Association Of Catholic Bloggers

It’s Advent, the beginning of the liturgical year, penitential and contemplative in tone as befits preparation for a great feast. It’s a blessed relief from any number of things. I enter it this year sick at heart due to some recent events, ready for a time of prayer and quiet and humility and renewal. Keep that elf doll away from me. Throw a curtain around that poinsettia display for a few more weeks. And in regretful (some will say regrettable) defiance of  my bishop’s directive , I am fleeing my parish church for the duration in order to avoid Christmas carols at every Advent Sunday Mass. Read more at Leaven for the Loaf . 

" Twas the night after Christmas, and all through the airwaves, not a Christmas song to be heard!  Oh so silent upon December 26th... No longer with any outside sources feeding us such joyful tunes.  Silent night now, indeed… When, what to my wandering eyes [& ears] should appear? ...but EWTN! " ...I really wasn't planning on this post—but had found myself "hungry" the day after Christmas... Only then to be unexpectedly gratified [thanks to the gift of EWTN], for which I am grateful.... So much so that I wanted to share it with you; just in case you, too, may find yourself feeling hungry as well... After-all, Christmas is here... Still!  Not just a Day… but Season!   Not beginning at the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in November ... >> Click Here to Read More at: The Way to Nourish for Life >>

The Christmas season—which ought to be one of peace and good cheer—is often everything other than tranquility and happiness. For many people (women especially), family events, shopping, and fractured relationships bring stress and steal the joy of Christmas. Before the stress sets in, consider these few tips to take into the Christmas season so that this year it will truly be a season of harmony, peace and pleasure. 1.       Remember that Christmas is about the celebration of the birth of Christ; see others through His eyes. If you are in the process of forgiving someone, don’t feel you’ve failed if this Christmas you aren’t jumping up and down with joy to see that person. Forgiveness is a process. Take it one step at a time—and be okay with that. read more here

HAPPY SEASON OF CHRISTMAS!! And if, by any chance, you were given [or will ever be given] a partridge in a pear tree , this is a really great time for us to take a much closer look at this tree − well, at its fruit, that is... After all, the PEAR in the pear tree comes with its own special set of “ GIFTS ” for us to benefit from, which includes: GIFTS GIVEN IN PEARS Click HERE to read more about pears, the 3rd Day of Christmas, and what "my true love gave to me" that truly matters!

Just 12 days now 'til Christmas!! ...Not to be confused with THE Twelve Days of Christmas, of course.  But I saw an amusing health article this evening (December 13th) that I thought was rather creative (& silly) about a very different kind of 12 days: " the 12 days of fitness ”... involving an accumulating circuit of exercises over a twelve-day period [per Huffington Post]. So naturally I started singing it along to the classic tune!  Here goes... On the 1st day of fitness, my true love gave to me, a one-minute plank to do.  On the 2nd day of fitness, my true love gave to me, two-minute wall squat, and a 1-minute plank to do.  On the 3rd day of fitness, my true love gave to me, 3-minute bridge, 2-minute wall squat, and a 1-minute plank to do.   On the 4 th day of fitness, my true love gave to me… [See link for complete list]  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/12/12-days-of-fitness_n_4277152.html?utm_hp_ref=health-fitn...

The Christmas season—which ought to be one of peace and good cheer—is often everything other than tranquility and happiness. For many people (women especially), family events, shopping, and fractured relationships bring stress and steal the joy of Christmas. For a Christian, this really doesn’t have to be the case. It really shouldn’t be the case—and a few tips to take into the Christmas season will help replace angst and strain with harmony and pleasure. 1. Remember that Christmas is about the celebration of the birth of Christ; see others through His eyes. If you are in the process of forgiving someone, don’t feel you’ve failed if this Christmas you aren’t jumping up and down with joy to see that person. Forgiveness is a process. Take it one step at a time—and be okay with that. 2. The physiological aspect of stress can be countered by breathing. That’s right—breathe this Christmas season! Breathe deep. Studies show that when we are stressed we don’t breathe deepl...