Daily Archives: November 10, 2024

gratitude

Thanksgiving Fun: Creative Activities to Help Kids Express Gratitude! 🙏✨

Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and pumpkin pie; it’s about taking a moment to pause and soak in gratitude. For kids, weaving thankfulness into their world can be as fun and heartwarming as a warm slice of pie fresh from the oven.

Here are 6 creative activities to bring gratitude to life this Thanksgiving and cultivate a tradition of thankfulness that will echo long after the holiday ends.

1. The Enchanted Gratitude Jar:

Picture this: a plain mason jar, transformed into a magical vessel brimming with colourful slips of paper, each one a tiny secret of thankfulness. Start by setting up a “gratitude station” complete with markers, stickers, and glitter (because who doesn’t love glitter?). Each day leading up to Thanksgiving, encourage the kids to jot down one thing they’re grateful for.

On Thanksgiving Day, gather around the jar and take turns drawing out the notes. Expect giggles when someone reads, I’m thankful for chocolate chip pancakes, and a heartfelt I’m grateful for Dad’s bedtime stories to bring misty eyes. This simple jar will soon become a cherished centrepiece, glowing not just with decoration, but with the warmth of shared memories.


 2. The Thankful Tree That Grew in the Living Room

Imagine a tree not outside, but right in the middle of your living room, its branches swaying with bright, paper leaves. This Thankful Tree begins as a bare branch (picked from the yard or crafted from paper). Kids get to decorate paper leaves and write what they’re thankful for before attaching them to the tree.

Every leaf tells a story: Grandma’s hugs, The neighbour’s friendly cat, The first snowfall. By Thanksgiving Day, the tree isn’t just an art project; it’s a living testament to the joys that colour their world. Best of all, the Thankful Tree stands as a reminder that gratitude, like the branches, can grow if we nurture it.


3. The Great Gratitude Banner

Who says a Thanksgiving feast can’t have a parade of its own? This one comes in the form of a gratitude banner stretched across your dining room wall. Hand out triangles of construction paper or fabric and have each child write or draw something they’re grateful for. String them together with twine and hang them up.

As the turkey cooks and the room fills with laughter, guests can read through the banner: Family game nights, Sunday morning pancakes, The library with the nice librarian. The banner becomes more than a decoration; it’s a conversation starter and a visual reminder that the most beautiful things in life are often the simplest.


4. Thankfulness Journals: Secret Diaries of Joy

Not all gratitude needs to be shouted from the rooftops; some of it is best kept tucked away like a hidden treasure. Give each child a small, decorated journal and encourage them to write or draw one thing they’re thankful for every day during November. The entries can range from the way the sun feels on a cold day to my sister teaching me how to whistle.

These journals become keepsakes, pages filled with a child’s unique view of the world. On Thanksgiving night, after the dishes are done and the house is quiet, invite the kids to read one favourite entry each. Watch as their faces glow with pride, and know that these tiny books will hold echoes of gratitude long after the last leaf falls.


 5. The Gratefulness Scavenger Hunt

Turn thankfulness into a treasure hunt! Create a list of items or themes for kids to find around the house or yard, like something that makes you laugh, something that makes you feel safe, or something that reminds you of family.

The hunt begins with laughter and scampering feet. Kids return with a hodgepodge of objects: a well-loved teddy bear, a family photo, a funny hat that always makes everyone giggle. As they explain why they chose each item, the house fills with stories and memories, each one shining with newfound appreciation.


6. Giving Back: The Most Thankful Act of All

What better way to show gratitude than by giving back? Gather the kids and prepare care packages for a local shelter, or bake cookies for an elderly neighbor. If possible, take them to deliver the packages and see the joy on someone else’s face. It’s a lesson in thankfulness that words can’t capture, one that teaches kids that gratitude isn’t just about what we receive—it’s about what we give.

Watch their smiles widen when they realize the smallest gesture, like handing over a homemade card, can light up a whole room. This act of kindness is the most magical way to end Thanksgiving, leaving kids with hearts full of gratitude and the understanding that giving is its own reward.

These Thanksgiving activities go beyond crafts and games; they instil lasting values of gratitude and empathy in children. Whether through a simple jar filled with thankful notes or spending time giving back to the community, these activities are sure to enrich your family’s holiday and create cherished traditions.

Try incorporating one or more of these activities into your Thanksgiving plans and watch as your children’s understanding of gratitude deepens.


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Daily mass readings for Nov 18, 2024

Daily mass readings: Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : RV 1:1-4; 2:1-5

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him,
to show his servants what must happen soon.
He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
who gives witness to the word of God
and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw.
Blessed is the one who reads aloud
and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message
and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.

John, to the seven churches in Asia: grace to you and peace
from him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits before his throne.

I heard the Lord saying to me:
“To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write this:

“‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand
and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:
“I know your works, your labor, and your endurance,
and that you cannot tolerate the wicked;
you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not,
and discovered that they are impostors.
Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name,
and you have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you:
you have lost the love you had at first.
Realize how far you have fallen.
Repent, and do the works you did at first.
Otherwise, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”’”

Responsorial Psalm :PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6

R. (Rev. 2:17) Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Blessed 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.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
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.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

Alleluia : JN 8:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : LK 18:35-43

As Jesus approached Jericho
a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging,
and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening.
They told him,
“Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
The people walking in front rebuked him,
telling him to be silent,
but he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him;
and when he came near, Jesus asked him,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
He replied, “Lord, please let me see.”
Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”
He immediately received his sight
and followed him, giving glory to God.
When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.


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St. Pelagia

St. Pelagia

Feast dayJune 9

St. Pelagia is an intriguing and inspiring saint with a unique story, reflecting themes of repentance and transformation. Known primarily as Pelagia of Antioch, she is sometimes referred to as Pelagia the Penitent or Pelagia the Harlot, highlighting her journey from a life of sin to sainthood.

Early Life and Conversion

Pelagia was originally a famed actress and courtesan in Antioch, renowned for her beauty and lavish lifestyle. She was known for leading a life filled with worldly pleasures, wealth, and excess. However, during a sermon by Bishop Nonnus, she was deeply moved by his words about repentance and salvation. This encounter sparked a profound change in her heart, leading her to seek forgiveness and convert to Christianity.

Radical Transformation

After her baptism, Pelagia renounced her former life and distributed her wealth to the poor. She chose to live as an ascetic, dressing in men’s clothing and adopting the name Pelagius to disguise her identity. Pelagia journeyed to Jerusalem, where she spent the rest of her days living as a hermit on the Mount of Olives. Her life of strict penance and prayer became a powerful example of redemption and spiritual dedication.

Legacy and Feast Day

St. Pelagia’s life story has been cherished for centuries as an emblem of the boundless grace of God and the potential for radical transformation through faith. Her feast day is celebrated on October 8 in the Eastern Orthodox Church and on October 4 in the Roman Catholic tradition.

Her story reminds believers of the hope and possibility inherent in true repentance, emphasizing that no one is beyond the reach of divine mercy. Pelagia is also sometimes seen as a patron of actresses and repentant sinners due to her dramatic shift from an indulgent lifestyle to one of piety.


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