This year we set up a station in the Ave Marias (small anti-chamber of each cell) of the cells.
We processed from station to station, singing hymns between each.
Entering in to one of the Stations.
Each Ave Maria has a small altar which the occupant of the cell decorates. We use these for the stations.
V. Christ is at hand.
R. Come let us worship Him.
Having completed the 12 stations the processions moves to the Chapel for the concluding prayer.
Knock, and it shall be opened to you. (Matt, 7:7)
The concluding prayers.
This morning the snow and fallen heavily, and continued all day. We tried very hard to get the cat to come in out of the snow, but she was quite content and took absolutely no notice of our entreaties!
The Via Paparum in the snow.
Br. Alphonso putting the leftover crumbs of bread out for the birds.
CHRISTMAS SHARING
Christmas is just a few days away. Thank you for coming here to share with us on Spiritual Sundays. Since this is the "sharing" season, I decided to share this picture of our Nativity Scene. Actually, come to think of it, every season should be sharing season. I want to thank each one of you again who come here each week to share. We're happy that new people are discovering this blog and coming
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Taking Christ out of Xmas
At this time of year,
it is possible to hear that by writing
Xmas to abbreviate the word Christmas,
we are joining the secular world
and,
effectively,
taking Christ out of Christmas
as if we had put an X through His Holy Name.
But not so!
Such is not a traditional insight.
This is a false new notion
that threatens to take Christ out of Xmas
and fill us with fear of using the hallowed abbreviation.
This is then a good time to remember
that the use of the letter X
comes from the original Greek of the Gospel
and is one of the very ancient abbreviations in our language
that precisely means
Christ.
it is possible to hear that by writing
Xmas to abbreviate the word Christmas,
we are joining the secular world
and,
effectively,
taking Christ out of Christmas
as if we had put an X through His Holy Name.
But not so!
Such is not a traditional insight.
This is a false new notion
that threatens to take Christ out of Xmas
and fill us with fear of using the hallowed abbreviation.
This is then a good time to remember
that the use of the letter X
comes from the original Greek of the Gospel
and is one of the very ancient abbreviations in our language
that precisely means
Christ.
When we look at the picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour
we see that the letters above the Infant Jesus
are
IC XC
the abbreviation for
Jesus (IC) Christ (XC).
we see that the letters above the Infant Jesus
are
IC XC
the abbreviation for
Jesus (IC) Christ (XC).
In the Greek of the Gospels,
the word Christ
Christos is written as Χριστός,
and the letter X
is just the first letter of his name.
Thus the icon writes the first and last letter of Χριστός
as
XC.
Not all did this.
Some abbreviated Christ to the first two Greek letters Xp.
the word Christ
Christos is written as Χριστός,
and the letter X
is just the first letter of his name.
Thus the icon writes the first and last letter of Χριστός
as
XC.
Not all did this.
Some abbreviated Christ to the first two Greek letters Xp.
The X in Xmas
is the Greek letter equivalent to the English letters Ch;
monks and priests have used it for centuries
when writing the Holy Name of Christ.
In English Xt is a common ecclesiastical abbreviation fo Christ.
Seminarians with fast speaking professors
often come to writing
Xt for Christ or even Xh for Church.
The most ancient way to abbreviate Christ's name
was Xp
which in English is the same as
Xr
(since the Greek for 'r' is written as 'p').
That abbreviation -the XP- shown above to the right of Christ
comes from the catacombs.
The XP is also is often seen on sacred vestments;
it is the abbreviation and monogram for Christ.
is the Greek letter equivalent to the English letters Ch;
monks and priests have used it for centuries
when writing the Holy Name of Christ.
In English Xt is a common ecclesiastical abbreviation fo Christ.
Seminarians with fast speaking professors
often come to writing
Xt for Christ or even Xh for Church.
The most ancient way to abbreviate Christ's name was Xp
which in English is the same as
Xr
(since the Greek for 'r' is written as 'p').
That abbreviation -the XP- shown above to the right of Christ
comes from the catacombs.
The XP is also is often seen on sacred vestments;
it is the abbreviation and monogram for Christ.
The Anglo Saxon Cronicle.
In our own language we find the Greek Xp
first rendered in English as Xr.
In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle written about 1100 we read
Christmas
abbreviated to
Xres mæsse.
About the same time that we have this abbreviation for Christmas,
we also have an example in the donation Inventory
written by Bishop Leofric
of England
(1046 - 1073)
who records the gift of a Saxon Gospel thus:
Englisc Xres-boc
English Christ-book
He also used the Xr abbreviation in Xres-boc for Christ-book.
