Custodians of Beauty

Coincidentally,  St. Valentine's Day falls on Ash Wednesday this year so we moved our valentine feasting and sweet eating to Fat Tuesday.  It has not been our custom to take the kids to Mass on Ash Wednesday, since it's not considered a holy day of obligation. However, we do try to keep things low key and prayerful to help us enter into the season of Lent. (This silly little poem rings true for Catholics. Remember, you can't spell valentine without Lent!) Our children have not reached the age requirement for fasting and abstaining, but we encourage them to offer up little sacrifices (ex. going to bed without a stuffed animal for one night, letting a sibling pick which Netflix show to watch, or skipping the Mc D's fries when out and about running errands.) So far, so good! They have willingly (no whining or pouting) given up their favorites, their treasures, and their comforts for Our Lord. What pure hearts, those children have. If only we could learn to love ...

On the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus I made a treat for the kids. It was a solemnity after all! The base was a graham cracker spread with buttercream frosting. I used slices of strawberries for the hearts and slivers of roasted almonds for the crown of thorns and cross. The fire at the top was orange and yellow sprinkles. You could use flower sprinkles instead of almonds to turn this into the Immaculate Heart. (Next year!) Extremely impromptu, yet fun and easy to make. Just used what I had in my pantry at the time.   Before we ate our snack, the kids looked at the image of the Sacred Heart and I pointed out to them the thorns, fire, and heart of Jesus. We talked about what each symbol meant. The flaming heart showing His burning love for us, and the cross and thorns circling the heart reminding us of His suffering and death on the cross. Prayer to the Sacred Heart: O Most Holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love yo...