Fourth Sunday of Advent

Zechariah and Elizabeth

Luke 1:5-25

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of all the nations,
Saviour of all people,
come and set us free, Lord our God.

Kate's Advent Hymn

Third Saturday

Angels

Hebrews 1:1-14

O King of all the nations,
the only joy of every human heart,
O Keystone of the mighty arch of humankind,
Come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.

Since I've already used People Look East, for today I'll select
Ye Gates, Lift Your Heads On High

In case some people have forgotten, "Winter wonderland", "Let it snow" and "I'm dreaming about a white Christmas" all suggest that something called snow sets the Christmas scene.

So, for the viewing pleasure of those languishing in southern climes, I present SNOW.

Beginning to look a lot like Christmas

You know its getting close when we go out to the woods to get the Christmas tree!

Third Friday

Neremiah 13: 10-22

O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Kate's daily advent hymn

Third Thursday

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 31: 31-34

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.

Kate's choice

Third Wednsday

Isaiah

Isaiah 6:1-8

O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.

Kate's daily advent hymn choice

Third Tuesday

Elisha and healing

II Kings 5:1-27

O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountains: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.

Kate's Advent hymn for today

Third Monday

Elijah and the Raven

1 Kings 17:1-16

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God,
You govern all creation with
your strong yet tender care
come and show your people the way to salvation

Kate's hymn choice

Third Sunday of Advent

The wisdom of Solomon

1 Kings:3:3-28

Kate's Hymn

Second Saturday of Advent

The Lord is my Shepherd

23 Psalm

Kate's Hymn

Second Friday of Advent

1 Samuel16:24-23

Kate's Hymn

Second Thursday

Samuel

1 Samuel 3:1-21

Kate's hymn

Second Wednsday

Blessing of Aaron

Numbers 6:22-27

Kate's Hymn

Feast of Our Lady of Guadelupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe, mystical Rose, make intercession for our Holy Church, protect the Pope, help all those who invoke you in their necessities, and since you are the every Virgin Mary and Mother of the true God, obtain for us from your most Holy Son, the grace of keeping our faith, sweet hope in the midst of the bitterness of life, burning charity, and the precious gift of final perseverance. Amen

Second Tuesday

Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-17

Kate's birthday choice

Psalm 1:1-3

Happy the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night.
He is like a tree planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade.
[Whatever he does prospers.]

Second Monday

Joseph's Coat

Genesis 37: 1-36

Kate's hymn choice

O shepherd of Israel, hearken,

O guide of the flock of Joseph!

Rouse your power, and come to save us.

O Lord of hosts, restore us,

if your face shine upon us, then we shall be safe.

O Lord of hosts, how long will you burn with anger

while your people pray?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in ample measure.
You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors,
and our enemies mock us.
O Lord of hosts, restore us,

if your face shine upon us, then we shall be safe.

Second Sunday

Advent Rose

Isaiah 9:1-7

O root of Jesse,

who stands as a banner for the peoples,

before whom kings close their mouths,

to whom the nations pray,

come deliver us,

wait no more.

Kate's advent hymn

First Saturday

Jacob's Ladder

Genesis 27:41-28:22

Father, you prepared the heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary to be a fitting home for Your Spirit, by her prayers may we become a more worthy temple of Your Glory. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Hymn: People Look East Lyrics Midi

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Friday

Genesis 22:1-14

Isaac and the ram

Lamb of God, you who take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Kate's daily advent hymn

First Thursday

Father Abraham

Genesis 12:1-7,
Genesis 13:2-18

May Christ give us His peace and joy,
and let us share them with others.

Kate's hymn selection

Sinterklaas

We invited friends over for traditional Dutch goodies. Afterwards we sang advent carols, fun Christmas songs, and I sang some Sinterklaas liedjes.

Next we set out our shoes.

There, we're all ready for the arrival of the good Saint.

First Wednesday

Noah and the Flood

Genesis 6:11-22
Genesis 8:6-12

Tomorrow is St. Nicholas' feast day. Today we celebrate in anticipation.

A Song For St. Nicolas

Prayers

Tonight we set out our shoes, in the hope that the Good Saint and his helper, Black Piet, will come and fill them.

Kate's Hymn Selection

First Tuesday

Adam & Eve

Genesis 3:1-24

" O happy fault,
O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!"Exultet

We have two advent hymns today,
Kate's Advent selection
Awake, Awake, Fling Off the Night seemed very appropriate as our parish had its penitential celebration last night.

First Monday

Genesis 1:24-28

Today's Hymn

Prayer: Father, in the wilderness of the Jordon you sent a messenger to prepare people's hearts for the coming of your Son. Help me to hear his words and repent of my sins, so that I may clearly see the way to walk, the truth to speak, and the life to live in Him, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Advent

First Sunday

The Jesse Tree

Reading: First Samuel 16:1-13

Advent Carol: O Come, O Come Emanuel


Instructions on making your own Jesse Tree at the Domestic-Church.com

This house, Heart's Ease, has been our project from the floor plans on up.

we were originally planning to just buy a suitable house, but in our summers of househunting, we discovered that we were a lot fussier and perhaps less social than we thought.

After looking at many places, we concluded that we wanted to own some land, live in the country, have waterfront, and needed a substantial garage/workshop for Bill.

So we ended up buying this property on Lyndhurst Creek, to which we kept returning.

Next came house plans. again we couldn't find just what we wanted in the house plans which we looked at, so we ended up drawing up our own floorplans.

First we had to figure out how we wanted to use the house?

What did we need, what did we want?

This house reflects our interests, our hopes and our dreams.

In structure it is bright and airy, open to the beauty of our surroundings. We have enough land to hike on, with waterfront for canoeing, and enough room to invite friends and family to put up a tent and join us at the campfire.

The house works well for large family gatherings. The great room, with its cathedral ceiling enhances music coming from the piano or from Bill's new, computer speakers, which he designed and built to suit the space.

Music, hobbies, family, good cooking, faith - all fit in well.

Oh, and books - Bill has built a bookcase along one wall of the family room, and we tend a bookcase in every room. the books reflect the things that we have been interested in. History, music, faith, bridge, science ficton, gardening - after thirty-five years of marriage we have a substantial library. It was wonderful to rescue our books from their boxes, and arrange them on the shelves.