(Illustrations of Anglo Saxon Poetry, John Conybeare, London, 1826, p. 199)
Xmas is an ancient abbreviation for Christmas.
Its use does not "take Christ out of Christmas".
Its use continues the ancient style of
uniting the Greek X of the Gospel to our English language,
as our forebears have done
for nearly a thousand years.
Let us keep Christ both in Xmas
and indeed in Christmas too.
we also have an example in the donation Inventory
written by Bishop Leofric
of England
(1046 - 1073)
who records the gift of a Saxon Gospel thus:
Englisc Xres-boc
English Christ-book
He also used the Xr abbreviation in Xres-boc for Christ-book.
(Illustrations of Anglo Saxon Poetry, John Conybeare, London, 1826, p. 199)
Xmas is an ancient abbreviation for Christmas.
Its use does not "take Christ out of Christmas".
Its use continues the ancient style of
uniting the Greek X of the Gospel to our English language,
as our forebears have done
for nearly a thousand years.
Let us keep Christ both in Xmas
and indeed in Christmas too.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Markets - December 13th to 19th
Wednesday 15th December
Saturday 18th December
Sunday 21st November
Ashwood Farmers' Market
Inverloch Farmers' Market
Melbourne Showgrounds Farmers' Market
Mulgrave Farmers' Market
Seaford Farmers' Market
Talbot Farmers' Market
Trentham Farmers' Market
Yarra Valley Farmers' Market
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MARKETS
21st December
- Hurtstbridge
- 4pm to 8pm
- Churchill Island
- 8am to 1pm
- Tyabb
- 8am to 1pm
- Newtown
- 8am to 1pm
22nd December
- Gasworks
- 4pm to 8pm
- Kingston
- 4pm to 7.30pm
- Veg Out St Kilda
- 4pm to 8pm
- Hume Murray
- 5pm to 8pm
- Bundoora Park
- 8am to 1pm
23rd December
- Casey-Berwick
- 4pm to 8pm
- Slow Food
- 3pm to 8pm
- Croydon
- 8am to 1pm
- North Essendon Village
- 8am to 1pm
- Williamstown Twilight Market
- 4pm to 8.30pm
25th December
- Mornington
- Tralagon
26th December
- Yarrawonga
27th December
- Churchill Island
29th December
- Venus Bay Farmers Market
- 8am to 1pm
- Every Wednesday until January 26th
#245 - Limits
Coming up to the change of year it always feels like there is a lot of pressure to make a new start. To promise yourself things or to seek to change yourself in some way seems to be the order of most January beginnings. I think that before we leap into another year of resolutions, it would not hurt to look at what our limits are. Where are your edges? What is your limit? Where do you stop and another begins? What are the edges to your property? Your travel zone? Your boundaries? How can you make resolutions if you don't know where they simply won't wiggle through?
What or where are your limits?
What or where are your limits?
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Week #133 - 11th December - sponsored by Simon Says Stamp
Good Morning! :)
Thank you to those who took part in Terry's sketch challenge last week, please check out underneith this post to see if you are the winner!
This week's challenge is sponsored by our wonderful regular sponsor Simon Says Stamp!
Thank you to those who took part in Terry's sketch challenge last week, please check out underneith this post to see if you are the winner!
This week's challenge is sponsored by our wonderful regular sponsor Simon Says Stamp!
"With over 100,000 items in stock, Simon is proud to offer the best selection of Rubber Stamps, Scrapbooking, Artist Trading Cards, Altered Art, and Paper Crafting Supplies in the world!"
They have a fabulous range for Christmas & Winter in stock NOW!
To see all the latest products instore please click HERE including the NEW Holiday 2010 Hero Arts products!
To see the exclusive Simon Says Stamp range, please click HERE
Not forgetting their hugs Magnolia range HERE
Not forgetting their hugs Magnolia range HERE
The newest Tim Holtz products instore can be found HERE
A $25 gift certificate will be awarded to our lucky winner this week to spend on goodies from their amazing store!
We would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Simon Says Stamp for their continued sponsorship of our challenge blog throughout 2010 and we are delighted that Heidi and Steph have offered to sponsor us throughout 2011 too :)
Here is this weeks sketch...
Here is the wonderful creation from Bev......Bev is our GD for the month of December.......thanks Bev your card is absolutely fabulous....
And here are the fabulous creations of the DT
Please leave your entries with Mr Linky, thank you....
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