24 Days of Advent

Update: I laugh at myself. I truly can't count! St. Nick's day is the 6th not the 7th and I forgot to include the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Plus, I stuck no. 25 on here when of course there is no #25 drawer in our wooden Advent calendar.


I changed the template for this blog to reflect the new liturgical season of Advent. Nice and purple!

I was inspired by two lists I've seen recently. One is the advent calendar that 100 Days of Real Food posted for her little ones and the other was this recent post I saw on 50 Ways to Talk to God. I thought with our wooden Advent calendar (each drawer has a little piece of a nativity set) I'd stick in little slips of paper too and every day we can open up a drawer, take out a star or an angel or what have you, and also take out a little slip of paper that will help all of us (namely, me, Becky and Sean) live Advent more meaningfully. This is definitely not a particularly ambitious list, but hopefully we can be faithful to it, and that's what is important. Of course there are going to be all sorts of other things going on too, like AHG's Christmas parade and caroling at a Retirement Home. And also the AHG troop always makes Gingerbread Houses every December. And we have to go see Becky's cousin Andrea in her Nutcracker Suite ballet. And I am sure there will be other stuff as well!

1. Help to set up the Advent wreath and remember to light the candle and say prayers before dinner.
2. Listen to an Advent hymn and think about the words (suggestions - The King of Glory or People, Look East)
3. Pick out what you'll give to Food for the Poor this year.
4. Think about how you can get closer to Jesus - how would you like to improve your spiritual life?
5. Try to pray three different times today.
6. Go to Adoration with Mom. Then go shopping for Giving Tree items.
7. Read a prayer to St. Nicholas (because it is his feast day!) and go to confession because this is probably the best day to go this Advent.
8. Pay attention in Mass. Say all the prayers, sing all the hymns, listen to the homily. Open your heart.
9. Read the story of the Nativity in the Gospel of Matthew
10. Offer up everything you do today for the poor.
11. Read the story of the Nativity in the Gospel of Luke
12. Don't complain at all today.
13. Read the first few paragraphs in the Gospel of John
14. Do an examen of your conscience
15. Pay attention in Mass. Say all the prayers, sing all the hymns, listen to the homily. Open your heart.
16. Make a list of things you can give or do for others as Christmas presents.
17. Keep working on those Christmas presents! Do it with cheer in your heart.
18. Watch the Peanuts Christmas special!
19. Wind up final Christmas shopping.
20. Pray a rosary today
21. Decorate the house. Make it an offering of love to God.
22. Pay attention in Mass! You know the drill! Go to the Brophy family Christmas party. Say a little prayer for everyone you meet.
23. Do you feel closer to Jesus than you did when Advent first started? Spend time in prayer talking to Him today.
24. Wrap presents, go to Mass, pay attention and be joyful! Alleluia!
25. Open presents, eat breakfast, hang out all day and remember to give thanks to our beloved Savior.